Deshmukh Triumphs, First to the Final @ Women’s Chess World Cup
IM Divya Deshmukh is the first player through to the final of the 2025 Women’s Chess World Cup after a thrilling win against Tan Zhongyi in the second match game.
Deshmukh had a significant early advantage, but it slipped away in a two knights vs. two bishops middlegame. Tan was even quite a bit better for a moment, but a couple mistakes put Deshmukh in a winning position into the endgame. Tan defended well enough to cause Deshmukh to blunder as she tried to figure out a win, and the players shared a few more blunders as the nasty precision of rook endgames reared its head.
Finally on move 90 the final blunder was made: Tan played 90. …Kh3??. Either 90. …Rb6! or 90. …Rb3! maintains a 0.0 evaluation, preventing the white king from supporting the pawn while it can, in the first case, or obtaining an extra square of ‘checking distance’ than the game. Leaving the rook on b4 allows 91. Kc6 Rc4+ 92. Kb5, and White has a moment to unfreeze their rook from side-protection of the pawn.
But not 90. …Rb2?? or 90. …Rb1?? because White’s king can hide on b8 and the black rook won’t be able to use the tempo where the b-pawn can’t push to take on f3. …Kh3 comes into play when White is not threatening one of these tricks to assist the b-pawn. It is a harsh way for Tan to be eliminated, but she can take some solace in the outstanding form of her opponent!
Humpy Koneru vs. Lei Tingjie was very nearly also decisive. They were playing out was what a level rook endgame, when Lei blundered at a moment where there was only a very tight sequence to hold. But Koneru returned the favour 14 moves later.
The only winning move is 64. Rd5!, which fully cuts off Black’s king from the passed pawn and enables Kc5 to hide from checks by the black rook. Instead 64. f5+?? Kd6 65. Rd5+ Kc6 slams into nothing, as the white king is left out in the open.
The Lei/Koneru tiebreak will begin Thursday at 11:05 a.m. UTC, and the Final on Saturday. Follow along on Lichess.
Photo by Anna Shtourman / FIDE
