Tan Zhongyi

The 2017 knockout world championship tournament in Iran served as the setting for Tan Zhongyi to secure the Women's World Champion title. By defeating Anna Muzychuk in a rapid tie-break after drawing the classical games, the Chinese competitor reached the pinnacle of her sport and officially earned her title as a chess grandmaster.

Early Career and Youth Competition

Born in 1991 in Chongqing, Tan began her formal instruction in the game in 1997. Her progression through the youth ranks was marked by repeated international success. She achieved victories at the World Youth U10 Girls Chess Championship in both 2000 and 2001, following these with a win in the U12 category at the 2002 event held in Heraklion. Her academic pursuits proceeded alongside her board activities, culminating in a 2013 graduation from the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

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Professional Milestones

Tan accumulated multiple domestic and regional titles throughout her career. She holds the distinction of being a five-time Chinese national champion, securing titles in 2015, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Her international resume includes winning the 2011 Summer Universiade women's tournament and the 2012 World University Chess Championship. In 2014, she claimed the Asian Women's Blitz Championship. Later, her 2022 performance in Almaty, Kazakhstan, saw her emerge as the Women's World Rapid Champion following a tie-breaker victory against Dinara Saduakassova.

World Championship Cycles

After winning the 2017 world crown, Tan faced challenges to her title in subsequent years. She lost the 2018 match to Ju Wenjun. In 2024, she won the Women's Candidates Tournament with a 9/14 score, which granted her a title challenge in 2025. She ultimately finished that match against Ju Wenjun with a score of 2.5–6.5. Tan also placed third in the 2021 and 2025 Women's Chess World Cup events. In August 2026, she secured her second Cairns Cup victory.