Lei Tingjie has withdrawn from the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25 due to personal reasons. According to WGP regulations, she will be replaced by GM Zhu Jiner. Zhu Jiner is scheduled to participate in the FIDE WGP tournaments in Cyprus, India, and Austria.
Zhu Jiner earned the Grandmaster title in 2023 and is currently ranked fifth among female players in China. In 2016, she won first place in the Girls’ U14 category at the World Youth Chess Championships held in Khanty-Mansiysk.
In 2017, she achieved third place in the Asian Zone 3.5 competition, following Zhai Mo and Ni Shiqun. This accomplishment qualified her for the Women’s World Chess Championship in 2018. In the same year, she was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title. Furthermore, in 2018, she won a bronze medal at the Women’s China Rapid Chess Championship.
Zhu Jiner previously participated in the first three stages of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022–23. In the first stage in Astana, she finished third with a score of 6½ out of 11. In Munich, she shared fifth place with 5½ out of 11. In New Delhi, she tied for first place with Aleksandra Goryachkina and Bibisara Assaubayeva, achieving a score of 6 out of 9. Her performance in New Delhi secured her final GM norm, and in August 2023, she officially received the Grandmaster title, becoming the 41st woman in history to reach this milestone.
The fourth stage of the FIDE WGP 2024–25 will be held in Cyprus from March 14–25. Zhu Jiner will take Lei Tingjie’s place in the competition. The complete pairings can be found on the FIDE website.
The three winners at the New Delhi Grand Prix tournament – Bibisara Assaubayeva, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Zhu Jiner | Photo: Ismael Nieto
Gideon Holt 
Elton Marrow