List of female chess players
This article lists female chess players who have received official World Chess Federation (FIDE) titles or are otherwise renowned as women in chess.
Grandmasters
There are currently 37 female players who hold the title of Grandmaster, the most prestigious title in chess:[1][2]
Name | Country | Birth Date | Date | Age | Women's World Champion | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nona Gaprindashvili | ![]() ![]() |
1941-05-03 | 1978 | 37 | 1962–1978 | First female grandmaster |
Maia Chiburdanidze | ![]() ![]() |
1961-01-17 | 1984 | 23 | 1978–1991 | |
Susan Polgár | ![]() ![]() |
1969-04-19 | 1991 | 22 | 1996–1999 | |
Judit Polgár | ![]() |
1976-07-23 | 1991 | 15 | – | Youngest grandmaster ever at the time |
Pia Cramling | ![]() |
1963-04-23 | 1992 | 29 | – | |
Xie Jun | ![]() |
1970-10-30 | 1994 | 23 | 1991–1996, 1999–2001 | |
Zhu Chen | ![]() ![]() |
1976-03-16 | 2001 | 25 | 2001–2004 | |
Humpy Koneru | ![]() |
1987-03-31 | 2002 | 15 | – | Youngest female grandmaster ever at the time |
Antoaneta Stefanova | ![]() |
1979-04-19 | 2002 | 23 | 2004–2006 | |
Alexandra Kosteniuk | ![]() |
1984-03-23 | 2004 | 20 | 2008–2010 | direct award after EWC |
Peng Zhaoqin | ![]() ![]() |
1968-05-08 | 2004 | 36 | direct award after EWC | |
Hoang Thanh Trang | ![]() ![]() |
1980-04-25 | 2007 | 27 | – | |
Kateryna Lahno | ![]() ![]() |
1989-12-27 | 2007 | 17 | – | |
Xu Yuhua | ![]() |
1976-10-29 | 2007 | 30 | 2006–2008 | direct award after WWC |
Marie Sebag | ![]() |
1986-10-15 | 2008 | 21 | – | |
Zhao Xue | ![]() |
1985-04-06 | 2008 | 23 | – | |
Hou Yifan | ![]() |
1994-02-27 | 2008 | 14 | 2010–2012, 2013–2015, 2016–2017 | Youngest ever female grandmaster |
Nana Dzagnidze | ![]() |
1987-01-01 | 2008 | 21 | – | |
Monika Soćko | ![]() |
1978-03-24 | 2008 | 30 | – | |
Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant | ![]() ![]() |
1968-07-19 | 2009 | 40 | – | |
Tatiana Kosintseva | ![]() |
1986-04-11 | 2009 | 23 | – | |
Natalia Zhukova | ![]() |
1979-06-05 | 2010 | 30 | – | |
Elina Danielian | ![]() |
1978-08-16 | 2010 | 32 | – | |
Viktorija Čmilytė | ![]() |
1983-08-06 | 2010 | 26 | – | |
Nadezhda Kosintseva | ![]() |
1985-01-14 | 2011 | 26 | – | |
Harika Dronavalli | ![]() |
1991-01-12 | 2011 | 20 | – | |
Anna Muzychuk | ![]() ![]() |
1990-02-28 | 2012 | 22 | – | |
Anna Ushenina | ![]() |
1985-08-30 | 2012 | 27 | 2012–2013 | direct award after WWC |
Valentina Gunina | ![]() |
1989-02-04 | 2013 | 24 | – | |
Irina Krush | ![]() |
1983-12-24 | 2013 | 29 | – | |
Bela Khotenashvili | ![]() |
1988-06-01 | 2013 | 25 | – | |
Ju Wenjun | ![]() |
1991-01-31 | 2014 | 23 | 2018– | |
Mariya Muzychuk | ![]() |
1992-09-21 | 2015 | 22 | 2015–2016 | direct award after WWC |
Lei Tingjie | ![]() |
1997-03-13 | 2017 | 19 | – | |
Tan Zhongyi | ![]() |
1991-05-29 | 2017 | 25 | 2017–2018 | direct award after WWC |
Nino Batsiashvili | ![]() |
1987-01-01 | 2018 | 31 | – | |
Aleksandra Goryachkina | ![]() |
