FIDE Women’s World Championship 2025: Ju Wenjun races ahead; Tan Zhongyi faces do-or-die test in coming games

Things are going from bad to worse for challenger Tan Zhongyi, who now trails by four games after defending champion Ju Wenjun secured her fourth successive victory.

Playing with Black pieces, Ju delivered a masterclass in controlled aggression to win Game 8 of the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Championship, extending her lead to 6–2.

Ju’s opening featured an unusual sequence involving her bishop and knight but the surprise was handled well by Tan, who stuck to a more classical setup.

The turning point came around move 20, when Ju willingly sacrificed her knight, opening lines of attack and weakening Tan’s kingside. She then posed dual promotion threats on both the c- and h-files, creating a dangerous situation for Tan.

Despite her attempts to defend with coordinated knight and queen play, she was unable to contain the pressure.

With precise king activity and accurate pawn pushes, Ju advanced her h-pawn all the way down the board.

The final blow came with 53…h2, forcing resignation as promotion was unavoidable.

Her tactical superiority was on full display, earning her a crucial win in the championship. 

Tan now has to win all the remaining four games in order to take the championship into tiebreaks. Game 9 on April 16, 12.30 pm IST.