Players
Ju Wenjun
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Ju Wenjun

ChinaBorn 1991 (age 35)FIDE ID 8603006

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2548
FIDE

FIDE classical

2200240026002800200420082012201620202024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2553
Luft

Flair

Ju Wenjun's classical flairs

3 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • TitanLuft classical rating averaged 2570 over the last 4 years, among the best women
  • Lightning#2 woman at speed chess (blitz 2433, rapid 2469)
  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 84, from 43 endgames, among the best women
  • Serial WinnerWon 2+ elite events in the last 12 months
  • UnderdogRegularly beats players rated 50+ higher
  • Fortress25+ games in a row without a loss
  • Black BeltDoes better with black than with white
  • IronmanPlayed 50+ games over the last 12 months
  • RisingAged 18 or under, Luft rating up 40+ over the last 12 months
  • TacticianTactics 90+: sharp, tactical games they made sharp
  • Hot StreakAt least 6 points from 7 straight games against strong opposition
  • SignatureSticks to one defence with black far more than most
  • ChameleonPlays a wide range of defences with black
  • WildcardBrilliant one event, off the next: hard to predict
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events
  • FighterRarely draws, and wins far more than they lose
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Titan
  • Lightning
  • Endgame Specialist

Trophy cabinet

Ju Wenjun's classical titles

8 classical titles, 2 medals, newest first

  • World Championship 20271st
  • World Championship 20251st
  • Norway Chess 20241st · 12/17 · Perf. 2661
  • World Championship 20231st · 6½/12 · Perf. 2583
  • World Championship 20201st
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2018Gold, board 1 · China
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2018Gold, team · China
  • World Championship 20181st
  • Chinese Championship 20141st
  • Chinese Championship 20101st

Attributes

Tactics 74Positional 76Endgame 84Openings 75Composure 75Defence 77Speed 68Consistency 84

Luft classical rating

2548No. 182

From 11 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2558 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2558 level, blended with their FIDE rating+1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity11 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 76 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
English Opening560%
Queen's Gambit Accepted463%
Queen's Pawn Game367%
Zukertort Opening350%
Sicilian Defense350%

English Opening

With White: 5 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 1 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense250%
King's English Variation1100%
Neo-Catalan1100%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Main line250%
Mannheim Variation1100%
Classical Defense150%

Queen's Pawn Game

With White: 3 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 1 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Colle System1100%
Barry Attack1100%
Main line10%

Zukertort Opening

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Reversed Grünfeld225%
Main line1100%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation1100%
Alapin Variation150%
French Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 11 games, won 1, drew 10, lost 0 · 55%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation463%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense250%
Anti-Tartakower Variation250%
Ragozin Defense150%
Harrwitz Attack150%
Three Knights Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 7 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 0 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense550%
Closed1100%
Open Berlin Defense150%

Italian Game

With Black: 7 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 4 · 21%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense530%
Giuoco Pianissimo20%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Alapin Variation1100%
Four Knights Variation150%

Catalan Opening

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense250%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
2026 Chinese Chess League Division A27 Jun 20262½/4−7−6
Norway Chess 20265 Jun 20264th0+3
2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛26 Oct 20257½/11−11−8
Norway Chess 20256 Jun 20254th−10−8
Norway Chess 20247 Jun 202412/17+23+9

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMA. Firouzja18 Jan 2024 · Tata Steel Masters 20242759
GMV. Keymer30 Apr 2024 · TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 20242726
GMA. Korobov3 May 2024 · TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 20242651
GMLei Tingjie22 Jul 2023 · FIDE World Championship2554
GMH. Koneru6 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20242545

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMLei TingjieLast 1 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 2025174121
GMA. MuzychukLast 1 Jun 2026 · Norway Chess 20268152
GMH. KoneruLast 4 Jun 2026 · Norway Chess 20268260
GMR. VaishaliLast 3 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20255230
GMP. CramlingLast 4 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20243120

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How attributes are calculated

From their games in top events over the last 12 months, each judged against the opponent's rating

  • TacticsHow well they score in sharp games they chose to make sharp.
  • PositionalHow well they score in quiet, manoeuvring games they steered.
  • EndgameHow they do in endgames against what the position promised when it began: converting a winning one earns a little, saving a losing one earns a lot, and throwing a winning one costs a lot.
  • OpeningsThe engine's verdict on their position around moves 15 to 20, against what's normal for that colour, as the score it points to. Over the last 4 years, with older games counting less.
  • ComposureHow well they score under pressure: the game straight after a loss, and the last 3 games of an event while they can still win it. Over the last 4 years.
  • DefenceHow they do in games where they were 0.8 pawns or more worse after move 18, against what that position usually scores: holding the draw earns, turning it around earns more, and losing costs a little.
  • SpeedTheir Luft rapid and blitz ratings. With neither, an estimate a little below their classical level.
  • ConsistencyTheir Luft rating, less their off days: tournaments (5+ games each) over the last 4 years where they played 50+ below it. Anything better never counts against them.

  • "How well they score" is a performance rating: the opponent's rating, plus 400 for a win and minus 400 for a loss, averaged. So it's always judged against who they played.

    The score out of 100: 80 is a 2600 level, and each 13 rating points adds one, so 2860 and up is 100.

    Fair to everyone: with only a few games of a kind, the result leans towards their overall Luft rating. Strengths and weaknesses are measured against their overall level and compared with the top 100, so a specialist's best side stands out. A little recent form is added to all but Speed.