What makes Ju Wenjun, who claimed her fifth Women’s World Championship crown, special

When Ju Wenjun claimed a draw threefold repetition in Game 9 against Tan Zhongyi — a rook endgame already destined for a peaceful outcome— her actions were characterically methodical. She shook hands, rose from the board, took a sip of water, signed the scoresheet, and headed to the commentary room. A routine conclusion to yet another win. But this was no ordinary moment — it marked Ju’s record-equalling fifth Women’s World Championship crown and her fourth consecutive successful title defence.Ju means business. A consummate professional, she understands one thing above all else: how to win. What others might see as mundane routines are, in fact, the impressions of her dominance. At 33, the Chinese grandmaster has reigned supreme in women’s chess for the last eight years, leaving no room for rivals to come near her throne.
In Chongqing on Wednesday, all Ju needed was a draw to win the championship and unlike her fiery character on board, she played a rather peaceful draw to win the event 6.5-2.5 with three games remaining. Pentala Harikrishna, once India’s highest-ranked classical chess player, has seen Ju Wenjun’s brilliance up close. As part of her team as a second during the 2023 Women’s World Championship against Lei Tingjie, he witnessed firsthand the unshakable resolve that defines a true champion.
Story continues below this ad

One moment, in particular, stood out for Harikrishna. Ahead of the decisive 12th game against Lei, Ju faced a must-win scenario: a draw would force tiebreaks, where the risk of losing the title would be even greater. Her team — composed of the calm and calculated Harikrishna and China’s Wei Yi — was torn between opting for a risky opening or going with a much more solid theoretical line to secure a draw. But Ju had other plans. She insed on taking the aggressive route, and it paid off.
“Ahead of the Game 12, the score was 5.5-5.5. We had to decide whether to play a sharp risky line or stick to a safer, well-known theory,” recalls Harikrishna. “She was completely fine taking risk, which shows the character of a true champion. She wasn’t afraid to take the practical, fighting approach, and she won that thrilling game. This is something which I find very impressive,” he tells The Indian Express.
Thriving under pressure
Harikrishna highlights another facet of Ju’s dominance: her ability to thrive under the pressure of a world championship match. “Even if you’re strong, a world championship match is a different beast. Her experience from four previous title defences helps, but what’s remarkable is her sustained intensity against younger, hungry opponents like (Aleksandra) Goryachkina and Lei (Tingjie).”
One of the most striking aspects of Ju’s game, according to Harikrishna, is her ability to reset after gruelling battles. “We were trailing after the first six games, and though she had chances in the second half, she kept missing them. Yet, miraculously, she’d arrive fresh for the next round. People at press conferences often asked me how tired she looked, but I knew that’s just how she was built,” he says.Story continues below this ad
But what truly amazed Harikrishna was Ju’s ability to elevate her game when it mattered most. “For me, she was a completely different player in the second half of the tournament. Winning so many critical games with both colors, but especially with Black was exceptional.”
Ju became richer €300,000 (₹2.91 Cr) with the prize money of this event. She also revealed her team of Seconds which included Ni Hua, who was also Ding Liren’s Second during his World Championship title defence against India’s D. Gukesh, Russia’s Maxim Matlakov and WGM Wang Pin.
When 21, Ju Wenjun entered the 2012 Women’s World Championship as a 2500-rated WGM — talented, but not yet a favourite. Yet she stormed into the semifinals, only to fall to the eventual champion, Anna Ushenina. It was a glimpse of her potential, but the crown remained just out of reach.
the next knockout cycle in 2015, Ju had transformed. Now a 2560-rated GM and the tournament’s second seed behind India’s Koneru Humpy, she carried heavy expectations. Her dominant first-round win over Egypt’s Shrook Wafa suggested another deep run. But things didn’t go as planned.Story continues below this ad
In the second round, Russia’s Natalia Pogonina, the 31st seed, stunned her. Ju crashed out early, while Pogonina defied all odds to reach the final. Another missed opportunity. Another long wait.
The 2017 Championship was supposed to be her moment. As the top seed, she bulldozed through Nancy Lane, former world champion Zhu Chen, and Olga Girya, charging into the quarterfinals. But, again, fate had other plans. Waiting for her was Tan — the same Tan who would pull off an upset, ending Ju’s campaign and claiming the title for herself.
After stumbling thrice in five years, Ju has had enough. She fought through the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2015–16, earning the right to challenge Tan in the 2018 World Championship match. This time, there would be no knockout chaos, no underdog surprises. Ju seized her moment — and never looked back.
From that triumph to this day, she has defended her crown four times, joining the pantheon of legends — Maia Chiburdanidze, Nona Gaprindashvili and Vera Menchik to win five or more championships.Story continues below this ad
A journey that began in frustration, losing to Tan, came full circle when she dethroned her. Now, Ju places her name among the most dominant world champions.