What happened? On June 17, 2025, at the FIDE World Team Blitz Championship semifinals in London, Indian IM Divya Deshmukh (world junior No. 1) delivered a stunning 74‑move victory over China’s world No. 1 Hou Yifan in the second leg of the blitz semifinal, avenging an earlier loss and cementing her breakthrough performance .
Tournament success: Beyond this headline-grabbing win, Divya’s team, Hexamind Chess Club, secured bronze in blitz and silver in rapid formats. She personally earned three medals across both events .
PM Modi’s message: “Her success highlights her grit and determination… inspires many upcoming chess players.” He applauded her performance via X (formerly Twitter) .State-level praise: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said Divya’s fearless play and sharp focus make “every Indian—and every Maharashtrian—proud” .
A rising force: At just 19, Divya is India’s No. 4 and world junior No. 1, making this win a powerful signal of her potential in elite chess .
Chess continuum: Her upset echoes moments like D. Gukesh’s recent win over Magnus Carlsen, where top-rated players succumbed to endgame blunders .
Divya and her team will continue in the World Team Rapid & Blitz event at London. With her confidence soaring, she’s likely to keep delivering top-level performances—and possibly more headline-making upsets.
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