1998-09-28 | 2018 | 19 | – |
There is also the title Woman Grandmaster (WGM), but the requirements for achieving it are lower. As of 2020, no woman has ever been the world champion. In September 2005, Judit Polgár of Hungary, then rated #8 in the world by the international chess organization FIDE, became the first woman to play for a small-scale World Chess Championship, which she did in the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005; she had previously participated in large, 100+ player knockout tournaments for the world championship, but this was a small 8-player invitational.[3]
International Masters
Current
As of January 2021, the FIDE database lists 121 living women who hold the International Master title.[4]
Zhansaya Abdumalik
Olga Alexandrova
Bibisara Assaubayeva
Silvia Alexieva
Karina Ambartsumova
Meri Arabidze
Ekaterina Atalik
Medina Warda Aulia
Olga Badelka
Batchimeg Tuvshintugs
Irina Berezina
Anastasia Bodnaruk
Natasa Bojkovic
Angela Borsuk
Marina Brunello
Nataliya Buksa
Irina Bulmaga
Daria Charochkina
Dagnė Čiukšytė
Karina Cyfka
Deimantė Daulyte-Cornette
Yelena Dembo
Dorsa Derakhshani
Joanna Dworakowska
Martha Fierro Baquero
Alisa Galliamova
Lilit Galojan
Inna Gaponenko
Anita Gara
Marta Garcia Martin
Rusudan Goletiani
Pauline Guichard
Guo Qi
Sopiko Guramishvili
Nino Gurieli
Marina Guseva
Sopio Gvetadze
Zuzana Hagarová
Jovanka Houska
Harriet Hunt
Nana Ioseliani
Jana Jacková
Lela Javakhishvili
Ketino Kachiani-Gersinska
Eesha Karavade
Alina Kashlinskaya
Sarasadat Khademalsharieh
Sopiko Khukhashvili
Masha Klinova
Tatiana Kononenko
Ekaterina Korbut
Liubov Kostiukova
Ekaterina Kovalevskaya
Kulkarni Bhakti
Klaudia Kulon
Alina L'Ami
Susan K. Lalic
Tea Lanchava
Li Ruofan
Maia Lomineishvili
Carolina Lujan
Ildikó Mádl
Gulnar Mammadova
Gunay Mammadzada
Alisa Marić
Iulia Mashinskaya
Ana Matnadze
Svetlana Matveeva
Nora Medvegy
Salome Melia
Sophie Milliet
Lilit Mkrtchian
Nisha Mohota
Batkhuyag Munguntuul
Guliskhan Nakhbayeva
Nomin-Erdene Davaademberel
Lisandra Teresa Ordaz Valdés
Iulija Osmak
Evgenija Ovod
Elisabeth Pähtz
Nazi Paikidze
Corina Peptan
Svetlana Petrenko
Pham Le Thao Nguyen
Sofia Polgar
Maka Purtseladze
Iweta Rajlich
Olita Rause
Eva Repkova
Paula Andrea Rodriguez Rueda
Padmini Rout
Anna Rudolf
Tania Sachdev
Dinara Saduakassova
Nurgyul Salimova
Sarai Sanchez Castillo
Anastasia Savina
Zoya Schleining
Elena Sedina
Shen Yang
Polina Shuvalova
Yuliya Shvayger
Almira Skripchenko
Soumya Swaminathan
Irine Kharisma Sukandar
Stavroula Tsolakidou
Irina Turova
Szidonia Vajda
Irina Vasilevich
Tatjana Vasilevich
Sabrina Vega Gutierrez
Iva Videnova
Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi
Annie Wang
Wang Yu
Carissa Yip
Elena Zaiatz
Anna Zatonskih
Nastassia Ziaziulkina
Olga Zimina
Anna Zozulia
Alphabetical list
This list of female chess players includes people who are primarily known as chess players and have an article on the English Wikipedia. It includes the preceding lists of Grandmasters and International Masters.
