In a gripping encounter at the Women’s World Chess Championship 2025, challenger GM Tan Zhongyi stunned four-time defending champion GM Ju Wenjun in Game 2, seizing an early lead in the 12-game series.
The match, held in Shanghai, witnessed Tan’s masterful endgame skills as she claimed victory with the white pieces after an intense 62-move battle lasting nearly five hours.
Tan’s choice of the English Opening (Four Knights Variation) set the tone for the game, leading to a complex middle game. Despite Ju’s formidable defense, she faltered in a tense rook endgame, ultimately conceding the match. This victory places Tan ahead 1.5-0.5 in the overall match score.
The championship, a duel between the best in the world, follows a 12-game format with the first to score 6.5 points crowned as the champion. A rest day awaits the players on Saturday, with Game 3 scheduled for Sunday, April 6, at 12:30 PM IST. Ju, with the white pieces in the upcoming game, will aim to level the match.
The chess world eagerly anticipates the next chapter in this showdown between two of China’s finest players.
