The second day of the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Team Championship in Linares delivered high drama and top-class chess across both pools. All eyes were on China’s top board, as four-time Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan made her long-awaited debut, marking it with a precise and elegant victory that immediately set the tone for Pool B.
Meanwhile, Team FIDE continued to dominate Pool A, sweeping past Spain and Azerbaijan with commanding performances and edging closer to a perfect group-stage record.
Beyond the headline performances, several teams found themselves embroiled in tense qualification battles. Every match carried high stakes, with narrow margins and critical tiebreak scenarios deciding which teams would advance to the quarterfinals.
From the tight race for second and fourth in Pool A to the dramatic fight for the last knockout spots in Pool B, the competition was fierce, and the tension palpable. Linares has once again proven why it is one of the most exciting stages in international women’s chess.
Mariola Rus Rufino, General Director of the Department of Sports Values and Systems for the Junta de Andalucía, opened the round with the ceremonial gong.
Let’s look at how the afternoon unfolded in greater detail in each pool.
Pool A
Team FIDE continued to sweep through their opponents with emphatic victories over Spain (3.5–0.5) and Azerbaijan (3–1), securing a commanding lead at the top of Pool A.
With such a margin over the chasing teams, their qualification in first place is virtually guaranteed. Barring an extremely unlikely collapse tomorrow – they face Peru, who have lost all four of their matches – Team FIDE should finish the group stage on a perfect 100% score and advance confidently to the quarterfinals.
Behind them, Kazakhstan and the USA share second place with three wins and one loss each, both having been defeated only by Team FIDE. Their direct clash in the final round will determine who finishes second and who must settle for third place.
The most dramatic final-round showdown, however, will decide the last qualifying spot for the quarterfinals. Spain and Azerbaijan are currently tied for fourth place – even level on game points – and will face each other in a decisive head-to-head encounter. In the event of a 2–2 draw, Sonneborn-Berger system will be the tiebreaker, meaning the results of other teams may ultimately determine who advances.
Pool A- Round 5 pairings
A neat tactical shot appeared on board four in the match between Spain and Team FIDE. Playing with the Black pieces, GM Olga Girya (2390) showed excellent awareness in the late middlegame against WGM Mónica Calzetta Ruiz (2194).
With both players entering their final five minutes, Girya spotted a hidden tactical idea and chose the energetic advance 26…d4. Calzetta had several ways to keep the balance – for instance, 27.cxd4 cxb4 28.d5!, which should hold, or the calmer 27.Nc2 dxc3 28.Rxc3, where a draw remains the most likely outcome.
Instead, Calzetta opted for 27.Ng4?, aiming to simplify quickly, but the move loses immediately to 27…Nxg4 28.hxg4 and now the powerful blow 28…dxc3!!. The rook on d7 is untouchable due to the decisive …c2 promotion idea, so White was forced to play 29.Rxc3, the simple 29…cxb4 left Girya with a completely winning position. The rest was smooth sailing for Black.
Pool B
Georgia have powered through Pool B with four convincing victories and have already secured first place with a round to spare. Across sixteen individual games, they remain undefeated on every board – an outstanding achievement for the team led by captain Salome Melia.
China sit just behind them, having conceded a draw to India and suffering a loss to Georgia today. Even so, with five match points, they are already mathematically assured of a spot in the quarterfinals.
The real drama is unfolding in the race for third and fourth place. Uzbekistan (check out an interview with the team below) and India are level on four points, while Ukraine trail with two.
Ukraine must defeat China tomorrow – and by as wide a margin as possible – to keep their qualification hopes alive. They also need a decisive result in the match between Uzbekistan and India; a 2–2 draw in that encounter would eliminate Ukraine regardless of their own performance.
The final round promises unparalleled excitement – tension at its peak.
Leading Team China, former four-time Women’s World Champion GM Hou Yifan (2620) made her Linares debut this afternoon with a clean technical masterpiece against IM Padmini Rout (2337), India’s first board.
With only two minutes remaining, Padmini missed the chance to put up stubborn resistance with 44…Kg8, and instead blocked the check with her rook – 44…Rg6? Sensing the end was near, Hou Yifan calmly played 45.Rg3!, introducing several dangerous threats. After 45…Kg7, the precise 46.f4! exf4 47.Nxf4 followed, and the rook on g6 was completely trapped.
The game continued 47…Rf6 48.Nh5+ Kf7 49.Nxf6, and the extra exchange was more than enough advantage for Hou Yifan to convert and score a crucial point, securing a 2–2 draw for China.
Pool B – Round 5 pairings
Round 5 will start on November 20 at 1:30 PM local time.
The action can be followed live on the FIDE YouTube Channel, featuring expert commentary by GMs Antoaneta Stefanova and Ivan Cheparinov.
Official website: worldwomenteams2025.fide.com/
Written by IM Michael Rahal
Photos: Raúl Martínez / Pavel Dvorkovich