Indian Stars Advance in FIDE Women's World Chess Cup

Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, along with D Harika and R Vaishali, secured victories to advance in the FIDE Women's World Chess Cup. Despite a setback, Vantika Agrawal faces a tiebreaker after drawing against former world champion Anna Ushenina. Multiple Indian players continue their journey in the tournament.

Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy showcased her dominance by achieving an easy draw with Afruza Khamdamova from Uzbekistan, securing her mini-match with a score of 1.5-0.5 in the FIDE Women's World Chess Cup second round.

Humpy strategically opted for a draw, preserving her strength for future matches. Compatriot D Harika, who has previously won two bronze medals in this tournament, progressed to the last 32 by defeating P V Nandhidhaa. This decisive victory saw Nandhidhaa become the second Indian to exit the event, following Kiran Manisha Mohanty.

In other successes for India, R Vaishali defeated Canada's Ouellet Maili-Jade, while Divya Deshmukh bested Georgia's Kesaria Mgeladze. A notable performance came from K Priyanka, who played back-to-back draws against Poland's Klaudia Kulon, leading to a tiebreaker. Vantika Agrawal, despite her strong start, faces a challenging tiebreaker following a draw against former world champion Anna Ushenina. The tournament's second round saw several competitive matches, with Indian players continuing to make a strong impact.