40 Most Beautiful Female Chess Players in 2023

This article will discuss the hottest female chess players in the world and their history. Many great female chess players can beat any male player, and each one is unique in its particular way. You will learn about how they got started playing, how they started playing professionally, and what tournaments they are currently playing in. Some of these players have even won championships which is a massive accomplishment.

Chess is a game that has been around for thousands of years, and it has evolved into what we see today. This game is played worldwide and is a favorite pastime for many adults. This game can be played for hours without significant injuries to other players. It makes chess one of the most popular games. Not only do you have to think before you act, but you also have to pay close attention to your opponent’s every move so when you are at a checkmate, you will know what moves your opponent will make before they make a move. This requires a lot of thinking and concentration.

Today, women’s chess players challenge the male chess players and win against them in most of their games. This is a great accomplishment for the female sports community and is helping to improve the way women are viewed in society. They have done a great job changing the world’s view on women being inferior to men and have put in their best efforts over time to show people that they can do anything that men can do.

1. Dorsa Derakhshani

Dorsa Derakhshani, an Iranian monarch who has been representing the United States since September 2017, was born in 1998. In 2016, she received the titles of Female Grandmaster and International Grandmaster.

Dorsa Derakhshani	Information
Full Name	Dorsa Derakhshani
Birthdate	1998
Nationality	Iranian-American
Titles	Woman Grandmaster, International Master
Asian Youth Chess Medals	Three gold medals at the Asian Youth Chess Championships
Iranian National Team	Played for the Iranian National team in the women’s division of the Asian Nations Cup
FIDE Trainer Qualification	Qualified for the title of FIDE Trainer
TEDxTalk	Speaker at TEDxTalk in Munich, Germany, July 2019
Ban and Controversy	Banned from playing for Iran national team and tournaments in Iran due to not wearing a hijab
Education and Achievements	Magna cum laude graduate from St. Louis University
Chess Achievements	Silver medal in 2017 Pan American intercollegiate chess championship
Peak Rating	2405 (July 2016)
Medical Studies	Admitted medical student at University of Missouri School of Medicine

2. Anna Muzychuk

Anna Olehivna Muzychuk is a Grandmaster chess player from Ukraine. She was born on February 28, 1990. (GM). She is only the fourth woman in chess history to reach the FIDE rating of 2600. She’s been ranked as high as 197th globally and second among women. Muzychuk is a three-time world champion in fast chess and a one-time and two-time women’s world blitz champion. She was the runner-up in the 2017 Women’s World Championship in classical chess.

Anna Muzychuk	Information
Full Name	Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
Country	Ukraine (until 2004; since 2014) Slovenia (2004–2014)
Born	28 February 1990 (age 33) Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Title	Grandmaster (2012)
FIDE Rating	2504 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2606 (July 2012)
Peak Ranking	No. 197 (August 2012) Women’s No. 2 (August 2012)
World Championships	Three-time World Champion in Fast Chess (2014, 2014, 2016)
Notable Achievements	Fourth woman in chess history to reach a FIDE rating of 2600
Chess Family	Younger sister Mariya Muzychuk also a Grandmaster

If you’re interested in knowing more about Ukrainian women, check out this list of the Top 50 Most Beautiful Ukrainian Women in 2022. One of the talented and beautiful women featured on this list is Anna Muzychuk, the Ukrainian chess grandmaster who gained fame in the chess community for boycotting her country’s decision to host the World Championship in Saudi Arabia where she would need to wear a hijab.

3. Tatiana Kosintseva

Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva (born April 11, 1986) is a Russian chess player.FIDE bestowed the title of Grandmaster on her in 2007. Kosintseva has won the European Women’s Championship twice and the Russian Women’s Championship three times. In addition, she competed for the Russian team that won the 2010 and 2012 Women’s Chess Olympics gold medal and the 2007 and 2011 European Women’s Team Chess Championship gold medal.

Tatiana Kosintseva	Information
Full Name	Tatiana Anatolyevna Kosintseva
Country	Russia
Born	April 11, 1986
Title	Grandmaster
FIDE Rating	2475 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2581 (November 2010)
Achievements	Two-time European Women’s Champion
Notable Wins	FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in Nalchik (2010)
Education	Graduated from Pomor University

4. Elisabeth Paehtz

Since her youth, Elisabeth Pähtz, occasionally written Elisabeth Paehtz, has been the most potent female German chess player. Pähtz won the World Youth Championship for under-18 girls in 2002 and the World Junior Championship in 2005. In rapid chess, she won the 2018 European Women’s Championship. She reaches her third grandmaster aim in 2021, and if verified, she will be the first German woman to achieve the FIDE title of Grandmaster (GM).

Elisabeth Paehtz	Information
Full Name	Elisabeth Paehtz
Country	Germany
Born	January 8, 1985 in Erfurt, Germany
Title	Grandmaster
FIDE Rating	2471 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2513 (September 2018)

5. Antoaneta Stefanova

Antoaneta Stefanova, a Bulgarian chess grandmaster and global women’s chess champion from 2004 to 2006, was born on April 19, 1979. She has been a Bulgarian chess player since 1992, competing in the 2000 Chess Olympics and the World Women’s Chess Olympics.

Antoaneta Stefanova	Information
Full Name	Antoaneta Stefanova
Country	Bulgaria
Birthdate	April 19, 1979
Birthplace	Sofia, Bulgaria
Title	Grandmaster (2002)
Women’s World Champion	2004-2006
FIDE Rating	2405 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2560 (January 2003)
Notable Achievements	– Winner of Women’s World Chess Championship 2004-2006
Notable Tournaments	– Chess Olympiad participant in 2000 and Women’s Chess Olympiad
Current Status	Active chess player and Member of Parliament for There Is Such A

6. Anna Ushenina

Anna Ushenina, a Ukrainian chess grandmaster, was born in Kharkiv on August 30, 1985. She is the 14th world champion, having won the 2012 final against Antoaneta Stefanova. Ushenina earned the rank of grandmaster after winning the world championship. However, Ushenina failed to defend her world title after losing 1.5-5.5 against Hou Yifan in 2013.

