{"id":9655,"date":"2025-04-04T23:44:42","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T17:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chessbd.com\/?p=9655"},"modified":"2025-04-08T19:53:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T13:53:30","slug":"tan-zhongyi-wins-game-2-after-ju-wenjuns-costly-blunder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655","title":{"rendered":"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>Challenger Tan Zhongyi strikes first at the FIDE Women\u2019s World Championship Match, winning game two after Champion Ju Wenjun blunders in the endgame.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>Following a closely contested 99% accuracy draw in the opening game, it was evident that both players were adopting a solid, risk-free approach. Game two appeared to be heading in a similar direction until a tricky endgame combined with time pressure led to a decisive mistake by the reigning champion \u2013 an opportunity Tan capitalized on to secure the full point.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Game2-Tan-Ju.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33341\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Interestingly, in their 2018 match, it was Ju Wenjun who struck first blood by winning game two (also with the black pieces) after surprising Tan in the opening. Coincidentally, that second game also featured an English Opening, where Ju responded with 1\u2026e5, and after 2.Nc3 Bb4, caught her opponent off guard. This time, Ju opted for 1\u2026Nf6, and the game entered a well-trodden main line of the English Opening, frequently seen at the top level by players such as Magnus Carlsen and Ding Liren. The English Opening has become a powerful weapon for White. As commentator Evgenij Miroshnichenko noted, \u201c1.c4 is one of the starting moves to fight for an advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"672\" src=\"https:\/\/chessbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-15.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-15.png 1000w, https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-15-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-15-768x516.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/G02-DG01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33337\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/G02-DG02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33338\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Tan was asked about this in the post-game press conference and admitted that her team debated about the opening choice. Ultimately, it was she who decided to repeat the opening, this time more confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite both players entering a main line early on, it was Ju who began to consume significant time, spending over 10 minutes each on three consecutive moves (moves 10, 11, and 12). This gave Tan a comfortable 20-minute time advantage for much of the game. Eventually the opponents traded off into an equal rook and pawns endgame, and reached an interesting position where it seemed like Ju faltered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\"><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>The position remained equal, and a move like 31\u2026Kf8 would have led to an inevitable draw. However, Ju played&nbsp;<strong>31\u2026c5&nbsp;<\/strong>almost instantly. While the engine still evaluated the position as equal, it introduced unnecessary complications that demanded precision from Black. After Tan responded with&nbsp;<strong>32.Kf3<\/strong>, Ju, down to 14 minutes, spent seven of them pondering her next move, clearly second-guessing her pawn push. Though still drawable, the position now required more effort from Black. Both sides had passed pawns, but White\u2019s king was significantly more active. Calculating accurately under time pressure became crucial, and unfortunately for Ju, her decisive mistake came on move 40:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-preformatted\"><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p>Black\u2019s only correct continuation was 40\u2026b4, sacrificing the pawn to allow her rook space. Instead, Ju played&nbsp;<strong>40\u2026Ke8?<\/strong>, and after&nbsp;<strong>41.Ke4<\/strong>, White was winning. Black would lose the b-pawn without compensation. With material advantage, a centralized king, and a dominant passed d-pawn, Tan was in complete control. Despite a few minor inaccuracies, the challenger converted her advantage smoothly to secure the victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Game2-Ju.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33340\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a painful loss for Ju Wenjun, but the upcoming rest day provides her a chance to recalibrate and mentally prepare for game three. In such high-pressure matches, having a strong support system is vital, and both players are accompanied by experienced teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ju is supported by Grandmaster Ni Hua, her Shanghai chess teammate and second for nine years. The two began working together after the 2016 Chess Olympiad, where the Chinese Women\u2019s team won gold (with both Ju and Tan on the roster!). \u00a0Also on her team is Grandmaster Maxim Matlakov, winner of the 2017 European Individual Championship and an experienced second who has previously assisted none other than Peter Svidler.Tan was asked about this in the post-game press conference and admitted that her team debated about the opening choice. Ultimately, it was she who decided to repeat the opening, this time more confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite both players entering a main line early on, it was Ju who began to consume significant time, spending over 10 minutes each on three consecutive moves (moves 10, 11, and 12). This gave Tan a comfortable 20-minute time advantage for much of the game. Eventually the opponents traded off into an equal rook and pawns endgame, and reached an interesting position where it seemed like Ju faltered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The position remained equal, and a move like 31\u2026Kf8 would have led to an inevitable draw. However, Ju played 31\u2026c5 almost instantly. While the engine still evaluated the position as equal, it introduced unnecessary complications that demanded precision from Black. After Tan responded with 32.Kf3, Ju, down to 14 minutes, spent seven of them pondering her next move, clearly second-guessing her pawn push. Though still drawable, the position now required more effort from Black. Both sides had passed pawns, but White\u2019s king was significantly more active. Calculating accurately under time pressure became crucial, and unfortunately for Ju, her decisive mistake came on move 40:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Black\u2019s only correct continuation was 40\u2026b4, sacrificing the pawn to allow her rook space. Instead, Ju played 40\u2026Ke8?, and after 41.Ke4, White was