A steep challenge ahead
Game 7 of the 2025 FIDE Women's World Chess Championship marked a significant moment in the match, as Ju Wenjun claimed her third win in a row to extend her lead to 5–2 over challenger Tan Zhongyi. With this result, the defending champion moves closer to retaining her title, with only five games remaining. The second half of the match began in Chongqing, Tan's hometown, following the initial six games held in Shanghai.
Playing with the white pieces, Ju faced an opponent under increasing pressure, both due to the match score and the psychological impact of two consecutive defeats. Tan adopted a combative approach, reflecting her need to close the gap. She managed to secure an extra pawn in the middlegame and appeared to have decent chances. However, inaccuracies in handling the position led to a worsening structure and reduced piece activity.
The King‘s Indian Attack is a universal opening: easy to learn, flexible, and rich in both tactical and positional opportunities.
As the game progressed into the endgame, Tan's light-squared bishop became particularly restricted, and Ju slowly took control. The defending champion maintained steady pressure, converting her positional edge into a decisive advantage. Tan ultimately resigned after 47 moves, with no real counterplay available in the final position.
At the post-game press conference, Tan acknowledged the match situation had influenced her decisions. She noted that she spent considerable time seeking aggressive continuations, hoping to create winning chances with the black pieces. However, her efforts failed to yield the desired outcome, leaving her with a steep challenge in the remaining games.

The match has moved to the densely populated Chongqing | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Tan Zhongyi has just resigned the seventh game | Photo: Anna Shtourman
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Qb6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 Ng6 9.c4 Be7 10.Nc3 0-0 11.Na4 Qc7 12.c5 d5 13.cxd6 Bxd6 14.Qh5 14.g3 Ne5 15.Be2 c5 16.Be3 Bb7 17.Rc1 Bxe4 18.Nxc5 Bc6 14...Rb8 15.b3 Rd8 16.Rd1 Rb4 17.Bb2 17.Bg5 Re8 18.Bc4 c5 19.Rac1 17...Nf4 18.Qf3 18.Qh4 Nxd3 19.Rxd3 Bxh2+ 20.Qxh2 Rxd3 18...Nxd3 19.Rxd3 Ba6 20.Rdd1 Bxh2+ 21.Kh1 Bd6 22.Qc3 Bf8 23.Nc5 Rb6 23...Be2 24.Rxd8 Qxd8 25.Qxb4 25.Kg1 Rb5 25...Qh4+ 26.Kg1 Bd6 27.g3 27.e5 Qxb4 27...Bxg3 28.fxg3 Qxg3+ 29.Kh1 Bf3# 24.Qe5 Qe7 25.Rac1 Rb5 26.Rxd8 Qxd8 27.Qd4 Qh4+ 27...Qg5 28.b4 e5 29.Qxe5 Qd2 30.Kg1 28.Kg1 Bc8 29.e5 29.a4 Rb8 30.Qe5 Ra8 31.Qc7 29...Qxd4 30.Bxd4 a5 31.f4 h5 32.Kf2 Be7 33.Ke3 g5 34.Ne4 gxf4+ 35.Kxf4 Bb7? 35...a4 36.Bc5 36.bxa4? Rb4 36.Rxc6 Bb7 37.bxa4 Rxe5 38.Bxe5 Bxc6= 36...Bxc5 37.Nxc5 axb3 38.axb3 Kg7 39.Kg5 Ra5= 35...Kg7= 36.Bc5 Bxc5? 36...Kf8 37.Rc3 Bxc5 38.Nxc5 a4 39.bxa4 Rb4+ 40.Kg5 Bc8 37.Nxc5! 37.Rxc5? Rb4 38.Rxa5 c5 39.Ra4 Bxe4 40.Rxb4 cxb4 41.Kxe4 f5+ 42.exf6 Kf7 43.Ke5 h4= 37...Kg7 38.Kg5 38.a4!? Rb4+ 39.Rc4+- 38...Ba8?! 38...a4 39.Rc4 axb3 40.axb3 Bc8 41.b4 Rb8 42.Rd4 h4 43.Rd8 Rxb4 44.Rxc8 Rb2 45.Rxc6 Rxg2+ 46.Kxh4+- 39.Kxh5 Rb8 40.Rc4 Rh8+ 41.Kg4 Rh2 42.Kg3 Rh5 43.Rg4+ Kf8 43...Kh6 44.Ra4 Rxe5 45.Rxa5 f6 46.b4 Rg5+ 47.Kf2 Rg8 48.Ra7 Kg6 49.a4 Rb8 50.a5+- 44.Ra4 Ke7 44...Rxe5 45.Nd7++- 45.Rxa5 Rxe5 46.Ra7+ Kd6 47.b4 47.b4 Rg5+ 48.Kf4 Rf5+ 48...Rg8 49.Rd7# 49.Ke4 Re5+ 50.Kd4 Rd5+ 51.Kc3+- 1–0
From Mating with a queen; a rook; two bishops; a knight and a bishop; to the basics of pawn endgames – here you will gain the necessary know-how to turn your endgame advantages into victories!

The final position | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Tan Zhongyi needs to strike back with white in the next game to keep her chances alive | Photo: Anna Shtourman
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In this video course, experts (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) examine the games of Judit Polgar. Let them show you which openings Polgar chose to play, where her strength in middlegames were, or how she outplayed her opponents in the endgame.

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