Women's WCC Game 8: Ju grabs fourth win in a row

by André Schulz
4/14/2025 – The Women's World Championship match is going very one-sidedly. Today, the defending champion Ju Wenjun won a fourth game in a row against challenger Tan Zhonqui, increasing her lead to 6-2. Ju Wenjun is now only half a point away from retaining the title, as match will most likely come to a premature end. | Pictured: Sabrina de San Vicente plays the first move of game eight. | Photo: Anna Shtourman
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

A one-sided affair

Rarely has a Women's World Championship been so one-sided as this one, even though it featured Ju Wenjun and Tan Zhongyi, the second- and third-ranked players in women's chess. The top-ranked Chinese player, Hou Yifan, has largely withdrawn from competitive chess.

Although Tan Zhongyi was the first to score a win in the battle for the Women's World Championship title, Ju Wenjun soon took the initiative and racked up victory after victory. In game three, Ju Wenjun levelled the score. After a draw in game four, the defending champion secured her fourth consecutive victory today.

Tan Zhongyi, playing with the white pieces, employed the Vienna Game in the opening. In the middlegame, Ju Wenjun gradually took control and transitioned into a clearly superior endgame with queen and bishop against queen and knight.

Tan Zhongyi played with the white pieces on Monday | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Tan 0 - 1 Ju

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Tan, Zhongyi25550–1Ju, Wenjun2561
FIDE Women WCC 2025
China13.04.2025[Mueller,Karsten]
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.d3 Bb4 5.Nf3 d6 6.0-0 Bxc3 7.bxc3 0-0 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Na5 10.Bb3 Nxb3 11.axb3 Qe7 12.Re1 Qe6 13.d4 Nd7 14.Qd3 a6 15.Rad1 Re8 16.Bg3 b5 17.Nd2 Nf6 18.b4 Nh5 19.Nb3 Qg6 20.dxe5 Nxg3 21.hxg3 Rxe5 22.Na5 Bd7 23.Re3 Rae8 24.Rde1 f5 25.Qd4 Rxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.Rxe4 fxe4
Black's bishop breaks through White's burg. In the fight bishop against knight, the bishop often wants dynamics and the knight statical control: 28.c4? This plays into Black's hand. 28.Qa7 was called for with practical drawing chances after Kh7 29.Nb3 e3 30.Qxe3 Qxc2 31.Nd4 28...e3! 29.Qxe3 Qxc2 30.Qa7 bxc4 31.Qxc7 Bb5 32.Nb7 c3 33.Nxd6 Qd3 34.Qf7+ Kh7 35.Nf5 35.Nxb5 c2 36.Qf4 axb5 37.Kh2 Qc4 38.Qf5+ 38.Qc1 Kg8-+ 38...Kg8-+ 35...Qd7 36.Qxd7 Bxd7 37.Nd4 Ba4 38.Ne2 c2 39.f3 Kg6 40.Kf2 Bb5 41.Nc1 h5 42.Ke3 Kg5 43.Kd2 43.Kf2 is met by Kf6 44.Ke3 Ke5 45.Kd2 Kd4 46.Nb3+ Kc4 47.Nc1 Kxb4 48.Kxc2 Bf1-+ 43...Bf1 44.Nb3 44.Kxc2 does not defend due to Bxg2 45.Kd2 Bxf3 46.Ke3 Kg4 47.Kf2 Bc6 48.Nd3 Bb5 49.Nc5 Kf5 50.Ke3 Ke5 51.Ne4 Kd5-+ 44...Bxg2 45.Nd4 Bxf3‼
Black's bishop breaks White's burg. 46.Nxf3+ 46.Ne6+ is met by Kf6-+ 46...Kg4? 47.Nxg7 Kxg3 48.Nxh5+ Bxh5 49.Kxc2= with a fortress due to the wrong rook's pawn. 46...Kg4 47.Nd4 Kxg3 48.Nf5+ Kg4 49.Ne3+ 49.Nxg7 h4 50.Ne8 h3 51.Nf6+ Kf3 52.Nh7 h2 53.Ng5+ Kg4 54.Ne4 c1Q+ 55.Kxc1 h1Q+-+ 49...Kf3 50.Nxc2 h4 51.Ne1+ Kg3 The king dominates the knight. The distance can be called knight check shadow (in German Springerschachschatten). 52.Ke3 h3 The rook's pawn is the worst enemy of the knight. However, not 52...g5?? 53.Nf3 g4 54.Nd4 h3 55.Ne2+ Kg2 56.Kf4 h2 57.Ng3 Kh3 58.Nh1= 53.Nf3
53...h2 53...h2 54.Nxh2 Kxh2 55.Kf4 Kg2 56.Kg5 Kf3 57.Kg6 Ke4 58.Kxg7 Kd4 59.Kf6 Kc4 60.Ke5 Kxb4 61.Kd4 a5 62.Kd3 Kb3! 63.Kd2 Kb2!-+ 0–1

Game eight underway | Photo: Anna Shtourman

All games

Loading...
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.

Women's World Chess Championship 2025

Links

<< Endgame Magic #293: Highlights from the American Cup
Carlsen prevails in final against Nakamura, wins Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slam >>
Topics: Ju Wenjun, Women's World Championship 2025
André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

See also

Women's WCC Game 7: Ju outplays Tan, gets three-point lead

4/13/2025 – Ju Wenjun moved closer to retaining her title by defeating Tan Zhongyi in game 7 of the 2025 Women's World Chess Championship, marking her third consecutive victory and extending her lead to 5–2. The match resumed in Chongqing, Tan's hometown, after the first six games were played in Shanghai. Although Tan gained an extra pawn in the middlegame, she mishandled the position, allowing Ju to take control. | Photo: Anna Shtourman
More...
 5

See also

Women's WCC Game 3: Ju grinds out win, evens the score

4/6/2025 – In game 3 of the Women's World Chess Championship, Ju Wenjun levelled the score by defeating Tan Zhongyi with the white pieces. After choosing a positional sideline against the Sicilian Defence, Ju gradually built a small advantage that she carried into a rook and opposite-coloured bishop endgame. Although the position remained objectively balanced for some time, a mistake on move 60 allowed Ju to convert her extra pawn. The game lasted 87 moves and over five and a half hours. | Photo: Anna Shtourman
More...
 3

Video

60m English Anti-Bayonet

King’s Indian fans who choose the Mar del Plata attack (7...Nc6) against White’s classical system (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0) usually aim for a complex position with mutual attacks on open wings, requiring long-term strategic planning and tactical sharpness in critical moments. Computers often do not know how to handle the arising complex strategic positions, which suits players who like to think on their own instead of memorizing long variations. However, the fashionable Bayonet Attack (9.b4) interferes with Black’s ideas. After Black’s main move 9...Nh5 the positions opens, the lines get forced and computer analysis is important again. But this DVD offers an antidote against White’s Bayonet Attack, namely 9...a5! This move leads to sound positions with very few concrete lines, in which the focus is on strategy not on tactics. Objectively chances are equal but if Black knows what to do things might quickly become dangerous for White.
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.