China’s Ju Wenjun
The 2020 Women’s World Chess Champion
After two weeks and 12 games of fierce Classical Chess competition that ended in a tie, China’s Ju Wenjun retained the Women’s World Chess Champion title after winning the Tiebreak playoff with a score of 2½-1½ against the challenger, Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina.
The Tiebreak format began with four scheduled Rapid Chess games. See more about the Tiebreak format below.
The first two Tiebreak games were draws with Ju Wenjun narrowly escaping defeat in Game 1.
In Game 3, the World Champion won with white pieces.
Game 4 saw Ju Wenjun hold on for a draw with the black pieces to win the match and retain her title. See “Standings after Round 12 & Tiebreaks” below.
Odds Against Aleksandra
Aleksandra faced an older, more experienced, higher-rated Ju Wenjun in Rapid Chess and Blitz Chess in the Tiebreak format.*
Ju Wenjun’s Rapid Chess rating is 2613 and her Blitz Chess rating is 2536.
Aleksandra Goryachkina is rated 2499 in Rapid Chess and 2441 in Blitz Chess.
*The Tiebreaks format consists of four Rapid Chess games, perhaps followed by pairs of Blitz Chess games in the case of a tie, then one Armageddon Chess game to determine the winner if the match is still tied. See more about the Sudden Death Tiebreak format below.
Standings after Round 12 & Tiebreaks
The Tiebreak games took place January 24, 2020.
The Tiebreak Format
Rapid Chess and Blitz Chess Games. The Tiebreak format begins with four 25 minute Rapid Chess games–plus 10 seconds per move, followed, if necessary, by up to five sets of 5-minute Blitz Chess games–plus 3 seconds per move).
One Armageddon Chess Game. Next, if these Rapid and Blitz chess games still do not break the stand-off, then the match will be determined with one Armageddon Chess game.
In an Armageddon Chess game, the person with the white piece has 5 minutes on the clock to start–and the person with the Black pieces has 4 minutes to start.
However, the person playing the white pieces (5 minutes) must win the game to take the title.
The person playing the black pieces (4 minutes) can win or draw the game to win the title!
The 2020 Women’s World Chess Championship 12-game match between challenger Aleksandra Goryachkina and world champion Ju Wenjun began in Shanghai, China on January 4, 2020 for the first 6 games–and moved to Vladivostok, Russia on January 15 for the second 6 games.
The Challenger
Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina
Born September 28, 1998
21 years old
Classical Chess Rating 2578
The Reigning Champion
China’s Ju Wenjun
Born January 31, 1991
28 years old
Classical Chess Rating 2584
What?
Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina and China’s Ju Wenjun competed in a 12-game match with “Classical Chess” time controls, followed by a Tiebreak system.
Where?
The first 6 games took place in Shanghai, China. The second 6 games along with possible Tiebreaks and the Closing Ceremony took place in Vladivostok, Russia.
When?
The Challenger!
In May 2019, Aleksandra was only 20 years old at the time and the youngest and lowest-seeded of the world’s Top 8 women chess players competing. She won the Candidates Tournament and earned the opportunity to challenge China’s Ju Wenjun for the upcoming 2020 Women’s World Chess Championship!
She is a Grandmaster and two-time Russian Women’s Chess Champion. She also twice won the Girls Under-20 World Chess Championship.
At only 21 years old, she is on the rise and may well be the next Women’s World Chess Champion!
The Path to a Chess Championship Can Begin Here!
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