Skip to content 
FIDE Women’s World Cup Day 4: Kamalidenova Shocks Goryachkina in Stunning Upset
The day 4 of 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup just got even more exciting!
Today, WGM Meruert Kamalidenova pulled off the biggest surprise. She defeated GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, the reigning World Cup trophy holder and one of the best female chess players ever.
At just 21 years old, Kamalidenova has already built an impressive resume. She won silver for Kazakhstan at the 2024 Budapest Olympiad and has been a national, Asian youth, and World Junior Champion. After this game, she shared her happiness with FIDE’s Press Officer, IM Michael Rahal.
Top Seeds Make Strong Starts
The tournament became tougher as the 21 top seeds entered today. At 3 pm local time, 64 of the world’s best female players began their second-round matches. Fittingly, there are also 64 squares on a chessboard!
In less than three weeks, only two players will remain. One will follow in the footsteps of previous champions like GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2021) and GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (2023).
Many games ended as hard-fought draws, but none before move thirty, which is the minimum move requirement.
Top seed GM Lei Tingjie, a former World Championship finalist, made her intentions clear. After missing the last two Women’s World Cups, she’s aiming for the Candidates. She won her first game against WGM Candela Be Francisco Guecamburu, the 2025 American Continental Champion, and later shared her thoughts in the media center.
Other top players who started with wins include GM Tan Zhongyi, GM Humpy Koneru, GM Nana Dzagnidze, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, IM Polina Shuvalova, IM Yuliia Osmak, IM Divya Deshmukh, and IM Teodora Injac.
Other Surprises
Two more unexpected results today:
-
FM Anastasia Avramidou drew as Black against GM Kateryna Lagno.
-
WGM Thalia Cervantes also drew as Black against GM Mariya Muzychuk.
Even small rating gaps can lead to big surprises!
Tactic of the Day
GM Anna Ushenina, a former Women’s World Champion, faced Indian player Vantika Agrawal.
Both played accurately until move thirty, but then time trouble led to mistakes.
Ushenina played 33…Nxf2?, grabbing a pawn. Vantika found a brilliant tactic:
-
34.Qd8+ Kg7
-
35.Ne6+! fxe6 (or 35…Kh6 36.Qh4 mate)
-
36.Qc7+!
This forced resignation because White would soon promote a new queen.
WIM Charlize van Zyl, FIDE’s interviewer, spoke to Vantika after her win.
Blunder of the Day
In the all-American clash, GM Irina Krush played against IM Carissa Yip.
Yip surprised Krush by playing the Dutch Defence. Krush gained an advantage and sacrificed an exchange to try and win. But in heavy time trouble, disaster struck.
Krush played 38.Nh4?? and resigned after 38…Qxc2.
Instead, 38.Qxf5 Rxf5 39.Nd4! would have kept drawing chances alive.
Carissa later returned to the venue to share her thoughts with Charlize van Zyl.
What’s Next?
The second game of round two will be played tomorrow at 3 pm at the Grand Bellagio Hotel and Convention Centre in Batumi, Georgia.
About the Tournament
The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup runs from July 6 to July 28. It features 107 players from 46 federations, including 17 of the world’s top 20 female players.
They’ll battle for the $50,000 first prize and three spots in the Candidates Tournament.
Check the official website for full pairings and daily results.
Photos: Anna Shtourman, Polina Bovina, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
