Tan Zhongyi gets the first prize at the FIDE Women’s World Championship match since she won the 2nd game in a row against Ju Wenjun. This match had a 12-game format, so Tan managed to score 6.5 points to be declared a winner.
This match has a specific set of rules, so it is one of the most viewed and wagered matches on https://ggbets-hu.com, a trusted Hungarian betting operator. It lasts 90 minutes for the first 40 moves and 30 minutes for the rest of the moves. Every player has 30 seconds per move in this match. It means that a player should be very skillful to succeed in this match, and Tan has proven that.
The opening game of Tan Zhongyi and Ju Wenjun has been characterized by a draw since both players followed a well-thought and non-risky approach. The second game was similar at the very start, but soon it has become more straightforward because of time pressure. Ju Wenjin made a tricky mistake that allowed Tan to secure a win in this competitive match.
If you look back at their match in 2018, you will discover that it was Ju Wenjun who managed to win the 2nd game with black pieces after a surprising opening. Whether it is a coincidence or not, game number two was characterized by an English opening as well. Ju responded with 1…e5 and her next move at 2.Nc3 Bb4 to catch her opponent by surprise. In the recent game, Ju moved her pieces for 1…Nf6 and the match took the well-known route of the English Opening, which can often be observed in the matches of the leading players like Ding Liren and Magnus Carlsen.
Tan was interviewed after the game and asked about this strategy. She explained at the press conference that her team had debates about that choice. It was purely her decision to start this opening again, but with more confidence in her actions.
Either Tan or Ju entered the mail line rather early, but soon Ju started to spend much more time on her moves since she needed more than 10 minutes on the next 3 moves (10, 11, and 12). As a result, Tan received a time advantage of 20 minutes. Finally, both players achieved an equal rook and pawns endgame, and Ju seemed to hesitate at that moment greatly.
Players reached equality in their positions, and if they moved to 31…Kf8, the match could result in a draw. Ju realized that clearly and made almost an instant move to 31…c5. The engine continued to mark both positions as equal, but now Black faced more complications and had to make precise moves to succeed.
Tan’s response with 32.Kf3 made Ju, who has already lost 14 minutes, plan her next move for 7 minutes more. Being still considered as drawable, this position obliged Black to make for effort. Both players decided to pass pawns, but the White king was characterized as much more active than the opponent. It was challenging to calculate actively when you are short of time, so Ju made a crucial mistake on her 40th move.
The only right decision of the Black party was 40…b4, which sacrificed the pawn to let her rook space. Ju’s next moves were 40…Ke8& and 41.Ke4, which allowed the White to win. Black has lost the b-pawn without a chance to be compensated. Tan achieved material advantage and full control over the situation thanks to a king placed in the center and a dominant passed d-pawn. Though she faced a couple of minor mistakes, she secured a victory thanks to a smooth conversion of the challenger.
Ju Wenjun was frustrated by this loss, but she has an opportunity to prepare for the 3rd game with strong support from her team.
Ju’s greatest support is her chess teammate Ni Hua, Grandmaster who joined her in 2016 after the Chess Olympiad, where gold was won by the Chinese team. Another Ju’s teammate is Grandmaster Maxim Matlakov, who has won the European Individual Championship in 2017 and assisted a chess star – Peter Svidler.
Tan’s supporters are not less impressive. She is accompanied by Jeffery Xiong, a Grandmaster who has been in the team during the 2024 FIDE Women’s Candidates, and his father, Wayne Xiong, who shared valuable advice on many matches.