A
- Abdumalik, Zhansaya (2000) Kazakhstan - IM
- Aginian, Nelly (1981) Armenia - WGM
- Akhsharumova, Anna (1957) Russia, USA - WGM
- Alekhine, Grace (1876–1956) USA, United Kingdom, France
- Alexandria, Nana (1949) Georgia - WGM
- An Yangfeng (1963) China - WIM
- Andriasian, Siranush (1986) Armenia - WIM
- Arakhamia, Ketevan (1968) Georgia, Scotland - GM
- Assaubayeva, Bibisara (2004) Kazakhstan - IM
- Atalik, Ekaterina (1982) Russia, Turkey - WGM and IM
B
- Bain, Mary (1904–1972) USA - WIM
- Belakovskaia, Anjelina (1969) Ukraine, USA - WGM
- Belavenets, Liudmila (1940) Russia - ICCF Women's World Champion, WIM
- Belenkaya, Dina (1993) Russia - WGM
- Bellin, Jana (1947) Czech, England - WGM
- Benedict, Clare (1871–1961) USA, Switzerland
- Benini, Clarice (1905–1976) Italy - WIM
- Berend, Elvira (1965) Kazakhstan/Luxembourg - WGM
- Berezina, Irina (1965) Australia - IM
- Beskow, Katarina (1867–1939) Sweden
- Bijoux, Caroline (1976) South Africa
- Bhakti Kulkarni (1992) India - WGM
- Borisova, Borislava (1951) Sweden/Bulgaria - WIM
- Botsari, Anna-Maria (1972) Greece - WGM
- Brustman, Agnieszka (1962) Poland - WGM
- Burtman, Sharon Ellen (1968) USA - WIM
- Bykova, Elisabeth (1913–1989) Russia - Women's World Champion, WGM
C
- Caoili, Arianne (1986–2020) Australia - WIM
- Cardoso, Ruth (1934–2000) Brazil - WIM
- Carrasco, Berna (1914–2013) Chile - WIM
- Chaudé de Silans, Chantal (1919–2004) France - WIM
- Chiburdanidze, Maia (1961) Georgia - Women's World Champion, GM 1984
- Ciuksyte, Dagne (1977) Lithuania, England - WGM and IM
- Çınar Çorlulu, Nilüfer (1962) Turkey - WIM
- Corke, Anya (1990) Hong Kong, England - WGM
- Čmilytė, Viktorija (1983) Lithuania - WGM and IM
- Cramling, Pia (1963) Sweden - GM 1992
D
- Dekic, Biljana (1950) Australia - WIM
- Dembo, Yelena (1983) Russia, Israel, Hungary, Greece - WGM and IM
- Ding Yixin (1991) China - WGM
- Donaldson, Elena (1957–2012) Russia, Georgia, USA - WGM
- Dzagnidze, Nana (1987) Georgia - GM 2008
E
- Edzgveradze, Natalia (1975) Georgia - WGM
- Eidelson, Rakhil (1958) Belarus - WGM
- Ereńska, Hanna (1946) Poland - WGM
F
- Fagan, Louisa Matilda (1850–1931) Italy, UK
- Miss Fatima India, United Kingdom
- February, Jesse (1997) South Africa - WIM
- Fierro, Martha (1977) Ecuador - WGM and IM
- Fisher, Michelle (1997) South Africa - WFM
- Flear, Christine (1967) France - WIM
- Forbes, Cathy (1968) England - WIM
- Cristina Adela Foisor (1967-2017) Romania - WGM and IM
- Frick, Denise (1980) South Africa - WIM
G
- Galliamova, Alisa (1972) Russia - WGM and IM
- Gaprindashvili, Nona (1941) Georgia - Women's World Champion, GM 1978
- Gara, Anita (1983) Hungary - WGM and IM
- Gara, Ticia (1984) Hungary - WGM
- Gerlecka, Regina (1913–1983) Poland
- Gilbert, Ellen (1837–1900) USA
- Gilchrist, Mary (c.1882–1947) Scotland
- Golubenko, Valentina (1990) Estonia, Croatia - WGM
- Gong Qianyun (1985) China - WGM
