FIDE WGP India: Four out of five games ended
The first round of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Pune was packed with action. Four out of five games ended with a clear winner — a rare sight in high-level chess!
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, a wedding at the hotel venue added some unexpected drama.
A Wedding Twist
Indian weddings are colorful and lively, often lasting for days with music, dancing, and delicious food. But during this round, the loud celebration clashed with the final moments of the games.
Because of the noise, Chief Arbiter Ivan Syrovy and Deputy Arbiter Deepti Shidore had to pause the games for 10 minutes. The players handled it well, but it was definitely a challenge to stay focused!
First Moves with a Touch of Ceremony
The ceremonial first moves were made in the game between Munguntuul Batkhuyag and Salome Melia. Local leaders Aditya Deshpande and Dr. Parineeta Fuke took part in this symbolic tradition.
Let’s break down the five games:
Zhu Jiner 1–0 Harika Dronavalli
This game stood out! Harika tried a rare sideline in the French Defense to surprise Zhu Jiner. But the Chinese GM stayed calm, found her chances in the middlegame, and took the win.
“Harika is a very solid player. I’m happy to win our first game,” Zhu said after.
A single mistake — 26…gxh5 instead of 26…Qd7 — may have cost Harika the game.
Alina Kashlinskaya 0–1 Polina Shuvalova
Polina returned to the Grand Prix series with a bang! She defeated Alina Kashlinskaya in a tense game.
“I canceled other tournaments to play here. It’s a great opportunity,” Polina shared.
Her clever pawn sacrifice and calm under time pressure led her to victory — and one step closer to another GM norm.
Vaishali Rameshbabu ½–½ Humpy Koneru
The all-Indian clash was a display of precise, top-level chess. Both players played near-perfect moves, and after 53 moves, they agreed to a draw.
No mistakes. No drama. Just pure chess excellence.
Nurgyul Salimova 0–1 Divya Deshmukh
Divya, from Nagpur, was thrilled to play close to home. She faced Salimova, who played a modern London System with early aggression.
“It was tough, but I went all out and it worked,” said Divya.
Despite some missed chances, Divya’s tactical awareness helped her clinch the point. The wedding noise? A distraction for sure — but she took it in stride.
Munguntuul Batkhuyag 1–0 Salome Melia
This was the last and most dramatic game of the day.
Salome had the upper hand for most of the game and could have drawn it. But a critical mistake with seconds left on her clock changed everything.
Instead of 78…Nc6, which would’ve drawn the game, she played 78…Kxg7? — and it allowed Munguntuul to trap her knight and win.
“It wasn’t easy,” both players agreed. But in chess, one move can change everything.
What’s Next?
Round 2 of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix continues on Tuesday, April 15 at 15:00 CET in Pune, India.
Pairings for Round 2:
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Salome Melia vs. Humpy Koneru
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Divya Deshmukh vs. Vaishali Rameshbabu
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Polina Shuvalova vs. Nurgyul Salimova
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Harika Dronavalli vs. Alina Kashlinskaya
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Munguntuul Batkhuyag vs. Zhu Jiner
You can catch live games and expert commentary on FIDE’s YouTube channel or check pairings and regulations on the official FIDE website.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates from Pune!
Photos: Abhilash Shinde, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