winning. Black would lose the b-pawn without compensation. With material advantage, a centralized king, and a dominant passed d-pawn, Tan was in complete control. Despite a few minor inaccuracies, the challenger converted her advantage smoothly to secure the victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a painful loss for Ju Wenjun, but the upcoming rest day provides her a chance to recalibrate and mentally prepare for game three. In such high-pressure matches, having a strong support system is vital, and both players are accompanied by experienced teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ju is supported by Grandmaster Ni Hua, her Shanghai chess teammate and second for nine years. The two began working together after the 2016 Chess Olympiad, where the Chinese Women\u2019s team won gold (with both Ju and Tan on the roster!). Also on her team is Grandmaster Maxim Matlakov, winner of the 2017 European Individual Championship and an experienced second who has previously assisted none other than Peter Svidler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tan, on the other hand, is joined by Grandmaster Jeffery Xiong, who was part of her team during the 2024 FIDE Women\u2019s Candidates. Also providing support is Jeffery\u2019s father, Wayne Xiong, who, as a chess parent, has often emphasized the importance of enjoying the game beyond its competitive aspects, a perspective that can be instrumental in a high-stakes encounter like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third game of the match will be played on Sunday, April 6t, at 3 PM local time in Shanghai, with Ju Wenjun playing White.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>FACT SHEET, Game 2, FIDE Women\u2019s World Championship 2025:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>White: Tan Zhongyi<br>Black: Ju Wenjun<br>Result: 1\u20130<br>Opening: English Opening<br>Game length: 62 moves<br>Match score: \u00bd \u2013 1\u00bd (in favour of Tan Zhongyi)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow FIDE\u2019s social media channels for updates, tune into YouTube for live commentary and coverage, and visit the official match website for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Written by Charlize Van Zyl<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Photos: Anna Shtourman<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Official website: womenworldchampionship2025.fide.com\/al website:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/womenworldchampionship2025.fide.com\/\"><strong>womenworldchampionship2025.fide.com\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Challenger Tan Zhongyi strikes first at the FIDE Women\u2019s World Championship Match, winning game two after Champion Ju Wenjun blunders in the endgame. Following a closely contested 99% accuracy draw in the opening game, it was evident that both players were adopting a solid, risk-free approach. Game two appeared to be heading in a similar&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9666,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-in-english"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Challenger Tan Zhongyi strikes first at the FIDE Women\u2019s World Championship Match, winning game two after Champion Ju Wenjun blunders in the endgame. Following a closely contested 99% accuracy draw in the opening game, it was evident that both players were adopting a solid, risk-free approach. Game two appeared to be heading in a similar...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-04T17:44:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-08T13:53:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"chessbd.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"chessbd.com\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655\",\"name\":\"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder -\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-04T17:44:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-08T13:53:30+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#\/schema\/person\/526eec2c0d2dfabab5b42f43dcbf75cf\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":400},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/\",\"name\":\"\",\"description\":\"\u09ac\u09be\u0982\u09b2\u09be \u09ad\u09be\u09b7\u09be\u09df \u09a6\u09be\u09ac\u09be\u09b0 \u09aa\u09cd\u09b0\u09a5\u09ae \u0985\u09a8\u09b2\u09be\u0987\u09a8 \u09a8\u09bf\u0989\u099c \u09aa\u09cb\u09b0\u09cd\u099f\u09be\u09b2\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#\/schema\/person\/526eec2c0d2dfabab5b42f43dcbf75cf\",\"name\":\"chessbd.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?author=8\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder -","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder -","og_description":"Challenger Tan Zhongyi strikes first at the FIDE Women\u2019s World Championship Match, winning game two after Champion Ju Wenjun blunders in the endgame. Following a closely contested 99% accuracy draw in the opening game, it was evident that both players were adopting a solid, risk-free approach. Game two appeared to be heading in a similar...","og_url":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655","article_published_time":"2025-04-04T17:44:42+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-04-08T13:53:30+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"chessbd.com","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"chessbd.com","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655","url":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655","name":"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder -","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg","datePublished":"2025-04-04T17:44:42+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-08T13:53:30+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#\/schema\/person\/526eec2c0d2dfabab5b42f43dcbf75cf"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Tan-Zhongyi.jpg","width":800,"height":400},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?p=9655#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Tan Zhongyi\u00a0wins Game 2 after Ju Wenjun\u2019s costly blunder"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/","name":"","description":"\u09ac\u09be\u0982\u09b2\u09be \u09ad\u09be\u09b7\u09be\u09df \u09a6\u09be\u09ac\u09be\u09b0 \u09aa\u09cd\u09b0\u09a5\u09ae \u0985\u09a8\u09b2\u09be\u0987\u09a8 \u09a8\u09bf\u0989\u099c \u09aa\u09cb\u09b0\u09cd\u099f\u09be\u09b2","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/#\/schema\/person\/526eec2c0d2dfabab5b42f43dcbf75cf","name":"chessbd.com","url":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/?author=8"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9655"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9655\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9659,"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9655\/revisions\/9659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chessbangladesh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}