Ju Wenjun

Biography (1991)

Born in 1991 in Shanghai, China, Ju Wenjun started playing chess at seven, inspired by the legendary Xie Jun. Unlike many Chinese youngsters, Ju preferred to play with adults and rarely participated in junior competitions. Her chess strength grew rapidly. At just thirteen, she finished second at the Asian Championship and then won the Chinese national championship, heralding the rise of a new star.Ju Wenjun first qualified for the Women's World Championship in 2006 after placing third at the 2004 Asian Women's Championship and has played in all knockout events since then. Her breakthrough came in the 2015-2016 FIDE Women's Grand Prix, which Ju won, challenging the incumbent Women's World Champion Tan Zhongyi in Shanghai and Chongqing in 2018. Ju prevailed in a tightly contested match (+3-2=5) and clinched the title.In the same year, Ju successfully defended her crown in the knockout championship in Khanty-Mansiysk, 2018, becoming the second woman in history to do so after Xie Jun. In 2020, Ju faced a worthy challenger, Aleksandra Goryachkina, and retained her title in a tightly contested match after prevailing in a tiebreak. In 2023, she defended her title again, this time against her compatriot Lei Tingjie, winning the match 6½-5½.In 2025, Ju will once again play a world championship match against Tan Zhongyi, the winner of the 2024 Women's Candidates, this time as the defending champion.

Notable game

This game between two of the greatest Chinese champions was played at the Gibraltar Masters in 2017

Play like a champion!

Black to move.

Examine this position and decide on your next move. To see the correct answer, click the button below.

Want chess advice?

# 1 / 4

It doesn’t matter winning or losing, I always try enjoying playing chess.

Keep working on your chess. Play more international tournaments. The grandmaster title makes you feel you are more professional and more confident. Not just on the chess board but also in real life.

I think when you are on a certain level and you want to develop your chess skill, then lessons with another master are necessary. Another master can guide you to avoid many mistakes and widen your vision.

If you are confused in a position, just follow your heart.

On Wenjun

Perseverance on the highest throne, even when facing opponents of the highest calibre and completely different styles, speaks for the solidity of her style.

She’s a very strong opponent, very calm.

The fact that Ju has already beat Tan Zhongyi, Goryachkina and now Lei speaks volumes about her ability to deal with high-pressure situations.