Ju Wenjun: The Undisputed Queen of Women's Chess

Ju Wenjun stands alone at the summit of women's chess. Since claiming the Women's World Chess Championship in 2018, she has defended her title four consecutive times, building one of the most dominant reigns in the history of the game. ## A Champion's Journey Born on January 31, 1991, in Shanghai, China, Ju Wenjun started playing chess at age seven. She earned the Women's Grandmaster title in 2009 and the full Grandmaster title in November 2014, joining an elite group of women who have achieved the highest title in chess. Her path to the world championship began with victories in the Chinese Women's Championship in 2010 and 2014. By the time she challenged for the world title in 2018, she was already one of the strongest women players on the planet. ## Five Titles and Counting Ju Wenjun's championship record is remarkable for its consistency: - **2018 (Match):** Defeated Tan Zhongyi 5.5-4.5 to win the title - **2018 (Knockout):** Won a 64-player knockout tournament to defend - **2020:** Successfully defended against Aleksandra Goryachkina - **2023:** Held off Lei Tingjie in a tense match, winning 6.5-5.5 - **2025:** Dominated Tan Zhongyi 6.5-2.5 in her most convincing defense yet Each defense has shown a different dimension of her chess. Against Goryachkina, she showed resilience under pressure. Against Lei Tingjie, she demonstrated nerves of steel in a match that went down to the wire. And in 2025, she showed that her level has only increased with time. ## More Than a Women's Champion What separates Ju Wenjun from many of her predecessors is her willingness to compete in open events against the world's best players. At the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament, one of the strongest annual events in chess, she defeated world number six Alireza Firouzja and drew against reigning World Champion Ding Liren. Her peak classical rating of 2604, achieved in March 2017, placed her among the highest-rated women in chess history. As of early 2026, she maintains a rating around 2559, keeping her among the world's top players. ## Rapid and Blitz Dominance Ju Wenjun's talents extend well beyond classical chess. She is a two-time Women's World Rapid Champion (2017 and 2018) and won the Women's World Blitz Championship in December 2024. Her ability to excel across all time controls highlights a complete chess player with no weaknesses in her game. ## Legacy At 35 years old, Ju Wenjun's reign shows no signs of slowing down. Her five world championship victories since 2018 make her one of the most dominant champions in the history of women's chess. While she may not seek the spotlight off the board, her play speaks for itself. For those following women's chess, the question is no longer whether Ju Wenjun can be beaten, but who, if anyone, can find the answer to her extraordinary consistency. Explore her profile and FIDE ratings at [TrendingChess](https://trendingchess.com/ju-wenjun).