Women's World Champs: Halftime Report

Photo: World Chess

The Women's World Championship has been a lively match so far, loaded with king attacks and tactical combinations---with 80% of the games ending decisively! At the halfway mark, Ju Wenjun currently has a 2 point lead with 5 games to go. Will Ju Wenjun follow her substantial lead home or will Tan Zhongyi be able to make a comeback? Test your calculation skills with tactical puzzles from rounds 3-5!

Puzzle #1

Ju Wenjun vs. Tan Zhongyi

Round 3

White to move and win.

Level: Warm-Up

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "2018 Fide Womens world chess"]
[Site "ShangHai"]
[Date "2018.05.06"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "Ju wenjun"]
[Black "Tan zhongyi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E04"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3qk2r/p2r1p1p/2p1p3/1pn1P3/2pR3Q/2N3P1/PP2PP1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 21"]
[PlyCount "5"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2015.04.04"]
[WhiteClock "0:22:43"]
[BlackClock "0:27:21"]21. Qxd8+ $1 ({Ju Wenjun went on to win with:} 21. Qf4 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 Qb6 23.
Rd6 Rf8 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Qxe4 Qb7 26. Rxc6 Kd7 27. Qd4+) 21... Kxd8 22. Ne4 Rd5
(22... Rxd4 23. Rxd4+ Kc7 24. Nxc5) 23. Nxc5 1-0[/pgn]

Puzzle #2

Tan Zhongyi vs. Ju Wenjun

Round 4

White to move and win.

Level: Intermediate

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "2018 Fide Womens world chess"]
[Site "ShangHai"]
[Date "2018.05.07"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Tan Zhongyi"]
[Black "Ju wenjun"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A45"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5rk1/p2bq1r1/1p2p2Q/3pP1p1/3P2RP/3BPR2/PP6/6K1 w - - 0 33"]
[PlyCount "7"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2015.04.04"]
[WhiteClock "0:06:09"]
[BlackClock "0:03:15"]33. Rf6 $1 Qb4 34. Qxg7+ Kxg7 35. Rxg5+ {and Black resigned because of} Kh8 36.
Rh6# 1-0[/pgn]

Puzzle #3

Tan Zhongyi vs. Ju Wenjun

Round 5

Black to move and win.

Level: Intermediate

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "2018 Fide Womens world chess"]
[Site "ShangHai"]
[Date "2018.05.09"]
[Round "5.1"]
[White "Tan Zhongyi"]
[Black "Ju wenjun"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C24"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4r1k1/1p3pp1/6rp/pP2n2q/2PQp3/1P2B3/4R1PP/4RK2 b - - 0 34"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2015.04.04"]
[WhiteClock "0:01:22"]
[BlackClock "0:14:00"]34... Nf3 35. Qd7 Nxh2+ {and White resigned. If} 36. Kg1 Nf3+ 37. Kf2 Qh4+ 38.
g3 Qxg3+ 39. Kf1 Ree6 40. Qd8+ Kh7 41. b4 Qh3+ 42. Kf2 Qg2# 0-1[/pgn]

For more information on the Women's World Championship, check out:

Grandmaster Ian Roger's Report, "If a Queen Falls and No One Sees It"
The Official Website: http://china2018.fide.com/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vanessa West is a regular writer and digital assistant for US Chess News. She won the 2017 Chess Journalist of the Year award. You can follow her on Twitter: @Vanessa__West