Comprehension

Indian Chess recorded yet another great moment on Monday, as Divya Deshmukh won the Women’s World Cup in the Georgian city of Batumi. In the final, the 19-year-old defeated fellow-Indian Koneru Humpy in the tiebreakers. While Humpy contesting the final wasn’t much of a surprise—she is the World No. 5 and has been one of the best female players for the last couple of decades—not many would have anticipated Divya’s stunning show. But, given her obvious talent and the way she has been playing for the past two years, it didn’t come as a big surprise. By winning the World Cup, one of the biggest events organized by the world chess governing body FIDE, Divya also achieved another significant milestone. She became India’s 88th Grandmaster and is only the fourth Indian woman after Humpy, D. Harika and R. Vaishali to get that coveted title. Last year, Divya won the World junior championship in Ahmedabad with a dominant display. She also played a key role in India’s historic gold in the Chess Olympiad at Budapest. India was the top seed there, though. At the World Cup, the Indian women exceeded expectations, with four of them making it to the quarterfinals. (198 words)

[Extracted from the newspaper, The Hindu July 29, 2025]

Question: 1

Where is the origin of chess believed to be?

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When asked about the “origin” of a traditional game, look for the oldest historically documented version.
Updated On: Jul 3, 2026
  • China
  • Russia
  • India
  • Egypt
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Chess traces its roots to the Indian game Chaturanga, which used the same four divisions of an army, infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots, that later became the pawns, knights, bishops and rooks of modern chess. From India it travelled through Persia and the Arab world into Europe.
The correct answer is India.
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Question: 2

Who was the first Indian to earn the title of chess Grandmaster?

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India’s rise in chess began with Anand, whose GM title paved the way for future generations.
Updated On: Jul 3, 2026
  • D.Gukesh
  • Praveen Thipsay
  • Dibyendu Barua
  • Vishwanathan Anand
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Viswanathan Anand became India's first chess Grandmaster in 1988, well before Praveen Thipsay, Dibyendu Barua or the much later D. Gukesh earned the title.
The correct answer is Viswanathan Anand.
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Question: 3

Who was the first official World Chess Champion?

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The title “first official world champion” always refers to Steinitz, regardless of later champions’ fame.
Updated On: Jul 3, 2026
  • Bobby Fischer
  • Garry Kasparov
  • Vishwanathan Anand
  • Wilhelm Steinitz
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

The World Chess Championship was first contested in 1886 between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort, with Steinitz winning and becoming recognised as the first official champion. Fischer, Kasparov and Anand all held the title much later.
The correct answer is Wilhelm Steinitz.
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Question: 4

Which of the following computers successfully defeated Garry Kasparov, the reigning world chess champion, in a tournament match?

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“Deep Thought” was an earlier prototype; “Deep Blue” achieved the famous victory.
Updated On: Jul 3, 2026
  • Deep AI
  • Deep Thought
  • Deep Blue
  • Deep Water
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

IBM upgraded its chess-playing computer from Deep Thought to Deep Blue, and it was this stronger machine that beat Garry Kasparov in the famous 1997 rematch, becoming the first computer to defeat a reigning world champion under standard tournament conditions.
The correct answer is Deep Blue.
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Question: 5

Which of the following cities is the venue for hosting the 11th edition of the Chess World Cup 2025?

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When tournament venues are not mentioned in the passage, rely on official FIDE event assignments.
Updated On: Jul 3, 2026
  • Paris, France
  • Baku, Azerbaijan
  • Goa, India
  • Chennai, India
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

According to FIDE's official schedule, the 11th edition of the Chess World Cup was hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The correct answer is Baku, Azerbaijan.
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