Anna Ushenina	Information
Full Name	Anna Yuriyivna Ushenina
Country	Ukraine
Born	August 30, 1985 (age 37)
Birthplace	Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Title	Grandmaster
Women’s World Champion	2012–2013
FIDE Rating	2434 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2502 (July 2007)
Ethnicity	Jewish
Notable Accomplishments	– Women’s World Chess Champion (2012–2013)
League Chess	Regularly plays in national leagues of France, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Slovenia

7. Anna Rudolf

Anna Rudolf, a Hungarian chess player, chess commentator, Twitch broadcaster, and Youtuber, was born on November 12, 1987. She has the titles of International (IM) and Female Grandmaster (WGM). She is a three-time Hungarian women’s national champion and has competed in the Chess Olympics and the European Team Chess Championship for Hungary. She holds the most excellent FIDE rating of 2393 and the world’s best women’s career rating of 71.

Anna Rudolf	Information
Full Name	Anna Rudolf
Born	November 12, 1987 (age 35)
Birthplace	Miskolc, Hungary
Nationality	Hungarian
Titles	International Master (IM) Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Achievements	Three-time Hungarian women’s national chess champion Represented Hungary at prestigious chess events
Peak FIDE Rating	2393
Career Best Ranking	No. 71 among women in the world
Notable Victories	Defeated Grandmasters Yaroslav Zherebukh and Christian Bauer
Commentating Career	Regular commentator at high-profile chess tournaments for Chess.com and chess24
Broadcasting Career	Runs own Twitch channel and YouTube channel

8. Alexandra Botez

Alexandra Valeria Botez, an American-Canadian chess player and commentator, Twitch broadcaster, and YouTuber, was born on September 24, 1995. At 15, she was a five-time Canadian National Women’s Champion and a five-time USA Women’s National Champion in chess. In March 2016, she received her highest FIDE Elo rating of 2092, and she is presently the FIDE Female Master of the International Chess Federation.

Alexandra Botez	Information
Full Name	Alexandra Valeria Botez
Nationality	American-Canadian
Chess Titles	Woman FIDE Master (2013)
Highest FIDE Elo Rating	2092 (March 2016)
Twitch Streamer	BotezLive (1.2 million followers)
YouTube Channel	BotezLive (1.29 million subscribers, 411 million views)
Advocate for Gender Diversity	Promotes gender diversity in chess
Early Chess Achievements	Five-time Canadian National Girls Champion, U.S. Girls Nationals winner at age 15
Education	Studied International Relations at Stanford University
Streaming Collaboration	Collaborates with popular chess streamers
Media Recognition	Notable presence on Chess.com, compared to “Beth Harmon” from The Queen’s Gambit
Ambassador for Envy Gaming	Partnered with Envy Gaming to expand diversity in gaming content creators
Poker Success	Earned significant amount on a poker live stream
Playing Style	Known for aggressive and adaptive playstyle
King’s Indian Defense	Most-played opening in her repertoire
“Botez Gambit”	Popularized term for accidentally losing the queen in chess
Advocate Against Sexism	Publicly addresses and challenges sexism in chess
Critique of The Queen’s Gambit	Highlights the show’s understatement of misogyny in the era, but appreciates the inspiration it provides

9. Anna Zatonskih

Anna Zatonskih, a Ukrainian and American chess player, was born on July 17, 1978, and has held the titles of International Grandmaster (IM) and Female Grandmaster (WGM). She is a former Ukrainian women’s champion and a four-time US women’s champion.

Anna Zatonskih	Information
Full Name	Anna Zatonskih
Country	United States (after 2004) Ukraine (1991–2004) Soviet Union (until 1991)
Born	July 17, 1978
Birthplace	Mariupol, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Titles	International Master (IM) Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Notable Achievements	– Four-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion
Chess Background	Learned chess at age five from parents who are both strong players
Notable Events	– Represented Ukraine in Women’s Chess Olympiads and European Team Championships
Additional Information	Married to chess player Daniel Fridman

10. Stavroula Tsolakidou

Stavroula Tsolakidou is a Greek chess player who has the titles of International and Female Grandmaster. She was born on March 24, 2000. Solakidou was born on March 24, 2000, in Kavala, Greece. In 2013, she won the U14 Women’s World Chess Championship and the FIDE Female Master title. The title was bestowed to her. In 2014, she won the Women’s International Championship, and in 2015, she took home the Women’s World U16 Championship. She won the Women’s Grandmaster title and the U18 Women’s World Championship in 2016. In April 2018, she received the title of International Master.

Stavroula Tsolakidou	Information
Full Name	Stavroula Tsolakidou
Country	Greece
Born	24 March 2000
Titles	International Master
Notable Achievements	Winner of the World U14 Girls’ Chess Championship (2013)
FIDE Titles	Woman FIDE Master (2013)
Highest FIDE Rating	2438 (May 2019)
Ranking	No. 1 Ranked Greek Female Player (May 2018)

11. Lanita Stetsko

Lanita Stetsko is a female Grandmaster in the Belarusian chess tournament. She was born on August 14, 1993. (WGM, 2015). She is the Women’s Chess Champion of Belarus (2015).

