"VAN" (Sports Desk - 11.04.2025) :: Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun defeated Challenger Tan Zhongyi with the black pieces to close out the first half of the match with a crucial win. This result marks her third victory in the last four games, giving her a 4–2 lead as the match shifts to Tan’s home city of Chongqing.
When asked yesterday whether the result of today’s game would carry any particular significance, both players emphasized that each game holds equal importance and would be approached accordingly. Yet, considering that it was the final encounter before the halfway mark and two upcoming rest days, it’s fair to conclude that, objectively, this one did matter.
Once again, the English Opening made an appearance, but this time Tan Zhongyi chose a double fianchetto setup. The opening, however, did not yield a favorable position for White. With straightforward and solid play, Black quickly seized the initiative. A key weakness in White’s position was her knight on a3. In chess, we are taught the phrase “knights on the rim are dim,” a reference to their limited activity on the edge of the board. Though initially, Tan Zhongyi’s knight had good opening prospects, it remained on the edge for far too long, and when it eventually moved, it moved too much, dancing around the board and never finding a good square. Eventually, Black’s opening advantage turned into a tangible advantage:
It looked like Ju was on her way to claiming her second consecutive point after she played 21…g5! Not an easy move to find on the board, particularly since Black had many other attractive moves in an already comfortable position. …g5 was the only move to play for an advantage and she did! Tan blitzed out 22.Ne1 (the best defensive move in the position) and another critical moment arose.
The combination of ideas revolving around …g5 and …c4 became central. On the kingside, Black controlled the light squares and was preparing to hop the knight into g5. Meanwhile, on the queenside, the creation of a passed pawn and the threat of pushing c3 loomed. The position was so commanding that FIDE commentator GM Evgenij Mirosnichenko remarked, “Black can even say ‘pass’ in this position and not make a move, and she would still be winning.” And yet, Ju followed up with one of the few moves that allowed White to fully equalize.
Although at a glance the bishop on b2 appeared well-placed on the long diagonal, it was, in reality, an ineffective piece, facing little more than empty space. By playing …Bf6, Black gave White the opportunity to exchange this weak bishop, followed by a series of trades involving the rooks. In a flash, the venom was sucked out of Black’s position. Maintaining the tension was key to sustaining the advantage, but with those trades, the initiative slipped away.
With most major pieces removed from the board, Black’s earlier kingside expansion, once a strength, became a liability by exposing her king. White wisely kept the queens on the board, a decision that maintained her chances in a position where an endgame with just knights and pawns would have clearly favored Black, thanks to her queenside pawn majority and more active king. The position with queens, knights, and pawns remained balanced and appeared to be heading toward a draw. But in this match, assumptions about outcomes have often proven unreliable. Even seemingly equal positions have been transformed into wins by both players.
Ju Wenjun had faltered in the second game’s endgame - a misstep that led to her only loss so far. But since then, she has showcased impeccable endgame technique, vindicating herself with strong performances in successive games. Today was no exception.
“The area of the game we’re the least good at is ‘passively waiting’,” remarked Mirosnichenko, referring to the subtle art of doing nothing when the position calls for it - allowing your opponent to reveal their hand. Ju seemed to grasp this nuance perfectly, while her compatriot did not.
In this calm yet critical position, White did not remain patient. Instead, she played 31.h4?, a provocative move that introduced a range of tactical possibilities. Was this Tan’s attempt to press for a win?
The move allowed Black to seize control with 31…g4! a dominating response that shifted the balance in her favor. After 32.Qb7, there remained opportunities for White, as many of Black’s responses would lead to equality. However, a misstep such as 32…Kg6? would have drastically changed the engine evaluation. This is an interesting tactical puzzle moment - how can White seize the advantage here? (solution at the end)
But Ju responded precisely with 32…Qd7, neutralizing any chance of counterplay. With the queens exchanged shortly after, the endgame became straightforward. Ju centralized her king and converted the advantage confidently—delivering a masterclass in endgame play and making it appear effortless. Of course, no game on a world championship stage is ever truly easy, especially with the pressure involved. But Ju seems to be managing that pressure well, having won three of the last four games. She heads into the second half of the match with a commanding two-point lead. A strong surge in momentum, though, the two-day break could still shift the psychological dynamics.
For Tan Zhongyi, the break offers a much-needed reset. She now returns to Chongqing with the weight of back-to-back losses. Whether playing on home soil will help revive her confidence remains to be seen.
With 4 points on the scoreboard, Ju Wenjun needs only 2.5 points from the remaining six games to retain her title - reaching 6.5 before her opponent does. The match resumes with Game 7 on April 13th at 15:00 local time.
“The area of the game we’re the least good at is ‘passively waiting’,” remarked Mirosnichenko, referring to the subtle art of doing nothing when the position calls for it - allowing your opponent to reveal their hand. Ju seemed to grasp this nuance perfectly, while her compatriot did not.
In this calm yet critical position, White did not remain patient. Instead, she played 31.h4?, a provocative move that introduced a range of tactical possibilities. Was this Tan’s attempt to press for a win?
The move allowed Black to seize control with 31…g4! a dominating response that shifted the balance in her favor. After 32.Qb7, there remained opportunities for White, as many of Black’s responses would lead to equality. However, a misstep such as 32…Kg6? would have drastically changed the engine evaluation. This is an interesting tactical puzzle moment - how can White seize the advantage here? (solution at the end)
Puzzle
32…Kg6? allows 33.h5!+ with White’s knight springing into action and the Black king suddenly under fire. 33…Nxh5 (33…Kxh5 runs into 34.Qf7#!) 34.Nh4+ Kg5 and 35.Qf7 the king is cornered and Black has limited options.
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