Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy achieved a remarkable milestone by winning her second title at the World Rapid Chess Championship, held in New York on Sunday, December 29. This victory places her among an elite group, as she becomes the second female chess player ever, following China’s Ju Wenjun, to win this title more than once.
At 37 years old, Humpy secured her championship by defeating Irene Sukandar in the final round, playing with the black pieces. Needing a win to clinch the title in the last match, she delivered an outstanding performance.
With an impressive total of 8.5 out of 11 points, Humpy finished at the top of the standings, showcasing her skills throughout the tournament. This marks her second World Rapid Championship title, as she previously won the event in 2019 in Moscow.
This year has been outstanding for Indian chess, especially with Humpy’s latest win coming just weeks after D Gukesh triumphed in the Chess World Championship for classical chess. Gukesh is now the second Indian man to earn this prestigious title, following in the footsteps of Viswanathan Anand.
Humpy first made her presence felt in the tournament scene in 2012, where she earned a bronze medal in Moscow. She reached new heights in 2019 by winning the championship in Batumi, Georgia, defeating Lei Tingjie from China in a thrilling Armageddon match.
In 2023, she finished with a silver medal at the championship held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, narrowly missing out on the title in a tie-break against Russia’s Anastasia Bodnaruk.
In addition to her accomplishments in rapid chess, Humpy has excelled in various formats. She earned a silver medal at the Women’s World Blitz Chess Championship in 2022 and came close to victory in the Women’s Candidates Tournament in 2024, finishing once again with a silver medal.