Lanita Stetsko	Information
Full Name	Lanita Igorevna Stetsko
Country	Belarus
Born	August 14, 1993 (age 29)
Title	Woman Grandmaster
Belarusian Champion	Winner of the Belarusian Women’s Chess Championship (2015)
Age Group Championships	Winner of multiple Belarusian girl’s chess championships
International Tournament	Winner of the International Women Chess Tournament (2016)
Chess Olympiads	Represented Belarus in Women’s Chess Olympiads
European Championships	Represented Belarus in European Team Chess Championships
FIDE Titles	Woman International Master (WIM), Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Education	Graduated from Belarusian State University (2015)

12. Tania Sachdev

Tania Sachdev, an Indian chess player, was born on August 20, 1986, and has held the FIDE titles of International Grandmaster (IM) and Female Grandmaster (FGM) (WGM). She has won two Indian women’s chess titles in 2006 and 2007, one Asian women’s chess title in 2007, and three Commonwealth women’s chess titles in 2016, 2018, and 2019. She is also a chess commentator and host.

Tania Sachdev	Information
Full Name	Tania Sachdev
Birthdate	August 20, 1986
Birthplace	Delhi, India
Nationality	Indian
Title	International Master (IM) Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Peak Rating	2443 (September 2013)

13. Ayelén Martinez

Ayelén Martnez is an Argentine chess player who was born in 1993. She competed in the 2017 Women’s World Chess Championship, where Zhao Xue defeated her.

Ayel n Martinez	Information
Full Name	Ayelén Martinez
Country	Argentina
Title	Woman International Master
Peak Rating	2279
Notable Event	2018 Andorra Open
Participation	Women’s World Chess Championship 2017

14. Triin Narva

Train Narva is an Estonian female chess master born on November 12, 1994. (2016). Train Narva was born into a chess-playing household. She is the granddaughter of Boris Rautov, the Estonian chess champion, and Merike Rautova, the Woman International Chess Master Correspondence Chess. Her father, Jaan Narva, is a FIDE Master, and her mother, Regina Narva, and sister, Mai Narva, were both champions of the Estonian Women’s Chess Championship.

Triin Narva	Information
Full Name	Triin Narva
Country	Estonia
Born	November 12, 1994 (age 28)
Title	Woman FIDE Master (2016)
Chess Family Heritage	Granddaughter of Estonian chess champion Boris Rõtov and Woman International Correspondence Chess GM Merike Rõtova
Notable Achievements	– Winner of twelve Estonian Junior Chess Championships in different age groups
Represented Estonia	Played for Estonia in four Chess Olympiads
Education	Graduated from Gustav Adolf Grammar School (2013)

15. Natalia Zhukova

Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova, a Ukrainian chess grandmaster and two-time European women’s champion were born on June 5, 1979. As a youngster, she won multiple age-group titles at both the European and international levels. She’s also a multiple-time winner of international women’s events. Zhukova has been a member of the Ukrainian women’s national team since she was 17 years old when she won the Ukrainian women’s championship for the first time. In addition, she was a member of Ukraine’s winning team at the 2006 Women’s Chess Olympiad.

Natalia Zhukova	Information
Full Name	Natalia Oleksandrivna Zhukova
Nationality	Ukrainian
Date of Birth	June 5, 1979
Age	44
Place of Birth	Dresden, East Germany
Residence	Odesa, Ukraine
Title	Grandmaster
European Women’s Champion	2000, 2015
Ukrainian Women’s Championship	1996, 2019
World Youth Championship Debut	Mamaia 1991, Girls’ U12 (3rd-4th place)
European Youth Championship Wins	U14 (1993), U16 (1994)
World Championship Win	Girls U16 (1994)
Interzonal Debut	Kishinev 1995
Olympiad Appearances	6 (1998-present)
Olympiad Performance	Score: +20−13=32, 55.4%
Notable Tournament Wins	Groningen Women’s Festival (1998), EU Cup for Women (1999), Alushta Women’s Zonal (1999)
Political Involvement	Movement of New Forces party list (2019), Servant of the People party Odesa City Council election list (2020)

16. Nazi Paikidze

Nazi Paikidze, sometimes known as Naz Paikidze-Barnes, is a Georgian-American chess player of Russian heritage who was born on October 27, 1993. FIDE bestowed upon her the International Grandmaster (IM) and Female Grandmaster (WGM) titles in 2012 and 2010, respectively. Paikidze is a two-time Women’s World Champion, four-time European Women’s Champion, and two-time US Women’s Champion in her age group.

Nazi Paikidze	Information
Full Name	Nazi Paikidze-Barnes
Country	United States (after 2013) Georgia (before 2013)
Born	27 October 1993 (age 29) Irkutsk, Russia
Titles	International Master (IM) Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Notable Achievements	Twice World Girls’ Champion Four-time European Girls’ Champion Twice U.S. Women’s Champion
Notable Coach	Vladimir Belov and others
Notable Medals	European Youth Chess Championship: 4 gold medals World Youth Chess Championship: 2 gold medals World Junior Chess Championship: 2 bronze medals
Peak Rating	2455 (2009)
U.S. Women’s Championship	Winner in 2016 and 2018
Stand Against Dress Code	Boycotted the Women’s World Chess Championship 2017 due to hijab dress code
Current Profession	Full-time chess professional
Education	University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
Residence	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Spouse	Greg Barnes

17. Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk, a Russian chess grandmaster and World Women’s Chess Champion from 2008 to 2010, was born on April 23, 1984. She was the European Women’s Chess Champion in 2004 and the home champion. Two-time Russian women’s chess champion (2005 and 2016). Kosteniuk represented Russia in the Women’s Chess Olympics in 2010, 2012, 2014, the Women’s World Team Chess Championship in 2017, and the European Women’s Team Chess Championship in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2017.