- Goryachkina, Aleksandra (1998) Russia - WGM
- Graf, Sonja (1908–1965) Germany, Argentina, USA - WIM
- Greeff, Melissa (1994) South Africa - WGM
- Gresser, Gisela (1906–2000) USA - WIM
- Guggenberger, Ilse (1942) Colombia - WIM
- Gunina, Valentina (1989) Russia - GM 2013
- Guo, Emma (1995) Australia - WIM
- Guo Qi (1995) China - IM
- Guramishvili, Sopiko (1991) Georgia - WGM and IM
H
- Hamid, Rani (1944) Bangladesh - WIM
- Harika, Dronavalli (1991) India - GM
- Harum, Gisela (1903–1995) Austria
- Heemskerk, Fenny (1919–2007) The Netherlands - WGM
- Herman, Róża (1902–1995) Poland - WIM
- Hoang, Thanh Trang (1980) Vietnam, Hungary - GM 2007
- Holloway, Edith (1868–1956) England - WIM
- Hołuj-Radzikowska, Krystyna (1931–2006) Poland - WGM
- Hou Yifan (1994) People's Republic of China - GM 2008
- Houska, Jovanka (1980) England - WGM and IM
- Huang Qian (1986) China - WGM
- Hunt, Harriet (1978) England - WGM and IM
I
- Ioseliani, Nana (1962) Georgia - WGM and IM
J
- Jacková, Jana (1982) Czech Republic - WGM and IM
- Jackson Sheila (1957) England - WGM
- Johansson, Victoria (1974) Sweden - WIM
- Ju Wenjun (1991) China - GM
K
- Karavade, Eesha (1987) India - WGM and IM
- Karff, Mona (1914–1998) Bessarabia (Moldova), Palestine, USA - WIM
- Keller-Hermann, Edith (1921–2010) Germany - WGM
- Khoudgarian, Natalia (1975) Russia, Canada - WIM
- Khurtsidze, Nino (1975–2018) Georgia - WGM and IM
- Kļaviņa, Ilga (1941) Latvia
- Klovāne, Astra (1944) Latvia
- Konarkowska-Sokolov, Henrijeta (1938) Poland, Serbia - WGM
- Koneru, Humpy (1987) India - GM 2002
- Korbut, Ekaterina (1985) Russia - WGM and IM
- Kosintseva, Nadezhda (1985) Russia - WGM and IM
- Kosintseva, Tatiana (1986) Russia - WGM and IM
- Kosteniuk, Alexandra (1984) Russia - Women's World Champion, GM 2004
- Kostiuk, Tatiana (1982) Ukraine - WGM
- Kozlovskaya, Valentina (1938) Russia - WGM
- Kristol, Ljuba (1944) Russia, Israel - ICCF Women's World Champion
- Krush, Irina (1983) Ukraine, USA - GM (2013)
- Kursova, Maria (1986) Armenia - WGM
- Kushnir, Alla (1941–2013) Russia, Israel - WGM
L
- Lahno, Kateryna (1989) Ukraine, Russia - GM 2007
- Latreche, Sabrina (1993) Algeria - WIM
- Lane, Lisa (1938) USA - WIM
- L'Ami, Alina (1985) Romania - IM
- Larsen, Ingrid (1909-1990) Denmark - WIM
- Lauberte, Milda (1918-2009) Latvia - WIM
- Lazarević, Milunka (1932) Serbia - WGM
- Lei Tingjie (1997) China - GM
- Leite, Catarina(1983) Portugal - WIM
- Levitina, Irina (1954) Russia, USA - WGM
- Li Ruofan (1997) China - IM
- Lin Ye (1974) China - WFM
- Litinskaya-Shul, Marta (1949) Ukraine - WGM
- Liu Shilan (1962) China - WGM
- Lu Xiaosha (1973) China - WIM
M
- Macalda di Scaletta (c. 1240–c. 1310) Kingdom of Sicily
- Mádl, Ildikó (1969) Hungary - WGM and IM
- Majdan, Joanna (1988) Poland - WGM
- Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra (2002) Russia - WGM
- Marić, Alisa (1970) USA, Serbia - WGM and IM
