The FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 delivered plenty of action and unexpected turns in Round 3 ended in Batumi. This stage of the tournament saw both upsets and strong performances by established players, making it a round to remember for chess fans.
Highlights of Round 3 of the Women’s Chess World Cup 2025
One of the biggest stories from Round 3 was the stunning performance by India’s IM Vantika Agrawal, who first knocked out former world champion Anna Ushenina and then went on to beat the seventh seed, GM Kateryna Lagno, in the first game of the round. However, Lagno fought back in the second game, pushing the match into tiebreaks, where she eventually managed to win.
Another major upset came from China’s 19-year-old IM Song Yuxin. Song took on the fifth seed, GM Anna Muzychuk, in a tiebreak match. After initially blundering and losing badly, Song kept her composure, equalized the score, and then capitalized on Muzychuk’s errors in the rapid games to knock the Ukrainian star out of the tournament. This result marked Muzychuk as the highest-seeded eliminated so far.
Former world champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk also made headlines by securing her place in the next round, winning her tiebreak match in just two games. She described the World Cup as “every match is like a lifetime,” sharing how tension and luck play a role even for experienced players.
Other notable performances included GM Lei Tingjie, GM Nana Dzagnidze, and GM Zhu Jiner, all of whom progressed convincingly, while IM Divya Deshmukh of India and IM Yuliia Osmak also moved on after strong play in both the classical and rapid formats.
Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 Results
Round 3 featured six tiebreaks, and while most favored the higher-seeded players, a few produced surprises:
- IM Song Yuxin eliminated GM Anna Muzychuk (2.5-1.5 in tiebreaks).
- GM Kateryna Lagno fought back against IM Vantika Agrawal to survive the round (1.5-2.5 in tiebreaks).
- GM Alexandra Kosteniuk advanced over IM Meri Arabidze (0.5-1.5 in tiebreaks).
- GM Vaishali Rameshbabu knocked out IM Carissa Yip, the last American in the event (1-3 in tiebreaks).
- Strong wins by GM Lei Tingjie, GM Nana Dzagnidze, GM Mariya Muzychuk, GM Zhu Jiner, and IM Divya Deshmukh kept the favorites mostly safe.
Round 3 of the Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 ended with plenty of drama: favorites digging deep to survive, young players rising to the occasion, and every match keeping fans on edge until the last move. As the tournament moves into Round 4, the field is getting tougher, with both experienced grandmasters and promising new faces in the mix. The next round, which is set to take place on 16 July, promises more high-level chess and, quite possibly, more surprises.
Also Read: FIDE Women’s World Chess Cup 2025: Key Players And Prize Money
