As Norway Chess 2025 approaches, Lei Tingjie is demonstrating impressive form. The Chinese Grandmaster recently secured a silver medal at the World Blitz Championship 2024, where she faced a challenging final against Ju Wenjun. Despite a hard-fought battle, the reigning four-time Women’s World Champion ultimately triumphed, narrowly defeating Tingjie in their second sudden-death game.

The 27-year-old reflected on her experiences in New York during the World Rapid and Blitz Championships at the end of 2024, expressing satisfaction with her performance. “New York is an incredible city, and this was my first visit. After my poor performance in the Rapid event, I thought it might be a disappointing tournament for me. However, I reassessed my situation and believed I could perform well in Blitz. Although I finished in second place, I felt content because I had faced challenges in the quarter-finals but managed to reach the final. I realized I had a chance to win, but my opponent was the World Champion, who is exceptionally strong. Overall, it was a remarkable tournament, and the experience was beneficial for me.”

The year 2024 also marked the introduction of a women’s tournament at Norway Chess, featuring prominent players like Tingjie and Wenjun, with the latter emerging as the champion. “Last year was my debut at Norway Chess, and it was also the inaugural women’s section. I must admit that I performed poorly during the Armageddon stage last year. This time, I focused on enhancing my Armageddon skills. Having finished second in New York, I am hopeful for a better outcome this year,” Tingjie recounted.

Indian chess enthusiasts were particularly attentive to the women’s section at the World Blitz Championship 2024, where Vaishali Rameshbabu led the standings on Day 1, with Tingjie securing the second position as the top eight players qualified for the next stage.

The 27-year-old is presently dedicated solely to chess, which has been the central focus of her life. She earned the Grandmaster title in 2017 at the young age of 19. Only six female players have managed to achieve the GM title before reaching twenty, including Hou Yifan, Koneru Humpy, Judit Polgar, Kateryna Lagno, Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Tingjie; a truly remarkable group.

“I am currently in Shanghai, as I reside here now. Recently, I have begun preparing for the Grand Prix, as I plan to participate in the event in Cyprus next month, followed by another in India in April. So, yes, it is primarily chess,” she stated.

Born in 1997 in Chongqing, she first garnered attention in 2014 when she triumphed in the 4th China Women's Masters Tournament in Wuxi, winning on tiebreak against Wenjun. In 2015, she claimed victory at the Women's Open Tournament of the Moscow Open, and in 2017, she won the Chinese Women's National Championship. After obtaining the GM title in March 2017, she subsequently secured a silver medal at the 2017 Women's World Rapid Chess Championship.

She has represented China in numerous tournaments, consistently delivering outstanding performances. Notable achievements include winning a gold medal at the 201 Asian Nations Cup and at the 2018 Batumi Olympiad.

The Chinese Grandmaster also shared her journey into chess, explaining what drew her to the game. “I began playing chess at the age of five. One day, I happened to pass by a chess school and watched from outside. I found it fascinating, particularly the Knight and Bishop pieces; it seemed like a game to me. I was intrigued and expressed to my parents my desire to focus on chess. At that time, I was also enrolled in a dance school, but eventually, I chose to pursue chess exclusively. My mother supported me by taking me to various places to find a better coach and opportunities to play. By the age of 12, I had started my journey as a professional chess player, thanks to my parents' sacrifices.

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