Anna Muzychuk Wins the 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix in Austria
Anna Muzychuk won the final leg of the 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix in Austria. But her victory wasn’t enough to qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
The overall Grand Prix winner is Zhu Jiner, followed by Aleksandra Goryachkina, who secured the second spot in the Candidates. Anna Muzychuk finished third overall in the series.
A Thrilling Finish in Grosslobming
The final round in Austria was full of drama. All five games were sharp and hard-fought—an exciting end to a long and intense series. Anna Muzychuk faced Vaishali Rameshbabu in a must-win game. A victory would have given her three achievements:
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First place in the Austria tournament
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Overall WGP series win
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A spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament
She played the French Defence and gained a slight advantage. Anna won a pawn and created a passed pawn on the a-file. But Vaishali had active pieces in return.
After move 41, Vaishali made a mistake. But Anna missed her best continuation and went for Qe1 instead. The game ended in a draw.
What Could Have Been
Zhu Jiner had already drawn her game with Alexandra Kosteniuk—despite being completely lost at one point. Tan Zhongyi also spoiled a winning position against Anna earlier.
As a result, Anna and Zhu tied for first in Austria. Anna edged ahead in tiebreaks by playing more games with Black. Still, it wasn’t enough.
Anna stood quietly after the game, clearly heartbroken.
>She said,
It has never been so sad to win an event.
She had won two of her three Grand Prix events (Cyprus and Austria), but still didn’t qualify. She missed the needed 130 points to enter the Candidates Tournament.
Zhu Jiner Crowned Grand Prix Champion
Zhu Jiner came to Austria with 235 points—well positioned to win the WGP. She tied for first place in the final event and sealed her victory. She played against Alexandra Kosteniuk, a former Women’s World Champion. Zhu chose the Nimzo-Indian Defence and got a balanced position.
At one point, Kosteniuk had a winning position. But after a critical mistake, the game ended in a draw. That draw was just enough for Zhu to win the overall series.
Zhu said,
I’m very happy with my performance. I also learnt a lot and enjoyed it.
Tan Zhongyi Misses Her Chance
Tan Zhongyi played Mariya Muzychuk and had a completely winning position. But she failed to convert her advantage. Tan had a piece up and over an hour on the clock, while Mariya was in time trouble.
Still, the game slipped from her hands. After the draw, Tan stormed out of the hall in frustration.
More Final Round Highlights
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Nurgyul Salimova blundered a pawn and lost to Lela Javakhishvili in the Nimzo-Indian.
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Olga Badelka ended her tournament on a high, defeating Nana Dzagnidze.
In a sharp Nimzo-Indian battle, Olga sacrificed two pawns for the initiative.
After complications, she converted her advantage in a long endgame.
Final Standings & Reflections
FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky praised the tournament and the players. He thanked the Austrian Chess Federation for hosting the final leg.
Sutovsky said,
The players are the real heroes. This is a great day for chess.
Austrian Chess President Michael Stöttinger called it “a historic event for chess in Austria.”
About the WGP Series
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The 2024/2025 Women’s Grand Prix featured six tournaments across Europe and Asia.
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23 top women players competed.
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Each player played in 3 of the 6 events.
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The top 2 point scorers qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
The WGP is part of FIDE’s World Championship cycle. The Candidates winner will challenge Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun, who defended her title in 2025 against Tan Zhongyi.
Photos: Przemysław Nikiel, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
