ircrehab.com – News Features & Broad Perspectives

Divya Deshmukh, India's 19-year-old Grandmaster, has received a wild card entry into the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa after a last-minute withdrawal. She will join 20 other Indian players, including world champion D Gukesh, in the knockout tournament. The biennial event features 206 top players, with the top three finishers qualifying for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

India’s Divya Deshmukh sparked laughs with her “No jeans!” rule-change joke, recalling Magnus Carlsen’s 2024 dress code controversy. Carlsen famously refused to change his Corneliani jeans, was fined, and later auctioned them for $36,100. Proceeds went to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, turning a quirky chess moment into a powerful charitable milestone.