Home / Sports / Assaubayeva and Deshmukh: Chess Rivalry Heats Up!
Assaubayeva and Deshmukh: Chess Rivalry Heats Up!
12 Jul
Summary
- Bibisara Assaubayeva to face Divya Deshmukh in quarterfinals.
- Deshmukh is the current FIDE World Cup winner.
- Assaubayeva previously drew and won against Deshmukh.
Kazakh chess star Bibisara Assaubayeva is set to compete against Indian grandmaster Divya Deshmukh in the quarterfinals of the Women's Speed Chess Championship 2026. Assaubayeva secured her spot by decisively beating Uzbekistan's Afruza Khamdamova with a score of 10.5-3.5 in the round of 16. Her opponent, Divya Deshmukh, the formidable FIDE World Cup winner, advanced after a dominant 14-1 victory over American Rose Atwell.
This upcoming match is a highly anticipated rematch for Assaubayeva. In April, she drew with Deshmukh in the Candidates Tournament, finishing second overall. However, Assaubayeva later secured a championship title in June by defeating Deshmukh at the Norway Chess Women 2026 tournament, demonstrating her strong competitive spirit against a top-tier rival. The 20-year-old Deshmukh is recognized as one of the world's leading young chess talents, having won the FIDE World Cup and earned international grandmaster status in 2025.
