Ju Wenjun vs Tan Zhongyi, Game 4: Another endgame, another draw

by Johannes Fischer
4/7/2025 – In all four games of the match between Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi for the Women's World Championship, an endgame was on the board. In the fourth game, Tan Zhongyi had several good opportunities with White to put Ju Wenjun under pressure with precise play, but she didn't take these chances, and so the game ended in a draw. | Photos: Anna Shtourman
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Game 4

In the fourth game of the match, Tan Zhongyi went her own way with White early on in the opening. That allowed her to secure a slight advantage, but whenever she had the opportunity to put more pressure on Ju Wenjun, she failed to take her chances. That allowed the reigning world champion to draw with Black.

Tan, Zhongyi2555½–½Ju, Wenjun2561
FIDE Women WCC 2025
China07.04.2025[Johannes Fischer]
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Qb3 Ba5 4.g3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.e3 White opted for an unusual and her sixth move is in fact a novelty. Nge7 7.Nge2 0-0 8.0-0 a6 9.d4 cxd4 10.exd4
10...d5!? Black offers a pawn to free her position. 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Be3 Taking the pawn on d5 allows Black's pieces to become active, e.g. 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Nb4 14.Bg2 Be6 15.Qd1 Re8 16.Bxb7 Rb8 17.Bf3 Nxa2 and Black has sufficient counterplay, e. g. 18.d5 Nxc1 19.Rxc1? Bh3 20.Bg2 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 Rxb2 with equal chances. 12...Bxc3 13.Nxc3 Na5 14.Qb4 Nac6 15.Qc5 White avoids the repetition 15.Qb3 Na5 16.Qb4 15...b6 16.Qa3 Be6 17.Rac1 Nf5
18.Bf4 A good alternative was 18.Ne2! e.g. Na5 19.b3 Nxe3 20.fxe3 with good prospects for White. 18...Nfxd4 19.Rfd1 Nb5 20.Nxb5 axb5 21.Qb3 Ne7 22.Qxb5 Rxa2 23.Bc7 Qa8
24.Bd6?! Too sophisticated. Simple and good was 24.Qxb6 Nf5 25.Qb5 and the bishop pair, Black's weak pawn on d5 and White's passed pawn on the b-file give White an edge. 24...Ra5 25.Qb4 Ra4 26.Qb3 Ra7 27.Rc7 Rxc7 28.Bxc7 Qc6 29.Qxb6 Qc2 30.Bf3 Bf5 31.Bf4 Be4 32.Rc1 Qd3 33.Bxe4 Qxe4 34.Qe3
34...Qxe3?! Better was 34...Rd8 35.Qxe4 dxe4 and Black should be able to draw without too much trouble. 35.Bxe3 f6 36.Rc7 Nf5 37.Bc5 Rd8 38.Kf1 Nd6 39.b4 Better was 39.Ke2 Ne4 40.Kd3 Rd7 41.Rc6 and Black has to fight for the draw. 39...Ne4 40.Bb6 Rb8 41.Ba5 Not a very active square for the bishop. Rb5 42.Ke2 Nd6 43.Ra7 Nc4 44.Kd3 Ne5+ 45.Kc2 d4 The d-pawn gives Black sufficient counterplay. 46.Kb3 Rd5 47.Bb6 d3 48.Ra1 Nf3 49.Rd1 Kf7 50.Kc3 d2 51.Be3 Ke6 52.Bxd2 Nxh2 53.Re1+ Kd7 54.Be3 Ng4 55.Bc5 Ne5?! After this natural-looking move Black is in trouble again. Better was the counterattack 55...Rf5 56.Re7+ Kc8 57.Rxg7 Nxf2 with an equal endgame. 56.Ra1 More promising was 56.f4 Nc6 57.Kc4 Rd2 58.Ra1 with an advantage for White. 56...Ke6 57.f4 Nd7 58.Re1+ Kf5 59.Kc4 Rd2 60.Re7 Nxc5 61.bxc5
The rook endgame is drawn. White's passed pawn on the c-file looks dangerous, but Black is able to create a passed pawn on the kingside. 61...g5 62.fxg5 fxg5 63.Rxh7 Rc2+ 64.Kd4 Rd2+ 65.Kc4 Rc2+ 66.Kb5 Rc3 67.c6 Rxg3 68.c7 Rc3 69.Kb6 Kf4 70.Rf7+ Ke4 71.Rg7 Kf4 72.Rg6 Rxc7 73.Kxc7 g4 74.Kd6 g3 75.Kd5 Kf3 76.Kd4 g2 77.Kd3 Kf2 78.Rf6+ Ke1 79.Rg6 Kf2 80.Rxg2+ Kxg2 ½–½

This makes it 2-2 after four games.

Defending champion Ju Wenjun came under pressure in the fourth game, but managed to defend herself successfully. | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Challenger Tan Zhongyi missed a few good opportunities and had to settle for a draw in the end. | Photo: Anna Shtourman

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Women's World Chess Championship 2025

<< Fridrik Olafsson (1935 – 2025)
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Topics: Ju Wenjun, Tan Zhongyi, Women's World Championship 2025
Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
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3/30/2025 – The 2025 FIDE Women's World Chess Championship will see reigning champion Ju Wenjun defend her title against challenger Tan Zhongyi in a highly anticipated rematch. The match, played from 1 to 23 April across Shanghai and Chongqing, will consist of 12 classical games, with a tiebreak if necessary. Ju, a four-time champion, faces a determined opponent eager to reclaim the title she lost in 2018. With both players at the peak of their careers, the stage is set for a thrilling contest. | Photos: FIDE
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Shanghai and Chongqing to host Women's World Championship match

2/10/2025 – The 2025 FIDE Women's World Chess Championship will see a rematch between China's Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi in a 12-game battle for the title. Set to take place from 1 to 23 April in Shanghai and Chongqing, the match continues China's legacy of dominance in women's chess. With both players boasting impressive careers and past championship victories, this highly anticipated encounter promises a compelling contest at the highest level.
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