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
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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 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

Women's World Chess Championship 2025

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Topics: Ju Wenjun, Women's World Championship 2025
André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.
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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
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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
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