Divya Deshmukh’s debut could have an impact on candidates

Nagpur: “I believe it will happen sooner or later.” Divya Deshmukh, who has just become the world junior women’s chess champion, is full of confidence against the Candidates. That’s June 2024.In July last year, Divya became India’s first women’s World Cup champion and also won the grandmaster title, thereby qualifying for 2026. Thirteen months later, it’s safe to say the future has arrived.Divya, 20, will make her debut as the youngest player in the eight-player double-round chess world championship candidates’ tournament in Cyprus on Sunday.With six of Cyprus’ seven opponents rated higher and with nothing to lose, Divya (Elo 2497) will look to be aggressive while taking advantage of her better start to prepare her weapons. This Nagpur girl can be a fierce competitor as she loves to make attacking moves on the board while handling complex situations with a calm mind.Divya is running against 36-year-old Anna Muzychuk, who qualified after India’s number one Koneru Humpy withdrew, citing security concerns in West Asia. In their 3 matches, Divya lost once and drew twice against the 2522 Elo Ukrainian player.In the second round, Divya will face 24-year-old Vaishali Rameshbabu, who has a better record in the Classics.

Aleksandra Goryachkina will be Divya’s next opponent, and she has a modest record against the most-watched Russian women in history.India’s number two will score the most points in the fourth and fifth rounds. Although she has a losing record against two of China’s two higher-rated GMs – Zhu Jin’er and Tan Zhongyi – Divya’s success against them in the World Cup will give her the confidence to score the all-important points.Kazakhstan’s talented general manager Bibisara Assaubayeva will be Divya’s toughest test. After going into the sixth round with the three-time defending blitzkrieg champion, Divia will face 22-year-old Bibi Sara again in her final and 14th fight.Before the start of the second round, Divia will face the two-time European women’s champion, 36-year-old Russian Katerina Ranio. 2508 Elo Kateryna could spoil Divya’s party, just like she did in Kolkata this year, winning back-to-back races at a faster pace.In Cyprus on March 18 last year, Divia defeated Muzychuk in 66 moves, and the Ukrainian player eventually became the women’s Grand Prix champion. If Divia can avenge her first-round loss to Muzychuk in the Candidates Round, she will be confident in the remaining 13 rounds.On dealing with stress, the once shy but now talkative Divya had told TOI, “I have been under stress for years. So to be honest, at a certain stage, stress doesn’t matter anymore. Obviously, stress is there; it’s in your mind, but I don’t look at it and I don’t think about it.”