The World Chess Championship is played to determine the world champion in chess. The current world champion is Ding Liren, who defeated his opponent Ian Nepomniachtchi in the 2023 World Chess Championship. Magnus Carlsen, the previous world champion, declined to defend his title.
Xie Jun is a Chinese chess grandmaster and is the first Asian female to become a chess grandmaster. She had two separate reigns as Women's World Chess Champion, from 1991 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2001. Xie is one of three women to have at least two separate reigns, besides Elisaveta Bykova and Hou Yifan. Xie Jun is the current president of the Chinese Chess Association. In 2019, she was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame.
Nona Gaprindashvili is a former Soviet and Georgian chess player, and the first woman ever to be awarded the FIDE title Grandmaster in 1978. She was the fifth women's world chess champion (1962–1978).
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.
Olga Nikolaevna Rubtsova was a Soviet chess player and the fourth women's world chess champion. In 2015, she was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame.
Lyudmila Vladimirovna Rudenko was a Soviet chess player and the second women's world chess champion, from 1950 until 1953.
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.
Edith Keller-Herrmann was a German woman chess master. She was born in Dresden.
Kira Alekseyevna Zvorykina was a Soviet chess player who spent many years living in Belarus. She was a three-time winner of the Women's Soviet Championship. In 2018, she was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame.
Ju Wenjun is a Chinese chess grandmaster. She is the current Women's World Chess Champion. In March 2017, she became the sixth woman to achieve a rating above 2600. She is a three-time Women's World Chess Champion having won the title in May 2018, November 2018 and 2020. She is scheduled to play a match to defend her world title in 2023.
Fenny Heemskerk was a Dutch female chess master.
The Women's Soviet Chess Championship was played in the Soviet Union from 1927 through 1991 to determine the women's chess national champion.
The 1953 Women's World Chess Championship was the first to feature a Candidates Tournament that produced a challenger for the reigning champion, much like the system used for the open championship title.
The 1956 Women's World Chess Championship was won by Olga Rubtsova, who became the fourth women's champion.
The 1959 Women's World Chess Championship was won by Elisabeth Bykova, who successfully defended her title in a match against challenger Kira Zvorykina.
The 1962 Women's World Chess Championship was won by Nona Gaprindashvili, who beat the reigning champion Elisabeth Bykova in the title match.
Elena Abramovna Fatalibekova is a Russian chess player holding the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) since 1977.
Berta Krezberg was a Soviet chess player who won the Georgian Women Chess Championship (1937).
Lidija Timofejeva was a Serbian chess player of Russian origin. She won the Yugoslav Women's Chess Championship three times in a row.
Elisaveta Bykova (Soviet Union)
