Unlike their colleagues, who had a tournament which was decided in the last moments of the last round, the women’s event had a different dynamic.
For the first time ever, the Women’s Candidates was held side-by-side with the Open event. This was done deliberately, to boost women’s chess, in light of FIDE’s long-term ambitions.
The eventual winner of the Women’s Candidates in Toronto, Tan Zhongyi, started with two wins and never relinquished the lead. Her closest competitor was her compatriot Lei Tingjie, who - after a slow start - won three games in a row in the middle of the tournament, including the direct duel, but eventually couldn’t keep the pace.
The games were equally complex in the women event and with the women being lower rated by some 150-200…
