Tan Zhongyi Strikes First in FIDE Women’s World Championship 2025
Game 2 of the FIDE Women’s World Championship brought the first decisive result — and it was Tan Zhongyi who made the breakthrough. The challenger took the lead after Ju Wenjun, the reigning champion, made a costly endgame mistake.
The match had started cautiously. Game 1 was a 99% accuracy draw, showing that both players were playing solid, risk-free chess. Game 2 followed a similar path until the endgame, where time pressure and a tricky position led to Ju’s blunder. Tan took her chance and claimed the full point.
This turn of events echoed their 2018 World Championship match. Back then, Ju also won Game 2 with the Black pieces using the English Opening. In a twist of history, Tan used the same opening in this match — and won.
This time, Ju played 1…Nf6, entering a main line of the English Opening. It’s a popular choice among elite players like Magnus Carlsen and Ding Liren. As commentator Evgenij Miroshnichenko said, “1.c4 is one of the starting moves to fight for an advantage.”
Tan mentioned during the post-game press conference that her team debated the opening strategy. She ultimately chose to stick with the English Opening — this time with more confidence.
Ju started using more time on her moves early in the game, especially on moves 10 to 12. She spent over 10 minutes on each, giving Tan a 20-minute time advantage. Eventually, the game simplified into an equal rook and pawn endgame.
At move 31, the position was still balanced. A calm move like 31…Kf8 would’ve kept it even. But Ju quickly played 31…c5, which made things unnecessarily complicated. Tan responded with 32.Kf3, and now Ju had to be precise — but she was running low on time.
The critical moment came on move 40. Ju needed to play 40…b4 to stay in the game. Instead, she chose 40…Ke8?. After 41.Ke4, Tan was clearly winning. Her active king, extra pawn, and strong position gave her full control. Though there were some small inaccuracies, Tan converted her advantage smoothly to win the game.
It was a tough loss for Ju Wenjun. However, she’ll have a rest day before Game 3 to reset and prepare. In world championship matches, mental strength and a strong support team are crucial.
Ju is supported by Grandmaster Ni Hua, a longtime teammate and second, and Grandmaster Maxim Matlakov, who brings top-level experience. Tan is backed by Grandmaster Jeffery Xiong and his father Wayne, whose positive perspective on the game is a valuable asset during high-pressure moments.
Game 3 will be played on Sunday, April 6th, at 3 PM local time in Shanghai. Ju Wenjun will have the White pieces.
Game 2 Summary – FIDE Women’s World Championship 2025
White: Tan Zhongyi
Black: Ju Wenjun
Result: 1–0
Opening: English Opening
Game Length: 62 moves
Match Score: ½ – 1½ in favor of Tan Zhongyi
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Official Website: womenworldchampionship2025.fide.com
Photos: FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
