India, June 18 -- There was a certain air of calm and ease around Koneru Humpy during the damp days of 2025 Norway Chess. She did not mind sparing some time for a chat with the visiting Indian media - a rarity among players there. She was one of the more interactive and intriguingly enthusiastic participants for the off-beat games at a getaway on the tournament's first rest day.

The mindset reflected in how the 38-year-old felt about her chess in the same tournament this year compared to the last, as well as the end result. For parts of the event that ran from May 26 to June 6, Humpy was the frontrunner in a strong six-woman field that included world classical champion Ju Wenjun, world No.3 Lei Tingjie and world No.6 Anna Muzychuk. The I...