Ju Wenjun retains Women's World Championship title in lopsided match

by André Schulz
4/16/2025 – In a very one-sided match, Ju Wenjun defended her title as women's world champion against Tan Zhongyi. Although the challenger took the lead in the second game, she suffered four consecutive defeats from the fifth game onwards. A draw in the ninth game today was enough for Ju Wenjun to win the match - played to the best of twelve games - early and defend her title. | 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.

Ju's fifth World Championship victory

The Women's World Chess Championship featured two Chinese GMs, Ju Wenjun as the defending champion and Zhongyi as the challenger, in the home cities of the two players, Shanghai and Chongqing. After a draw in the first game, Tan, the 2017 World Champion after winning the FIDE World Knockout Championship, took the lead with a win in the second encounter. Ju bounced back immediately in the third game and, after a draw in the fourth game, took command in what was ultimately a lopsided World Championship match.

The defending champion began a run of four wins in a row to get a 6-2 lead going into Wednesday's game. In the ninth game, a draw was enough for Ju to defend her title. With the white pieces, the old and new world champion had no trouble leading the game into very calm waters by exchanging pieces in a Sicilian Rossolimo. On move 38, Tan Zhongyi gave up her efforts to win and agreed to a draw, which meant she lost the match.

Ju v. Tan
The final position of the 2025 Women's World Championship match

Ju Wenjun, Tan Zhongyi

The start of the match's ninth game in Chongqing | Photo: Anna Shtourman

The match featured the two highest-rated players behind the semi-retired Hou Yifan Hou, so the one-sided outcome of this World Championship match is surprising. The 33-year-old Tan certainly played well below her capabilities.

Ju, born in Shanghai in 1991, started playing chess at the age of seven. By the age of thirteen, she had already won the Asian Women's Championship in 2004. She became Chinese national champion in 2010 and 2014. In 2006, Ju took part in the Women's World Championship for the first time, which was played with a knockout formate before alternating between knockouts and matches until 2018. After 2006, Ju fought for the title in knockout tournaments in 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017.

In May 2018, Ju defeated then defending champion Tan in a match to become the 17th women's world chess champion. In November 2018, the Women's World Championship was held as a knockout for the last time. Ju won the tournament and retained the title. She then defended the title in matches played in 2020 (against Aleksandra Goryachkina), 2023 (against Lei Tingjie) and now 2025.

Ju Wenjun

Ju Wenjun sharing insights about the match | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Tan Zhongyi

Still smiling - Tan Zhongyi | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Ni Hua, Ju Wenjun

Ni Hua is a long-time second of the women's world champion | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Maxim Matlakov

Maxim Matlakov also assisted Ju Wenjun | Photo: Anna Shtourman

Tan Zhongyi

Tan Zhongyi mentioned that she worked with her father and with US grandmaster Jeffery Xiong during the match | Photo: Anna Shtournman

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


André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors


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.