Alexandra Kosteniuk	Information
Full Name	Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk
Country	Russia (before 2022), FIDE (2022–2023), Switzerland (since 2023)
Born	April 23, 1984 (age 39)
Birthplace	Perm, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Title	Grandmaster (2004)
Women’s World Champion	2008–2010
Women’s World Rapid Chess Champion	2021
FIDE Rating	2532 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2561 (January 2018)
Chess Education	Graduated from the Russian State Academy of Physical Education as a certified professional chess trainer
Notable Achievements	– European Women’s Champion (2004)
Chess Career	Alexandra Kosteniuk began playing chess at the age of five and achieved remarkable success at a young age. She won multiple titles at the European Youth Championships and World Youth Chess Championships. In 2001, she reached the final of the World Women’s Chess Championship. Her breakthrough came in 2004 when she became the European Women’s Champion and was awarded the grandmaster title. She went on to win the Women’s World Chess Championship in 2008 and the Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship in 2021. Kosteniuk has represented Russia and Switzerland in international competitions and is known for her aggressive and dynamic playing style.
Personal Life	Alexandra Kosteniuk is a member of the “Champions for Peace” club, dedicated to promoting peace through sport. She has been outspoken in her support for peace and has signed an open letter protesting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kosteniuk is married to Russian Grandmaster Pavel Tregubov, and they have a daughter named Francesca Maria. She holds dual Swiss-Russian citizenship.

18. Sophie Milliet

Sophie Milliet, a French chess player and six-time women’s national champion, was born in Marseille on November 2, 1983 (2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016, and 2017). After satisfying the standards at the French Club Championship (2005), the Swiss Championship at Lenzerheide (2006), and the Béthune Open width (2006), she was awarded the title of International Master in March 2009.

She was born and reared in Castelnau-le-Lez, France, where she started playing chess at the age of four. Her grassroots efforts resulted in numerous appointments and raised her Elo score above the 2100 mark, which was seven years old at the time. As a result, she was the best player in her group for the French women’s team at the Faber Cup in Dublin in 2000, contributing to the team’s victory.

Sophie Milliet	Information
Full Name	Sophie Milliet
Country	France
Born	November 2, 1983 (age 39), Marseille, France
National Women’s Titles	Six-time French Women’s Champion
International Title	International Master
Women Grandmaster Title	Awarded in 2003
Junior Achievements	Contributed to winning the Faber Cup in 2000
Notable Championship	Three-time French Women’s Championship winner (2003, 2007, 2008)
Other Championships	Mediterranean Women’s Champion (Beirut, 2015)
Chess Olympiads	Represented France in 2004 and 2006
League Chess Activity	Active participant in French Nationale and German Women’s Bundesliga
4NCL Participation	Represented Pride and Prejudice team in the UK’s 4NCL (2007/08)

19. Cécile Haussernot

Cécile Haussernot is a French chess player who has the title of Female International Grandmaster. She was born on October 22, 1998. (WIM). She has won two European titles in the schoolgirl division for her age group. Haussernot began moving pieces at the age of five and was invited to join her club’s team at six, where she learned the fundamentals. She is a six-time French junior champion, having won the U-8 Girls in 2006, the U-10 Girls in 2007, the U-14 Girls in 2008, the U-14 Girls in 2011, the U-16 Girls in 2013, and the U-20 Girls in 2018. She was also a champion. In 2009, she was the vice-captain of France and finished third in the Men’s Under-12 category in the French Youth Championship.

C cile Haussernot	Information
Full Name	Cécile Haussernot
Birthdate	October 22, 1998 (age 24)
Country	France
Title	Woman International Master (WIM)
Notable Achievements	European Champion (twice) in her age girls category
Additional Information	Learned chess at the age of five

20. Alisa Melekhina

Alisa Melekhina, a highly skilled dancer and alumnus of the University of Law School, was born on June 26, 1991. She is a highly trained ballerina and one of the top female chess players in the United States. Take a look at Pennsylvania. Melekhina is a regular competitor in the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship and has competed for the U.S. in many World Junior and Junior Chess Championships. She has placed in the top ten. At the 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship, she was ranked No. She received her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in May 2014, at the age of 22.

Alisa Melekhina	Information
Full Name	Alisa Melekhina
Birthdate	June 26, 1991 (age 32)
Country	United States
Birthplace	Simferopol, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Title	FIDE Master (2011)
FIDE Rating	2194 (February 2020)
Peak Rating	2304 (March 2011)

21. Natalia Pogonina

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina is a female FIDE Grandmaster and a chess player from Russia. She was born on March 9, 1985. (WGM). In 2015, she finished second in the Women’s World Chess Championship. She is a two-time Russian women’s champion (in 2012 and 2018). Pogonina was a part of the Russian women’s chess team that won gold in the 2012 and 2014 Olympics and the 2011 European Women’s Team Chess Championship.

Natalia Pogonina	Information
Full Name	Natalia Andreevna Pogonina (Ната́лья Андре́евна Пого́нина)
Country	Russia
Born	March 9, 1985 (age 38)
Title	Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
FIDE Rating	2432 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2508 (July 2014)
Notable Achievements	Runner-up of the Women’s World Chess Championship 2015
Notable Contributions	Columnist at Chess.com and chess blogs at Sports.ru and RedHotPawn.com
Early Successes	Won the Russian under-14 girls championship in 1998
Other Accomplishments	Author of the upcoming book “Chess Kama Sutra” (with Peter Zhdanov)
Family	Married to IT-specialist Peter Zhdanov; has a son named Nikolai

22. Regina Pokorna

Natalia Andreevna Pogonina is a female FIDE Grandmaster and a chess player from Russia. She was born on March 9, 1985. (WGM). In 2015, she finished second in the Women’s World Chess Championship. She is a two-time Russian women’s champion (in 2012 and 2018). Pogonina was a part of the Russian women’s chess team that won gold in the 2012 and 2014 Olympics and the 2011 European Women’s Team Chess Championship.

