Vera Francevna Mencikova, was a Russian-born Czechoslovak chess player who primarily resided in England. She was the first and longest-reigning Women's World Chess Champion from 1927 to 1944, winning the championship eight times primarily in round-robin tournaments. In an era when women primarily competed against other women, Menchik was the first and only woman competing in master-level tournaments with the world's best players, and with some success.
Elisaveta Ivanovna Bykova was a Soviet chess player and twice Women's World Chess Champion, from 1953 until 1956, and again from 1958 to 1962. She was awarded the titles of Woman International Master in 1950, International Master in 1953, and Woman Grandmaster in 1976. In 2013, she was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame.
The Women's World Chess Championship (WWCC) is played to determine the world champion in women's chess. Like the World Chess Championship, it is administered by FIDE.
Albert Becker, also known as Alberto Becker, was an Austrian–Argentine chess master.
Regina Gerlecka was a Polish chess player.
Paula Wolf-Kalmar was an Austrian chess master, born in Zagreb.
Olga Menchik Rubery was a Czech-British female chess master.
The 2nd Women's World Chess Championship took place during the 3rd Chess Olympiad in Hamburg. The tournament was played as a double round-robin tournament. Vera Menchik successfully defended her title. She lost her only ever Women's World Championship game to Wally Henschel. The final results were as follows:
The 3rd Women's World Chess Championship took place during the 4th Chess Olympiad in Prague between 12-26 July 1931. The tournament was played as a double round-robin tournament. Vera Menchik successfully defended her title. The final results were as follows:
The 4th Women's World Chess Championship took place during the 5th Chess Olympiad, held in Folkestone, England from 12 to 23 July 1933. The competition was played as a double round-robin tournament. Vera Menchik successfully defended her title. The final results were as follows:
The 8th Women's World Chess Championship took place from 20 December 1949 to 16 January 1950 in Moscow, Russia. The title had been vacant since the death of Vera Menchik in 1944. The round-robin tournament was won by Lyudmila Rudenko. The final results were as follows:
The Women's World Chess Championship 1934 was held in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
After their 1934 match, reigning Women's World Chess Champion Vera Menchik and Sonja Graf played a second championship match in Semmering in 1937.
While the World Chess Championship title, contested officially since 1886 and unofficially long before that, is in theory open to all players, it was for many years contested solely by men. In 1927, FIDE therefore established a Women's World Chess Championship exclusively for female players. Like the "open" title, the format for the women's championship has undergone several changes since then, the most important of which are described here.
Wally Henschel was a German chess master who also lived in the United States. She was Women's World Chess Championship bronze medalist (1930).
Jeanne Marie Nancy d'Autremont, née de Martel, was a French chess master. She was three times French Women's Chess Champion. She was Women's World Chess Championship participant (1933).
Blažena Janečková was a Czech chess master. She was Bohemia and Moravia Women's Chess Champion (1940). She was Women's World Chess Championship participant (1939).
Barbara Flerow-Bułhak was a Polish chess master. She was a Women's World Chess Championship participant (1937).
Natalia Kowalska was a Polish chess master. She was a Women's World Chess Championship participant (1935).
This article is about the participation of women in chess and its culture.
Vera Menchik (URS)
Katarina Beskow (SWE)
Paula Wolf-Kalmar (AUT)
Edith Holloway (ENG)
Florence Hutchison-Stirling (SCO)
Marie Jeanne Frigard (FRA)
Sofie Synnevåg [6] (NOR)
Martha Daunke (GER)
