Lu Miaoyi earns landmark win over Tan Zhongyi

Posted on October 3, 2025 BY Michael Ludwig

15-year-old Lu Miaoyi is, with Alice Lee, the youngest player in the Women’s top 50, as an IM rated 2431. Today, she scored a win over one of the world’s top players, Tan Zhongyi, and per @OnTheQueenside, this marks Miaoyi’s first win over one of her 2500+ peers.

Miaoyi, as White, had let a decent advantage dwindle, and the above position is an equal rook endgame where Black’s active king and rook control White’s extra pawns. Tan, as Black, must play 37. …Kxh5 38. Ke3 Rg4 before enacting her …b5 to liquidate the queenside.

She went for it immediately: 37. …b5?? 38. Ke3 Rg4 Trading on c4 would leave a winning king and pawn endgame for White. 39. Ra5! (D).

Threats suddenly appear with Rxb5 and d6, for example if Black just grabs pawns, 39. …Kxh5 40. Rxb5 Rxc4 41. d6+! and d7 wins.

The game concluded 39. …Rxg3+ 40. Kd2 bxc4 41. d6+ c5 42. Rxc5+ Kf6 43. Rd5! (D) Not allowing …Rd3+. Now White wins on the strength of the split passed pawns. 43. …Rg8 44. d7 Ke7 45. d8=Q+ 1-0 The h-pawn is a square too far away.

You can follow the Chinese Chess League games on Lichess.

Photo: Anna Shtourman, via @OnTheQueenside

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