Regina Pokorna	Information
Full Name	Regina Theissl Pokorná
Nationality	Slovak-Austrian
Title	Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Trainer	Grandmaster Ján Plachetka
European Girls Under 10 Championship	1992
Slovak Girls Under 18 Championship	1996, 1997, 1999
European Junior Girls’ Chess Championship	1999
FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup Participant	2000
Represented Slovakia in Women’s Chess Olympiads	1998-2012
Best Result at the 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin	8th place on Board 3 (scored 7/10)
Represented Slovakia in Championships	1997-2001
Team Gold Medal in Batumi	1999
Individual Bronze Medal in Batumi	1999
Mediterranean Flowers Tournaments (Rijeka)	2001, 2002, 2005, 2009
EWS Cup in Jakarta	2007
Mediterranean Golden Island Tournament (Vrbnik)	2008
Slovak Women’s Chess Championship	2009
Austrian Women’s Chess Championship	2019

23. Jennifer Shahade

Jennifer Shahade was born in December 1980 and is an American chess player, poker player, pundit, and writer. She has won two US women’s championships and is a FIDE Female Grandmaster. Shahade is the co-author of Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Chess and the author of Chess Bitch and Play Like a Girl. She is the Director of the Women’s Program at US Chess, a PokerStars MindSports Ambassador, and became a member of the World Chess Hall of Fame’s board of directors in Saint Louis.

Jennifer Shahade	Information
Full Name	Jennifer Shahade
Born	December 31, 1980 (age 42)
Birthplace	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Title	Woman Grandmaster
FIDE Rating	2322 (January 2006)
Peak Rating	2366 (April 2003)
Occupation	Chess player, poker player, commentator, and writer
Notable Achievements	Two-time United States Women’s Champion, Women’s World Chess Champion (2008)
Education	Degree in Comparative Literature from New York University
Books	“Chess Bitch: Women in the Ultimate Intellectual Sport”
Writing	Contributions to LA Times, The New York Times, Chess Life, New In Chess, Games Magazine
Poker Career	MindSports Ambassador for PokerStars
Podcasts	Host of “the GRID” poker podcast
Personal Life	Married to Daniel Meirom
Sexual Assault Allegations	Accused GM Alejandro Ramírez of sexual assault and is involved in ongoing investigations

24. Anna Sharevich

Anna Sharevich, a Belarusian and American chess player, was born on December 18, 1985, and holds the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM). In 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2011, she won the Women’s Belarusian Chess Championship. In 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012, in the Women’s Chess Olympiads, and Sharevich represented Belarus. She moved national federations from Belarus to the United States in 2014. She was a part of the 2014 United States Chess League champions, the Saint Louis Arch Bishops.

Anna Sharevich	Information
Full Name	Anna Sharevich
Birthdate	December 18, 1985
Nationality	Belarusian-American
Title	Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Notable Achievements	Women’s Belarusian Chess Championships (2002, 2005, 2007, 2011)
National Federation	Belarus (before 2014), United States (since 2014)
Team Affiliation	Saint Louis Arch Bishops (2014 US Chess League champions)
FIDE Rating	2276 (October 2017)
Peak Rating	2378 (May 2011)

25. Eva Repkova

Eva Repková is a Slovak chess player who holds the FIDE titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster. She was born in Stará ubová on January 16, 1975. (WGM). In 1991, she was Czechoslovak Women’s Champion, and in 2003, 2010, and 2013, she was Slovak Women’s Champion.

Eva Repkova	Information
Full Name	Eva Repkova
Birthdate	January 16, 1975 (age 48)
Birthplace	Stará Ľubovňa, Czechoslovakia
Country	Czechoslovakia (until 1992) Slovakia (1992–97, since 2001) Lebanon (1997–2001)
Title	International Master (2007) Woman Grandmaster (1995)
Peak Rating	2447 (September 2010)
Notable Event	Eva Repková playing in the Summer chess tournament in Aarhus, Denmark 2009
Slovak Women’s Championships	2003, 2010, 2013
World Girl’s Under-14 Chess Championship	Silver Medal – Timișoara 1988
World Girl’s Under-18 Chess Championships	Silver Medals – Guarapuava 1991, Bratislava 1993
World Girl’s Under-20 Chess Championship	Runner-up (Second place) – Halle 1995
Chess Olympiads	Represented Czechoslovakia in 1992 (30th Chess Olympiad) Represented Slovakia in eight Chess Olympiads between 1994 and 2016
European Women’s Team Chess Championship	Individual silver medal – León 2001
Arab Women’s Chess Championship	Winner – Agadir 1998, Beirut 2000
Asian Women’s Chess Championship	Runner-up (Second place) – Tehran 1997, Genting Highlands 1998
Other Titles	Mediterranean Flower tournament winner – Rijeka 2003, 2013 Mediterranean Golden Island (Women) winner – Punat 2003, Malinska 2005 Summer-A IM winner – Aarhus 2009
Mitropa Cup	Represented Slovakia in the open chess Mitropa Cup in 2005, 2006 (team bronze – Steinbrunn 2005) Represented Slovakia in the women’s chess Mitropa Cup in 2013 (individual and team gold medals – Meissen 2013)
Family	Married Lebanese IM Fadi Eid (1997-2001) Son Christopher Repka – Slovak Junior Chess Champion Previously married FIDE Master Eric Peterson (divorced in 2013)
Languages	Fluent in Slovak, English, Russian, and German

26. Petra Papp

Petra Papp is a female Grandmaster in the game of chess from Hungary. She was born on August 22, 1993. (WGM, 2012). Papp won the Under 16 category of the Hungarian Youth Chess Championship in 2009. In addition, she has competed in the European Youth Chess Championship and the World Youth Chess Championship. In the 2011 European Under-18 Women’s Team Chess Championship in Iași, she earned an individual gold medal and a team silver medal.

