Game 3: Ju Wenjun hits back, its 1.5-1.5 @ Shanghai
World champion Ju Wenjun sitting behind the white pieces, hit right back, equalizing the scores 1.5-1.5 after game 3 in the FIDE Women’s World Championship at Shanghai. The Sicilian game took off similar to game 1 but quickly moved into different set up with Ju’s 3.c4 when developed 3. …Nc6, traded pawns on d4, and selected 5. …Bb4?! and 6. …Nge7. It took 87 moves and 5.30 hours for Ju Wenjun to squeeze out the win. With both players showing tremendous fighting spirit, the chess loving public can expect a true slug-fest in the remaining nine rounds.
Multiple trade offs including queen after 37. Bxd5 saw the game moving into an opposite colored bishop ending with better chances for white. For a long time, Tan was defending an OB and rook ending with one pawn down position. The game appeared to heading for a technical draw with some precise play from black. But the constant pressure exerted by the world champion Ju Wenjun saw Tan Zhongyi slip on the 60th move, missing her way and paving a white win.
Commentating on the complexity of the long game IM Irene Sukandar said, “.…I wish I could dive into Ju Wenjun’s mind right now”. Earlier, the tournament hall in Shanghai was graced by four Women’s World Champions today viz., the reigning champion Ju Wenjun and the challenger Tan Zhongyi (also a former world champion), along with former Women’s World Champions Zhu Chen and Xu Yuhua.
Zhu Chen, the current FIDE Secretary, and Xu Yuhua, Secretary General of the Chinese Chess Association, made the ceremonial first moves on the board. The match holds a total prize fund of Euros 500,000 and the winner will be the first to reach 6.5 points. The fourth game is scheduled to begin by Monday, 7th April 2025, at 3 PM local time.
Ju Wenjun (2561) – Tan Zhongyi (2555) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Nge7 7. Be2 d5 8. exd5 exd5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. O-O O-O 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Bf3 Be6 13. Bg5 Bxc3 14. bxc3 Rc8 15. Qa4 h6 16. Bd2 a5 17. Rfe1 Rc4 18. Qa3 Nf5 19. Be2 Rc8 20. Rad1 Qd6 21. Qxa5 Ra8 22. Qb4 Rxa2 23. Bf4 Qc6 24. Bb5 Qb6 25. Re2 Rfa8 26. Bd3 Ra1 27. Ree1 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Qd8 29. h3 Qf6 30. Re1 Rc8 31. Be5 Qg5 32. Ba6 Ra8 33. Bf4 Qf6 34. Bb7 Rd8 35. Bc7 Rf8 36. Rd1 Qg5 37. Bxd5 Ne3 38. h4 Qg4 39. Qxg4 Bxg4 40. Rd3 Nxd5 41. Rxd5 Ra8 42. Bb6 Be6 43. Rd6 Kf8 44. Bd4 Ke7 45. Rb6 g6 46. Kh2 h5 47. Kg3 Ra5 48. Kf4 Kd7 49. g3 Rf5+ 50. Ke3 Ra5 51. Rb4 Bd5 52. Bb6 Ra3 53. Kd4 Be6 54. Bc5 Ra2 55. Kd3 Bf5+ 56. Ke3 Be6 57. Bd4 Kc6 58. c4 Kc7 59. c5 Bd5 60. Kf4 Bc6 61. Kg5 Ra4 62. Be5+ Kd7 63. Rb2 Ke6 64. Bf4 Rc4 65. Be3 Ke5 66. Rb8 Bd7 67. Rd8 Be6 68. Rd6 Rc2 69. Kh6 Kf6 70. Rd1 Rc4 71. Rd6 Rc2 72. Bd4+ Kf5 73. f3 Rc4 74. c6 Rc2 75. Kg7 g5 76. hxg5 Kxg5 77. Bb6 Kf5 78. c7 Rc3 79. Ba5 Rc5 80. Ra6 Rc4
81. Kf8?! (Here white missed 81 Bd2! forcing quick win. The “c” pawn is immune due to Ra5+ wins the bishop or loses the rook after Bf4+) Bd5 82. Ke7 h4 83. Rf6+ Ke5 84. gxh4 Be6 85. h5 Rc5 86. h6 Bc8 87. h7 Kd5 1-0
Picture Courtesy: Anna Shtourman at https://www.fide.com/
Official Site: https://womenworldchampionship2025.fide.com/
