Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Sept 12 (HS): Reigning World Chess Champion D. Gukesh is set for a high-voltage clash against Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh in the eighth round of the FIDE Grand Swiss. The encounter is particularly special as both are 19-year-old Indian Grandmasters, meeting for the first time on a major international stage.

Having clinched the Women’s World Cup title in July, Deshmukh has already secured her berth in next year’s Candidates Tournament. She also received a wildcard entry into the men’s section of the Grand Swiss, giving her the chance to test her skills against top male Grandmasters. Experts believe such tough contests will significantly sharpen her preparation for the Candidates.

Gukesh, meanwhile, has endured a rocky campaign so far. After starting with two wins and two draws in the opening rounds, he suffered three straight defeats—against Abhimanyu Mishra (USA), Nikolas Theodorou (Greece), and Ediz Gürel (Turkey). With a tally of just three points, the world champion is lagging behind expectations.

In contrast, Divya has impressed with her resilience. Despite two losses and three draws, she managed two stunning upsets, defeating Egypt’s Bassem Amin and Serbia’s Velimir Ivić. With 3.5 points, she is currently ahead of Gukesh in the standings.

According to FIDE records, Gukesh and Deshmukh have met only once before in classical format. That encounter took place at the IIFL Wealth International Tournament in Mumbai in December 2018, where Gukesh prevailed with the black pieces.

The Grand Swiss carries major stakes, as the top two finishers from both the Open and Women’s events will qualify for the prestigious Candidates Tournament next year. The winners of the Candidates will challenge Gukesh (men’s reigning world champion) and China’s Ju Wenjun (women’s world champion) for the ultimate crown.

Currently, Gukesh holds a FIDE rating of 2767, while Deshmukh’s rating stands at 2478.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar