Ju Wenjun claimed her second consecutive Women’s Speed Chess Championship title by defeating Hou Yifan 4.5-2.5 in the final. The reigning champion secured victory in seven games across three time control segments, earning the $7,000 winner’s prize from the $75,000 tournament.

Ju Wenjun took control early with wins in games 1, 3, and 6, while Hou Yifan responded with victories in games 2 and 5. Game 4 ended in a draw before Ju sealed the championship with a win in the decisive seventh game.

The Women’s Speed Chess Championship 2025 featured 16 players competing from August 4-22 in a single-elimination bracket format. The eight invited players were Alice Lee, Carissa Yip, Hou Yifan, Divya Deshmukh (replacing Humpy), Ju Wenjun, Kateryna Lagno, Lei Tingjie, Vaishali Rameshbabu, and Bibisara Assaubayeva (replacing Goryachkina). Eight others qualified through the Titled Tuesday Grand Prix leaderboard. The tournament used three time control segments with blitz and bullet games across all matches.

Photo: Michal Walusza/Norway Chess