- Marić, Mirjana (1970) Serbia - WGM
- Marinello, Beatriz (1964) Chile - WIM
- Matveeva, Svetlana (1969) Russia - WGM and IM
- Menchik, Olga (1908–1944) Czechoslovakia, England
- Menchik, Vera (1906–1944) Czechoslovakia, England - Women's World Champion
- Meyer, Marany (1984) South Africa/New Zealand - WIM
- Michell, Edith (1872–1951) England
- Milliet, Sophie (1983) France - WGM and IM
- Mišanović, Vesna (1964) Bosnia and Herzegovina - WGM
- Mkrtchian, Lilit (1982) Armenia - WGM and IM
- Mora, Maria Teresa (1902–1980) Cuba - WIM
- Mutesi, Phiona (1993) Uganda - WCM
- Muzychuk, Anna (1990) Ukraine, Slovenia - WGM and IM
N
- Nakhbayeva, Guliskhan (1991) Kazakhstan - IM
- Nakhimovskaya, Zara (1931) Israel
- Nebolsina, Vera (1989) Russia - WGM
- Ning Chunhong (1968) China - WGM
- Nyberg, Christina (1962) Sweden
O
- Öztürk, Kübra (1991) Turkey - WGM
P
- Pähtz, Elisabeth (1985) Germany - WGM and IM
- Paridar, Shadi (1986) Iran - WGM
- Peng, Zhaoqin (1968) People's Republic of China, Netherlands - GM 2004
- Pertlová, Soňa (1988–2011) Czech Republic - WIM
- Piatigorsky, Jacqueline (1911–2012) France, USA
- Pogonina, Natalia (1985) Russia - WGM and IM
- Polgár, Judit (1976) Hungary - GM 1991
- Polgár, Sófia (1974) Hungary, Israel - WGM and IM
- Polgar, Susan (1969) Hungary, USA - Women's World champion, GM 1991
- Polihroniade, Elisabeta (1935–2016) Romania - WGM
- Pourkashiyan, Atousa (1988) Iran - WGM
- Price, Edith Charlotte (1872–1956) England
- Ptáčníková, Lenka (1976) Czech Republic, Iceland - WGM
- Pujari, Rucha (1994) India - WIM
Q
- Qin Kanying (1974) People's Republic of China - WGM
- Qiyu Zhou (2000) Canada - WGM
R
- Rajlich, Iweta (1981) Poland - WGM and IM
- Ranasinghe, Sachini (1994) Sri Lanka - WIM
- Regan, Natasha (1971) England - WIM
- Reischer, Salome (1899–1980) Austria - WIM
- Reizniece-Ozola, Dana (1981) Latvia - WGM
- Richards, Heather (1983) England, Australia - WIM
- Riegler, Alessandra (1961) Italy - ICCF Women's World Champion
- Rinder, Friedl (1905–2001) Germany - WIM
- Rogule, Laura (1988) Latvia - WGM
- Roodzant, Catharina (1896–1999) The Netherlands
- Roos, Nancy (1905–1957) United States
- Rootare, Salme (1913–1987) Estonia - WIM
- Ross, Laura (1988) United States - WFM
- Ruan Lufei (1987) China - WGM
- Rubene, Ilze (1958-2002) - WIM
- Rubtsova, Olga (1909–1992) Russia - Women's World Champion and IFCC Women's World Champion, WGM
- Rudenko, Lyudmila (1904–1986) Ukraine, Russia - Women's World Champion, WGM
- Rudge, Mary (1842–1919) England
S
- Sabure, Taduetso (1982) Botswana - WGM
- Sachdev, Tania (1986) India - IM and WGM
- Šafranska, Anda (1960) Latvia, France - WGM
- Schwartzmann, Paulette (1910–19??) Latvia, France, Argentina
- Schneider, Veronika (1987) Hungary - WGM
- Schut, Lisa (1994) Netherlands - IM
- Sebag, Marie (1986) France - GM 2008
- Selkirk, Rebecca (1993) South Africa - WCM
