Women's world chess champions

championship

reign name nationality

1927-44 Menchik-Stevenson, Vera Francevna* Russian

1950-53 Rudenko, Ludmilla Ukrainian

1953-56 Bykova, Elizaveta Russian

1956-58 Rubtsova, Olga Russian

1958-62 Bykova, Elizaveta Russian

1962-78 Gaprindashvili, Nona Georgian

1978-91 Chiburdanidze, Maya Georgian

1991-96 Xie Jun Chinese

1996-99 Polgar, Susan (Polgar, Zsuzsa)** Hungarian

1999-2001 Xie Jun Chinese

2001-2004 Zhu Chen Chinese

2004-2006 Antoaneta Stefanova Bulgarian

2006-2008 Xu Yuhua Chinese

2008- Alexandra Kosteniuk Russian

*Killed in air raid on London in 1944, title left vacant.

**Rejected conditions for title defense, which Xie Jun then regained.

Subsequent champions decided in "knockout" tournaments.