The Most Famous Female Chess Player, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the female chess player you think is the most famous!

Updated on Apr 17, 2024 08:09

In the intricate world of chess, the spotlight often shines on illustrious tournaments and the grandmasters who dominate them. Yet, the remarkable skills and contributions of female chess players often go unnoticed, even though they have been instrumental in shaping the modern nuances of the game. Creating a ranked list of the most famous female chess players helps bring recognition to their achievements and inspires a new generation of players. By engaging with this list and casting your vote, you contribute to a broader acknowledgment of female prowess in chess. This activity not only enhances the visibility of these talented players but also enriches the chess community by highlighting diverse role models. Your participation ensures that the achievements of female chess players are celebrated and remembered, encouraging equality and appreciation within the sport.

Who Is the Most Famous Female Chess Player?

1

51
votes

Judit Polgar

Judit Polgar - often considered the greatest female chess player of all time, she was the first woman to break into the top 10 players in the world and has numerous accolades and tournament victories to her name.
2

35
votes

Ababinid · CC BY-SA 4.0

Hou Yifan

Hou Yifan is a Chinese grandmaster who has won the women's world chess championship multiple times and has also competed against male players in high-profile events.
3

21
votes

Unknown (Studio Herbert Vandyk) · Public domain

Vera Menchik

Vera Menchik is the first women's world chess champion and a pioneer for women's chess in the early 20th century.
4

14
votes

GFHund · CC BY 3.0

Nona Gaprindashvili

Nona Gaprindashvili is a Georgian chess player who won the women's world championship multiple times and also competed against male players in international events.
5

16
votes

GFHund · CC BY 3.0

Maia Chiburdanidze

Maia Chiburdanidze - another Georgian player who won the women's world championship multiple times and was one of the top female players in the 1980s.
6

10
votes

Etery Kublashvili · CC BY-SA 3.0

Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Kosteniuk is a Russian grandmaster who has won the women's world championship and has also competed in high-level events against male players. She is also known for her work promoting chess to a wider audience.
7

12
votes

Susan Polgar · CC0

Susan Polgar

Susan Polgar is a Hungarian-American grandmaster and former women's world champion who has also been influential in promoting chess education and outreach.
8

3
votes

Andrzej Filipowicz · Public domain

Xie Jun

Xie Jun is a Chinese player who won the women's world championship multiple times and was one of the top female players in the 1990s.
9

10
votes

Andreas Kontokanis from Piraeus, Greece · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tan Zhongyi

Tan Zhongyi is a Chinese grandmaster who won the women's world championship in 2017 and has been a consistent presence in high-level tournaments.
10

3
votes

Antoaneta Stefanova

Antoaneta Stefanova is a Bulgarian player who won the women's world championship in 2004 and has also been successful in team events and other competitions.

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Ranking factors for famous female chess player

Achievements and titles

The player's record in major chess tournaments, world championships, and other competitions. 2. Rating and style of play: The player’s current rating, strength of opponents faced, and style of play. 3. Popularity and recognition: The player's overall public recognition and popularity among the chess community and the general public. 4. Contributions to the sport: The player's impact on the game of chess, including innovations and contributions to chess theory and strategy. 5. Longevity and consistency: The player's ability to maintain a successful chess career over an extended period of time, including a sustained record of playing at a high level.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most famous female chess player. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or chesswoman is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

1266 views
176 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each chesswoman once every 24 hours. The rank of each chesswoman is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most famous female chess player

Chess is a game that has been played for centuries, and for a long time it was considered to be a male-dominated sport. However, in recent years, there has been a surge in the number of female chess players, and some of them have become incredibly famous. These women have shown that they are just as talented and skilled as their male counterparts, and have paved the way for future generations of female chess players. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most famous female chess players of all time, and explore their achievements and contributions to the game.