NAGPUR: Nagpur’s 8 ½-year-old Divya Deshmukh won her first World crown when she emerged as champ in the under-10 girls’ section of the World Youth Chess Championship in Durban, South Africa, on Monday. The No. 13 seed earn 9 wins and 2 draws and finish the 11-round-even with 10 points.
Divya had earlier shot into the limelight when she won the Asian Schools Championship in 2012 and the U-10 Asian blitz event earlier this year. In 2013, Divya became the world’s youngest woman Fide Master.
The credit for Divya’s triumph goes to city’s Gurpreet Singh Maras, her second coach after Rahul Joshi. Though Gurpreet was unable to accompany Divya to Durban.Divya and Bibissara tied with 10 points each but a better progressive tie-break score gave the Indian the title.
Divya, who has Elo rating of 1607 points, opened with a win over China’s Jiang Tiantian and then posted victories over Koksa Jelena, No 4 seed Zeng Sheena of USA and No. 5 seed WFM Asadi Motahare from Iran. In the next rounds, Divya outclassed Rakshitta Ravi, No 7 seed Garifullina Leya of Russia, WCM Caglar Sila, Song Yuxin and No 12 seed Chinese Wen Yili. The final game against Kazakhstan’s Nurgali Nazerke.(Agencies)
