Daijiworld Media Network - Oslo

Oslo, May 26: Divya Deshmukh made a memorable debut at the Norway Chess tournament by defeating women’s world champion Ju Wenjun in the Armageddon tiebreak after holding her to a draw in the classical game on Monday.

The 20-year-old chess player from Nagpur also became the first participant at the tournament to step into the event’s confessional booth — a soundproof room next to the playing hall where players can share live thoughts during games.

During the match, Divya initially appeared unsure about using the confessional feature.

“I don't know if I am supposed to do this while sitting or standing, but my game is very interesting. I really hope that she can't hear me,” she said while speaking into the live camera during Round 1.

In a light-hearted moment, she also remarked, “I saw there are some people who are sleeping in the first row. But honestly, I don't blame them. It is what I would've done too.”

As the game progressed, Divya jokingly spoke about the snacks placed beside the board.

“I’m actually getting a bit hungry, and there’s a packet of dried mango kept on the table, but I’m unsure if we can eat it because it might be for promotional purposes,” she said.

On the board, the match followed a Réti/Catalan structure. Playing with the black pieces, Divya matched Ju Wenjun confidently and defended strongly against aggressive kingside attacks from the world champion.

She later gained the initiative through tactical play in the middlegame and managed to expose White’s king while achieving a more active position. The classical encounter ended in a threefold repetition draw after 52 moves.

The contest then moved into an Armageddon tiebreak, where White receives more time but must win, while Black gets less time and only requires a draw to secure victory.

Handling the pressure impressively, Divya emerged victorious in the tiebreak to earn extra points and register a major result against the reigning world champion.