The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Chess Championship is currently underway in China, featuring a highly anticipated rematch between reigning champion Ju Wenjun and challenger Tan Zhongyi. The match is scheduled from April 1 to April 23, 2025, and is being hosted across two cities: Shanghai, Ju Wenjun’s hometown, and Chongqing, Tan Zhongyi’s hometown.
Match Details:
- Format: The championship consists of 12 games. The first player to score 6.5 points will be declared the winner.
- Time Control: Each game allows 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move one.
- Prize Fund: The total prize fund for the match is €500,000.
Player Backgrounds:
- Ju Wenjun: Hailing from Shanghai, Ju first claimed the Women’s World Chess Championship title in 2018 by defeating Tan Zhongyi with a score of 5.5–4.5. She successfully defended her title in subsequent matches and has been the reigning champion since.
- Tan Zhongyi: Representing Chongqing, Tan held the Women’s World Chess Championship title in 2017 before losing it to Ju Wenjun in 2018. She earned her spot in the 2025 championship by winning the Women’s Candidates Tournament in 2024, setting the stage for a compelling rematch and an opportunity to reclaim the title.
The match has already delivered intense and high-quality chess. Game 1 ended in a draw, but Game 2 saw Tan Zhongyi take the lead with a brilliant display of endgame mastery in a sharp rook endgame. Her early victory sets the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested match.
Ju Wenjun now faces the challenge of evening the score, a scenario not unfamiliar to her. In her 2023 title defense against Lei Tingjie, Ju also found herself behind after the second game, only to rally with remarkable composure and go on to win the match. Her strong psychological resilience has often been a defining factor in her championship runs.
As the match progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that this is not just a battle on the board—but a psychological duel as well. As Tan Zhongyi herself noted, “One battle is chess, and the other battle is psychological.”
With high stakes, world-class preparation, and deep personal history, the 2025 Women’s World Championship is shaping up to be a dramatic and unforgettable contest.
Photos: FIDE/Anna Anna Shtourman
