Game 7 Turns Dramatic: Ju Wenjun Takes a Big Lead
After a short two-day break, the FIDE Women’s World Championship Match resumed with Game 7 Turns Dramatic—and Ju Wenjun Takes a Big Lead.
Tan Zhongyi seemed on her way to winning, just like she did in 2018. But as the clock ticked down and pressure mounted, she lost her edge. One big mistake turned her promising position into a losing one. Ju Wenjun didn’t miss her chance. She played accurately and took the full point, now leading the match 5–2.
A Grand Start in Chongqing
Before the first move, the mood was intense. The hall was silent. Both players were fully focused. The ceremonial first moves were made by Xu Yuhua, a former Women’s World Champion, and Wu Hui, a local official.
Pressure on Both Sides
Tan Zhongyi, the challenger, came into this game trailing by two points. That meant she had to take risks. Ju Wenjun, the reigning champion, had the lead but also had to defend it. The match moved to Tan’s home city—would that shift the balance?
A Sharp Opening Battle
Out of the six earlier games, four had winners—rare in World Championship play. That trend continued here. Once again, the opening was a Sicilian Defense—specifically, the Rossolimo Variation.
Ju set up the Maroczy Bind, with pawns on e4 and c4. Tan responded quickly and confidently, using a line once played by her second, Grandmaster Jeffrey Xiong. She changed the move order slightly, but surprisingly, neither player knew about that older game.
Tan has shown strong opening prep all match. This game was no exception—until Ju managed to guide the position into new territory.
Time Trouble Changes Everything
Tan spent more time in the opening than in any of the previous games. Later, she admitted that this was on purpose—she was trying to steer the game into sharp positions right from the start.
Her plan worked for a while. Playing Black, she gained an edge, even winning a pawn. She had the powerful bishop pair and seemed to be in control.
But time trouble hit hard.
The Turning Point
Tan had good options in a key position—like playing 35…Kg7 or 35…Rb4. But instead, she chose 35…Bb7, trying to hold her pawn. That allowed Ju to play 36.Bc5!, forcing a bishop trade. After that, Ju’s knight became dominant, and Tan’s bishop turned into a bystander.
From that point, Ju grabbed more pawns and had a winning position. Tan’s bishop on a8 was trapped, and Ju finished the game with perfect technique.
A Painful Loss
This game was supposed to be close, with deep strategy on both sides. And for a while, it was. But Tan’s single mistake changed everything. In chess, they say the loser is the one who makes the last mistake—and this time, it was Tan.
What’s Next?
Ju Wenjun now leads 5–2. She needs only 1.5 points from the remaining 5 games to keep her title.
Game 8 will be played on April 14 at 15:00 local time. Tan Zhongyi will have the white pieces.
Quick Facts – Game 7:
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White: Ju Wenjun
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Black: Tan Zhongyi
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Result: 1–0
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Opening: Sicilian Rossolimo
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Moves: 47
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Match Score: Ju Wenjun leads 5–2
Stay updated by following FIDE’s social media channels. Watch live commentary on YouTube and visit the official match website for more details.
About the Championship:
This match follows a 12-game format. The first player to score 6.5 points wins.
Time Control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game. There’s a 30-second increment starting from move 1.
If it ends 6–6, tiebreak games (rapid and blitz) will decide the winner.
Photos: European Chess Union, Mark Livshitz, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