Petra Papp	Information
Full Name	Petra Papp
Nationality	Hungarian
Date of Birth	August 22, 1993
FIDE Title	Woman Grandmaster (WGM, 2012)
Hungarian Championships	Gold medal in 2012
Youth Championships	Winner of Hungarian Youth Chess Championship (Under 16) in 2009
European Girls’ U18	Individual gold medal in Iași (2011)
Women’s Chess Olympiads	Represented Hungary
European Team Chess	Represented Hungary
Titles	Awarded FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title in 2010

27. Anastasiya Karlovich

Anastasiya Karlovich, a Ukrainian chess player, and journalist were born on May 29, 1982. FIDE bestowed the titles of International Woman and Female Grandmaster on her in 2000 and 2003, respectively. Karlovich, born in Dnipropetrovsk, began playing chess at the age of eight. She was a semi-finalist in the 1998 Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Men’s Chess Championship and the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Women’s Chess Championship. She eventually relocated to Kharkiv, where she worked as a chess journalist before becoming a chess journalist in 2007. Articles have appeared in the Ladya newspaper, New magazine in Chess and Schach 64, the ChessBase website, and other publications. In 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016, Karlovich served as FIDE’s press secretary at the World Chess Championships.

Anastasiya Karlovich	Information
Full Name	Anastasiya Karlovich
Country	Ukraine
Born	29 May 1982 (age 41)
Birthplace	Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Title	Woman Grandmaster (2003)
FIDE Rating	2204
Peak Rating	2313 (October 2001)
FIDE Titles	Woman International Master (2000)
Achievements	Gold Medal – European Girls’ Under-18 Team Chess Championship (2000)
Notable Roles	Press Secretary of FIDE at the World Chess Championship (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016)
Journalism Career	Chess journalist for various publications

28. Hou Yifan

Hou Yifan is a Chinese chess player born on February 27, 1994, in Xinghua, Taizhou, Jiangsu. Hou is the world’s 13th female champion. She is the youngest female player in world chess history to obtain this title and the youngest female chess player to qualify for Grandmaster.

Hou Yifan	Information
Full Name	Hou Yifan
Birthdate	February 27, 1994
Birthplace	Xinghua, China
Education	Peking University (BA)
Country	China
Title	Grandmaster
Women’s World Champion	2010–2012, 2013–2015, 2016–2017
FIDE rating	2628 (July 2023)
Peak rating	2686 (March 2015)
Peak ranking	No. 55 (May 2015)
Asian Games	2010 Guangzhou, Women’s Individual
Chinese name	侯逸凡
Standard Mandarin	Hóu Yìfán
Wade–Giles	Hou I-Fan
Yue: Cantonese	Haùh jaht fàahn
Jyutping	Hau4 jat6 faan4
Southern Min	Hâu E̍k-hōan
Hokkien POJ	Hâu E̍k-hōan
Chess Prodigy	Youngest female grandmaster, Women’s World Chess Champion at a young age
Top-Ranked Female Player	Second highest rated female player of all time
Career Achievements	Winner of 2010 Women’s World Championship, Four-time Women’s World Chess Champion
Teaching and Professorship	Professor at Shenzhen University, Youngest ever professor at Shenzhen University at age 26
Chess Journey	Started playing chess at a young age, Joined National Chess Center academy at age ten
Life Outside Chess	Balancing education and extracurricular activities, Treats chess as a hobby

29. Susan Polgar

Susan Polgar (born April 19, 1969, Polgár Zsuzsanna, sometimes known as Zsuzsa Polgár) is a Hungarian and American chess player. From 1996 through 1999, Polgár was the World Women’s Chess Champion. At 15, Polgar became the world’s top-ranked female tennis player in the FIDE rankings in July 1984. She received the title of Grandmaster from FIDE in 1991 and is the third woman to receive this title. In addition, she won twelve medals at the Women’s Chess Olympics (5 gold, four silver, and three bronze).

Susan Polgar	Information
Full Name	Susan Polgar
Birthdate	April 19, 1969
Birthplace	Budapest, Hungary
Nationality	Hungarian-American
Title	Grandmaster
Women’s World Champion	1996–1999
FIDE Rating	2577 (July 2023) [inactive]
Peak Rating	2577 (January 2005)
Accomplishments	– Top-ranked female chess player in the world at age 15
Residence	Suburban St. Louis, Missouri, United States

30. Sofia Polgar

Sofia Polgar, an internationally recognized Hungarian and Israeli chess player, teacher, and artist, was born on November 2, 1974. She was a chess prodigy in the past. She is the middle sister of Grandmasters Susan and Judit Polgár and holds the FIDE titles of International Master and Woman Grandmaster. She is a resident of Israel. In the 1988 Chess Olympics, she and a team won gold. In the 1990 Chess Olympics, she earned a gold medal with her team and a gold medal by herself. In the 1994 Chess Olympics, she and her team earned a gold medal, and she also won two gold medals individually. In addition, she was a chess instructor and an artist.