- Semenova, Lidia (1951) Ukraine - WGM
- Shahade, Jennifer (1980) USA - WGM
- Sheldon, Ruth (1980) England - WIM
- Shen Yang (1989) China - IM
- Shuvalova, Polina (2001) Russia - IM and WGM
- Skripchenko, Almira (1976) Moldova, France - WGM and IM
- Soćko, Monika (1978) Poland - GM 2008
- Solomons, Anzel (1978) South Africa - WIM
- Srebrnič, Ana (1984) Slovenia - WGM
- Starr, Nava (1949) Latvia, Canada - WIM
- Stefanova, Antoaneta (1979) Bulgaria - Women's World Champion, GM 2003
- Stevenson, Agnes (1873–1935) England
- Stock, Lara (1992) Germany, Croatia WGM
- Styazhkina, Anna (1997) Russia - WIM
- Sukhareva, Olga (1984) Russia - ICCF Women's World Champion
- Sun Fanghui (1993) China - WIM
T
- Tairova, Elena (1991-2010) Russia - WGM and IM
- Tan Zhongyi (1991) China - GM
- Tian Tian (1983) China - WGM
- Toma, Katarzyna (1985) Poland, England - WGM
- Tonini, Alice Italy
- Topel, Zehra (1987) Turkey - WIM
- Tranmer, Eileen (1910–1983) England - WIM
- Tuvshintugs, Batchimeg (1986) Mongolia - WGM
U
- Ushenina, Anna (1985) Ukraine - GM 2012
V
- Vajda, Szidonia (1979) Romania, Hungary - WGM and IM
- van der Merwe, Cecile (1987) South Africa - WIM
- Verőci, Zsuzsa (1949) Hungary - WGM
- Volpert, Larisa (1926–2017) Russia - WGM
- Vozovic, Oksana (1985) Ukraine - WGM
W
- Annie Wang (2002) United States - IM
- Wang Jue (1995) China - WGM
- Wang Lei (1975) China - WGM
- Wang Pin (1974) China - WGM
- Wang Yu (1982) China - IM
- Wijesuriya, Suneetha Sri Lanka
- Wijesuriya, Vineetha (1970) Sri Lanka - WCM
- Wolf-Kalmar, Paula (1881–1931) Austria
- Wu Mingqian (1961) China - WGM
X
- Xie Jun (1970) People's Republic of China - Women's World champion, GM 1994
- Xu Yuanyuan (1981) China - WGM
- Xu Yuhua (1976) People's Republic of China - Women's World champion, GM 2007
Y
- Yakovleva, Lora (1932) Russia - ICCF Women's World Champion
- Yıldız, Betül Cemre (1989) Turkey - WGM
- Yuanling Yuan (1994) China - WIM
Z
- Zatonskih, Anna (1978) Ukraine, USA - WGM and IM
- Zatulovskaya, Tatiana (1935) Azerbaijan, Russia, Israel - WGM
- Zawadzka, Beata (1986) Poland - WGM
- Zhai Mo (1966) China - WGM
- Zhang Xiaowen (1989) China - WGM
- Zhao Lan (1963) China - WIM
- Zhao Xue (1985) People's Republic of China - GM 2008
- Zhu Chen (1976) People's Republic of China, Qatar - Women's World champion, GM 2001
- Zhu Jin'er (2002) China - WIM
- Zhukova, Natalia (1979) Ukraine - GM 2010
- Zvorykina, Kira (1919-2014) Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria - WGM
See also
- Category:Chess woman grandmasters
- Women's World Chess Championship
References
- McClain, Dylan Loeb (November 10, 2020). "How 'The Queen's Gambit' Started a New Debate About Sexism in Chess" – via NYTimes.com.
- List of female GMs at fide.com
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2005-08-31.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "FIDE Players Advanced Search". ratings.fide.com.