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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.
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 sharing insights about the match | Photo: Anna Shtourman
Still smiling - Tan Zhongyi | Photo: Anna Shtourman
Ni Hua is a long-time second of the women's world champion | Photo: Anna Shtourman
Maxim Matlakov also assisted Ju Wenjun | Photo: Anna Shtourman
Tan Zhongyi mentioned that she worked with her father and with US grandmaster Jeffery Xiong during the match | Photo: Anna Shtournman
