Women’s Chess World Cup

Why in news:

Divya Deshmukh, a 19-year-old Indian chess prodigy, made history by winning the Women’s Chess World Cup in Batumi, Georgia, becoming the first Indian woman to ever win this title. She defeated fellow Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy in the tie-breakers of the final. This victory makes her the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women’s World Cup

UPSC CSE Relevance:

UPSC CSE in prelims examination has focused on games. A case in point is a following PYQ.

UPSC Prelims PYQ 2021:

Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship:

1. The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won.
2. New Zealand was ranked ahead of England because it won more matches than England.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Divya Major Milestones:

• She became India’s 88th Grandmaster
• Only the 4th Indian woman Grandmaster, after Koneru Humpy, D. Harika, and R. Vaishali.
• Divya’s win is not just a personal milestone but a national moment of pride as no Indian woman had won the World Cup before.

FIDE World Chess Championship:

• The FIDE governs all international chess competitions and was recognized as a Global Sporting Organization by the International Olympic Committee in 1999.
• Founded in 1924 in Paris and headquartered in Lausanne, FIDE is now one of the largest National Chess Federations, encompassing 201 countries as affiliate members. 
• Publishes monthly rankings for the top 100 players, women, juniors, and girls 
• Publishes rankings for countries based on the average rating of their top 10 players and top 10 female players 
• Regulates all international chess competitions 
• Connects national chess federation

About chess:

• Chess is one of the most ancient, intellectual and cultural games, with a combination of sport, scientific thinking and elements of art.
• One theory is that an early game similar to chess called Chaturanga originated in Northern Indian Subcontinent during the Gupta period (~ 319 – 543 CE) and spread along the Silk Roads west to Persia.(Source-United Nation)
• In 900 CE, Abbasid chess masters al-Suli and al-Lajlaj composed works on the techniques and strategy of the game, and by 1000 CE Chess was popular across Europe, and in Russia where it was introduced from the Eurasian Steppe.
• On 12 December 2019, the General Assembly proclaimed 20 July as World Chess Day to mark the date of the establishment of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in Paris in 1924.

UPSC Prelims PYQ 2023

Consider the following statements in respect of the 44th Chess Olympiad, 2022:

1. It was the first time that the Chess Olympiad was held in India.
2. The official mascot was named ‘Thambi’.
3. The trophy for the winning team in the open section is the Vera Menchik Cup.
4. The trophy for the winning team in the women’s section is the Hamilton-Russell Cup.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four