Sofia Polgar	Information
Full Name	Sofia Polgar
Country	Hungary, Israel
Date of Birth	November 2, 1974
Titles	International Master (IM), Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Family Background	Middle sister of Grandmasters Susan and Judit Polgar
Chess Olympiads	Represented Hungary, won two team gold medals, one team silver, three individual golds, and one individual bronze
Notable Achievements	World under-14 girls champion, “Sack of Rome” tournament victory, strong performance rating of 2879
World Junior Chess Championship 1994	Finished second
Ranking	Formerly ranked as the sixth-strongest female player in the world
Personal Life	Married Israeli Grandmaster Yona Kosashvili, two children
Residence	Settled near Tel Aviv, Israel

31. Judit Polgar

Judit Polgár, a chess grandmaster from Hungary, was born on July 23, 1976. She is recognized as history’s most powerful lady. Polgar became the youngest player to achieve the grandmaster title in 1991, at the age of 15 and four months, breaking the previous record set by former world champion Bobby Fischer. At 12, she is the youngest pro to have made the FIDE Top 100, ranking 55th on the January 1989 list. 

She was the experiment’s only female participant. He competed in a global championship event in 2005. With a career-high of 2735 – 8th place in the world in 2005, she was the first and only woman to achieve 2700 on the ELO system. She was the world’s top ELO woman from January 1989 until March 2015, when Chinese player Hou Yifan surpassed her; she returned to the top female rankings in August 2015. This is her last appearance in the FIDE world rankings.

Judit Polgar	Information
Full Name	Judit Polgar
Birthdate	July 23, 1976
Birthplace	Budapest, Hungary
Country	Hungary
Title	Grandmaster (1991)
FIDE rating	2675 (July 2023) [inactive since September 2015]
Peak rating	2735 (July 2005)
Peak ranking	No. 8 (July 2004), No. 1 woman (January 1989)
Achievements	– Youngest Grandmaster at age 15 years and 4 months
Tournament Victories	– Hastings 1993
Notable Wins	– Defeated eleven current or former world champions in either rapid or classical chess, including Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov, and Viswanathan Anand
Retirement and Recognition	– Announced retirement from competitive chess in August 2014

32. Rusudan Goletiani

Rusudan Goletiani is a chess player of Georgian and American descent who holds the titles of FIDE International Grandmaster and Grandmaster. She was born on September 8, 1980. She is a three-time global champion in her age group, the continental US women’s champion in 2003, and the US women’s champion in 2005.

Rusudan Goletiani	Information
Full Name	Rusudan Goletiani
Nationality	United States (after 2000)
Titles	International Master
Achievements	Three-time world girls’ champion in her age category
Notable Championships	Soviet junior champion for girls under 12
Women’s World Chess	Qualified for the Women’s World Chess Championship
Championship Qualifier	Top finish in Georgian zonal tournament
Chess Career in the US	Moved to the United States and represented the country
Notable Results	Bronze medalist at the Women’s Chess Olympiad
Recent Performances	Competed in the US Women’s Championship

33. Arianne Caoili

Arianne Bo Caoili, a Filipino-Australian chess player, died on March 30, 2020. She was born on December 22, 1986, and died on March 30, 2020. She won the Oceania women’s chess championship in 2009 and competed in seven Women’s Chess Olympiads, earning the FIDE title of Woman International Master. She was a financial expert and acted as a counselor to Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan outside of chess.

Arianne Caoili	Information
Full Name	Arianne Bo Caoili
Nationality	Filipino and Australian
Title	Woman International Master
Notable Achievements	Oceania Women’s Chess Champion (2009)
Chess Olympiads	Competed in seven Women’s Chess Olympiads
Occupation	Financial consultant, singer, advisor to Armenian prime minister Karen Karapetyan
Birthdate	22 December 1986
Birthplace	Manila, Philippines
Residence	Yerevan, Armenia
Education	Ph.D. studies on “Russian foreign policy, especially its economic and business relations with Armenia”
Notable Tournaments	London Chess Classic Women’s Invitational tournament, Asian girls under 16 championship
Peak Rating	2309 (October 2002)
Relationship Status	Married to Levon Aronian (world’s top chess grandmaster)
Death	30 March 2020, Yerevan, Armenia (due to injuries from a car crash)
Music Career	Released the album “Hold On” with songs such as “To Find You,” “Summer Days,” “On a String,”

34. Tatev Abrahamyan 

Tatev Abrahamyan is an Armenian-American chess player born on January 13, 1988. She is known as the Female Giant (WGM). Abrahamyan earned bronze in the tiebreak after finishing first in the U12 women’s section at the 1999 European Youth Chess Championship against Nana Dzagnidze and Varvara Kirillova.

Tatev Abrahamyan	Information
Full Name	Tatev Abrahamyan
Birthdate	January 13, 1988 (age 35)
Nationality	Armenian-American
Title	Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Residence	Glendale, California, United States
Education	California State University, Long Beach
Achievements	– Tied for first place in Girls U12 section of the 1999 European Youth Chess Championships, securing the bronze medal on tiebreak.
Team Competitions	Represented the United States in the Women’s Chess Olympiad and Women’s World Team Chess Championship, contributing to the national team’s success.

35. Irina Krush

Irina Borisivna Krush, an American chess player and current female Grandmaster was born on December 24, 1983. FIDE bestowed the title on her in 2013. Krush has won the US women’s championship eight times.

Irina Krush	Information
Full Name	Irina Borisivna Krush
Country	United States
Born	December 24, 1983 (age 39)
Birthplace	Odesa, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Title	Grandmaster (2013)
FIDE Rating	2447 (July 2023)
Peak Rating	2502 (October 2013)

36. Kateryna Lagno

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Lagno is a Russian (previously Ukrainian) chess grandmaster born on December 27, 1989. She was a chess prodigy who, at the age of 12 years, four months, and two days earned the title of Female Grandmaster (WGM). She was given the rank of Grandmaster in 2007.

