Kazakh Grandmaster Bibisara Assaubayeva Set to Face FIDE World Cup Champion Divya Deshmukh in Women's Speed Chess Quarterfinals Bibisara Assaubayeva, the 20-year-old Kazakh chess grandmaster, has been confirmed to face Divya Deshmukh, the reigning FIDE World Cup champion, in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Speed Chess Championship 2026. The matchup, announced by Qazinform News Agency, marks a significant encounter between two of the sport’s rising stars. Deshmukh, representing India, will aim to advance to the semifinals after securing a dominant victory in the round of 16. In the round of 16, Assaubayeva showcased her prowess by defeating Uzbekistan’s Afruza Khamdamova with a score of 10.5-3.5. Meanwhile, Deshmukh overwhelmed American competitor Rose Atwell, winning 14-1 without conceding a single game. The Indian player’s performance underscored her reputation as a formidable force in speed chess, a format that demands precision and rapid decision-making. Deshmukh’s rise to prominence has been meteoric. In 2025, she claimed the FIDE World Cup title, a feat that solidified her status as one of the sport’s elite. Her achievements that year also included becoming an international grandmaster and earning a spot in the Candidates Tournament, a prestigious qualifier for the Women’s World Chess Championship. Her success continued into 2024, when she secured two gold medals at the FIDE Chess Olympiad. These accolades highlight her versatility across team and individual competitions, cementing her as a dominant figure in modern chess. For Assaubayeva, the match against Deshmukh represents another chapter in her rivalry with the Indian player. Their previous encounters have been marked by intense competition.#divya_deshmukh #bibisara_assaubayeva #fide_world_cup #women_speed_chess_championship_2026 #qazinform_news_agency
