Once again, it was uncompromising chess and fighting spirit which finally netted India's Koneru Humpy her first women's World Rapid title which incidentally is also a historic first for India. For a player, who had taken a two-year sabbatical from chess after child birth, started the event as the 13th seed, in a not-so-favourite format (Rapid), the title was both unexpected and unanticipated.

India also joins the select band of countries, Russia and Ukraine who have won the Rapid titles in both the Open and Women's Category, Viswanathan Anand having won the Open title 16 times. For Humpy, 32, the final day in Moscow was quite dramatic as she was trailing in fifth place after eight rounds, half a point behind the four leaders Irina Bulmaga, Tan Zhongyi, Lei Tingjie and Mariya Muzychuk.