National Elephant Women’s World Championship: Lei Tingjie ends the first half of the competition in the lead
The 2023 FIDE Women’s World Championship Match, also known as the Women’s World Championship, is currently taking place at the Shanghai Chess Academy. In the sixth round, which marked the end of the first half, Lei Tingjie emerged as the temporary leader with a victory in the fifth round, giving her a score of 3.5:2.5.
The Women’s World Championship is considered the highest personal honor for women in chess. The winner of this match will be crowned the Women’s Individual World Champion. Notably, this is the fourth time that two Chinese players are competing for the prestigious title. Ju Wenjun, the reigning world champion, has won the World Chess title three times consecutively. If she successfully defends her title in this tournament, she will secure her fourth consecutive championship, joining the ranks of Xie Jun and Hou Yifan as the only Chinese female chess players to achieve this feat. On the other hand, if Lei Tingjie wins, she will become the 18th female world champion and the seventh Chinese female chess player to claim the title.
During the first half of the match, both players displayed exceptional skill and determination. The sixth round saw the two competitors engaged in the Queen’s Gambit once again. The game progressed rapidly, with the queens being exchanged early on. Ju Wenjun had two bishops and a knight, while Lei Tingjie had two knights and a bishop. However, Ju Wenjun faced time pressure as she consistently took longer to make her moves. Eventually, the players exchanged several more pieces and agreed on a draw in the 48th round, reaching a one-knight endgame. The entire game lasted approximately three hours.
In the post-game press conference, Lei Tingjie expressed her excitement about participating in her first World Championship. Although she currently holds the lead, she preferred to view the score as 3:3 or even see herself trailing, as it made her feel more at ease without the pressure of being in front. Despite her desire to win, Lei Tingjie emphasized her focus on the quality of the competition and her learning experience. She eagerly awaits the second half of the match and hopes to continue improving her skills.
The upcoming second half of the match will take place in Lei Tingjie’s hometown of Chongqing from the 15th to the 22nd. The players will engage in 12 games of slow chess, and the first player to score 6.5 points will be declared the winner. The total prize money for the competition amounts to 500,000 Euros (approximately RMB 3.975 million). The champion will receive 60% of the prize money, and an additional 55% if they win the extra match.
The National Elephant Women’s World Championship has captivated the chess community, and the clash between Lei Tingjie and Ju Wenjun promises to be a thrilling battle of skill, strategy, and determination. As the second half of the competition nears, anticipation grows as fans eagerly await the outcome of this historic encounter.