Women's World Chess Championship July 5th to 24th 2023

[Mick Norris]

TWIC

Defending Champion Ju Wenjun faces challenger Lei Tingjie in a 12 game match. Games start at 15:00 local time which is 8am BST. Playing days in July: 5th-6th, 8th-9th, 11th-12th, (13th-14th travel to Chongqing and rest day), 15th-16th, 18th-19th, 21st-22nd then 23rd for tie-breaks if needed

Website

Game 1 today was drawn in 50 moves

[LawrenceCooper]

TWIC

Defending Champion Ju Wenjun faces challenger Lei Tingjie in a 12 game match. Games start at 15:00 local time which is 8am BST. Playing days in July: 5th-6th, 8th-9th, 11th-12th, (13th-14th travel to Chongqing and rest day), 15th-16th, 18th-19th, 21st-22nd then 23rd for tie-breaks if needed

Website

Game 1 today was drawn in 50 moves

Game 2 was also a draw, this time in 40 moves.

[Mick Norris]

Game 3 drawn in 49 moves

[Mick Norris]

game 4 looks level at move 37

[Roger Lancaster]

game 4 looks level at move 37

And was also drawn, so 2-2

[Mick Norris]

Yes, strange as I associate Men's WC matches as having lots of draws, which the recent one didn't, and Women's as having lots of decisive games

[Paul Cooksey]

I've been a bit underwhelmed so far. Maybe because the match lacks the clear contrast of styles we had with Ju and Goryachkina last time.

Every game feels a bit the same, good computer prep followed by a tactical skirmish and an almost level ending. I guess at some point one of the players will out calculate the other

[LawrenceCooper]

I've been a bit underwhelmed so far. Maybe because the match lacks the clear contrast of styles we had with Ju and Goryachkina last time.

Every game feels a bit the same, good computer prep followed by a tactical skirmish and an almost level ending. I guess at some point one of the players will out calculate the other

White's advantage in game 5 looks bigger than anything seen in games 1-4, but time will tell if it proves decisive.

[Paul Cooksey]

Lei did win, conveniently during my lunch break

[Matt Mackenzie]

Game 6 is another hard fought draw.

[Mick Norris]

So that's the first half concluded, they now move venues and resume on the 15th and 16th

[Matt Mackenzie]

Another draw, but again a fight until there isn't much more than just the kings on the board.

[Mick Norris]

Game 8 underway with possible chances to equalise the score (at move 31)

EDIT, won in 72 moves, score level at 4-4 with 4 to play

[Matt Mackenzie]

Game 9 is a battling draw, again. Three more "regular" encounters to go.

[Mick Norris]

You expecting tiebreaks Matt?

Game 10 looks level at move 16