Indian Stars Advance in FIDE Women's World Chess Cup

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.

(With inputs from agencies.)