Kateryna Lagno	Information
Full Name	Kateryna Lagno
Birthdate	December 27, 1989 (age 33)
Birthplace	Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Country	Ukraine (until 2014), Russia (since 2014)
Title	Grandmaster
FIDE Rating	2552 (July 2023)
Women’s Ranking	No. 5 in FIDE World Rankings (July 2023)
– Women’s World Rapid Champion	2014
– Women’s World Blitz Champion	2010, 2018, 2019
– Women’s Vice World Champion	2018
– European Women’s Champion	Twice winner
– Chess Olympiad	Team gold medals in 2006 and 2014 (playing for Ukraine and Russia)
– Women’s World Team Championship	Team gold medals in 2013 (Ukraine) and 2017, 2021 (Russia)
– Women’s European Team Championship	Winner in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021
– Girls Under 10 World Youth Chess Championships	Winner in 1999
– Girls Under 14 European Youth Chess Championships	Winner in 2001
– European Individual Women’s Championship	Winner in 2005 and 2008
– Marital Status	Married to Alexander Grischuk
– Children	Four children

37. Marie Sebag

Marie Rachel Sebag, a chess grandmaster from France, was born on October 15, 1986. She has won the French women’s chess championship twice. Sebag won the European Junior Chess Championship (women under 12) in 1998, a feat she repeated in 1999 (women’s U14) and 2002 (women’s U16). In 2004, she tied for first place in the U18 women’s division at the World Youth Chess Championships with Jolanta Zawadzka, who beat her in a tie-break. In 2006, she advanced to the Women’s World Chess Championship quarterfinals, defeated by Svetlana Matveeva.

Marie Sebag	Information

38. Monika Soćko

Monika Soko is a Polish chess player born on March 24, 1978. She has won the Polish women’s chess championship on eight occasions (in 1995, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017).

Monika So ko	Information
Full Name	Monika Soćko
Country	Poland
Born	March 24, 1978 (age 45), Warsaw, Poland
Title	Grandmaster (GM), Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
Achievements	8-time winner of the Polish Women’s Chess Championship
Notable Achievement	Successfully appealed a dispute in the 2008 Women’s World Championship to advance to the next round.

39. Valentina Evgenyevna

Valentina Evgenyevna is a Russian chess grandmaster born in Murmansk on February 4, 1989. She has won the European Women’s Individual Chess Championship three times (in 2012, 2014, and 2018) and the Russian Women’s Chess Championship four times (2011, 2013, 2014, 2021). She was a member of the Russian women’s chess team that won gold at the Women’s Chess Olympiad in 2010, 2012, and 2014, as well as gold at the European Women’s Chess Championship in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2019, as well as the Women’s World Team Chess Championship. 2017’s Champion of the Year. Gunina won the 2016 London Open Super Classics with one of the best female performances ever seen at a top-level chess tournament, defeating several male Grandmasters in the process.

Valentina Evgenyevna	Information
Full Name	Valentina Evgenyevna Gunina
Country	Russia
Born	February 4, 1989 (age 34) in Murmansk, Russia
Title	Grandmaster (2013)
FIDE rating	2457 (July 2023)
Peak rating	2548 (June 2015)
Ranking	No. 16 ranked woman in the March 2016 FIDE World Rankings
European Championships	Three-time winner of the Women’s European Individual Chess Championship (2012, 2014, 2018)
Russian Championships	Four-time winner of the Russian Women’s Championship (2011, 2013, 2014, 2021)
Team Achievements	Member of the gold medal-winning Russian team at the Women’s Chess Olympiads (2010, 2012, 2014), Women’s European Team Chess Championships (2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019), and Women’s World Team Chess Championship (2017)
London Chess Classic	Winner of the 2016 London Chess Classic Super Rapidplay Open, achieving remarkable results against male Grandmasters
Youth Championships	Gold medalist in the European under-12 girls championship (2000), World U14 girls championship (2003), European U16 girls championship (2004), and World U18 girls championship (2007)
World Blitz Championship	Winner of the Women’s World Blitz Championship (2012)
Women’s Speed Chess Championship	Dominated the quarterfinal match in the 2019 Women’s Speed Chess Championship
The Cairns Cup	First-ever winner of The Cairns Cup in Saint Louis (February 2019)
Recognition	Awarded the Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, 1st class, for achievements at the XXXXI World Chess Olympiad
Solidarity with Ukraine	Signatory of an open letter expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people and protesting against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

40. Eva Moser

Eva Moser was an Austrian chess player who lived from July 26, 1982, to March 31, 2019. She was named International Master (IM) in 2004 and Woman Grandmaster (WGM) in 2003. (WGM). Moser won the Austrian chess championships in both the men’s and women’s categories. In 2008, she participated in the Women’s World Chess Championship.

Eva Moser	Information
Full Name	Eva Moser
Country	Austria
Born	July 26, 1982
Died	March 31, 2019
Titles	International Master (IM)
Chess Championships	Absolute and Women’s Austrian Chess Championships
Women’s World Chess Championship Participation	2008
Early Success	Eight-time winner of Austrian Chess Championship for Girls (Various Age Groups)
European Youth Chess Championships	Silver medalist in Under 16 girls’ event
Team Representation	Represented Austria in Women’s Chess Olympiad, Women’s European Team Chess Championship, and Mitropa Cup
Notable Victories	Winner of Dresden Women’s Event (2000), Jena Open (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), Chess Ladies Vienna (2012, 2013)
Chess Instruction	Published instructional chess DVDs with ChessBase
Education	Degree in Business Administration (Graz, 2009)
Work	Former employee of “Schach-Aktiv” chess magazine
Cause of Death	Leukemia