World Champion Ju Wenjun Again Secures the Speed Chess Crown

On August 29, 2025, women’s world champion GM Ju Wenjun clinched the Women’s Speed Chess Championship (WSCC) title for the second consecutive year, defeating her compatriot, world no. 1 GM Hou Yifan, 11.5-9.5 in an electrifying all-Chinese final. Hosted by Chess.com, the online tournament featured a $75,000 prize fund and brought together the world’s elite and top rising female chess players in a single-elimination format, testing their mettle in 5+1, 3+1, and 1+1 time controls.

Ju, the reigning Women’s World Champion since 2018, showcased her mastery throughout the event. Her standout performance came in the semifinals, where she crushed IM Polina Shuvalova 17-5, setting a new WSCC record for the largest margin of victory, surpassing her own previous record. Facing the former world champion and world’s top-rated female player, Hou Yifan, in the final, Ju displayed remarkable composure and quality to secure the win in a tightly contested match. The 2025 WSCC highlighted Ju’s dominance not just in classical chess but also speed chess. Her path to victory also included navigating tough competition in the form of 2-time women’s world blitz champion, GM Bibisara Assaubayeva. “Keep the energy, and keep fresh!” said Ju Wenjun when asked about her preparation for such events. Despite her defeat, Hou Yifan’s fans were ecstatic to have witnessed the semi-retired legend in action. The two Chinese chess giants served the fans with enterprising chess action, and the chess world looks forward to their future battles, with Ju showing no signs of slowing down in curating a legacy of her own.