Grandmaster Koneru Humpy on Sunday pulled off a sensational turnaround in New York and was crowned FIDE Women’s World Rapid Champion, her second title in this tournament defeating Indonesia’s Irene Sukandar. Koneru Humpy stands as one of India’s most accomplished chess players. Making history as India’s first female grandmaster, she achieved this prestigious title in 2002 at just 15 years old – a remarkable feat that stood as the youngest female GM record until Hou Yifan broke it.
Her impressive career includes multiple major victories, having secured gold medals at the Chess Olympiad, Asian Games, and Asian Championship. Currently, she holds the distinction of being the two-time Women’s World Rapid Chess Champion and has reached the finals of the Women’s World Chess Championship. Born in 1987, Humpy has established herself as one of the most formidable figures in women’s chess.
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Achievements
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Asia’s youngest Woman International Master (WIM) |
| 2001 | India’s youngest Woman Grandmaster (WGM) |
| 2012 | Bronze at Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship |
| 2019 | Skolkovo Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20 |
| 2019 | Monaco Women’s Grand Prix 2019–20 |
| 2019 | Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship |
| 2020 | Gold at Cairns Cup |
| 2020 | Silver at Speed Chess Championship |
| 2020 | Gold at FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2020 |
| 2021 | Bronze at FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2021 |
| 2022 | Bronze at 44th Chess Olympiad |
| 2022 | Gaprindashvili Cup Team Winner at 44th Chess Olympiad |
| 2022 | Silver at Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship 2022 |
| 2023 | Silver at Global Chess League |
| 2023 | Silver at Women’s Tata Steel India Chess Tournament Blitz |
| 2024 | Silver at Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024 |
| 2024 | Winner of the World Rapid Chess Championship |
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In a thrilling conclusion to the tournament, Koneru Humpy demonstrated her championship mettle during the eleventh and final round. While sharing the lead with several competitors, including her compatriot Harika Dronavalli, Humpy faced off against Sukandar in a must-win situation. Though Harika could only secure a draw against China’s Tan Zhongyi, Humpy displayed exceptional skill in the endgame against Sukandar, who despite having the advantage of the white pieces, couldn’t maintain her co-leader position. Humpy’s victory proved decisive, as she finished a clear half-point ahead of a group of six players, including Harika, to claim the championship.
