The chess industry has incredible talent worldwide, yet not every player gets the recognition they deserve. Some players remain underrated despite their contributions and success in the sport, which has always been under the radar.
1. Vera Menchik (Russia)
A pioneering figure of women’s chess, the former player was the first Women’s World Chess Champion, who held the title from 1927 to 1944. She participated in top-level tournaments and broke barriers by competing against male players, and was instrumental in challenging gender bias in sports. She has defeated world champion grandmaster Max Euwe and grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky.
Menchik died during World War II, but her legacy continues and remains in remembrance even now. To date, the winning nation in the Women’s Olympiad is awarded the Vera Menchik Cup.
2. Judit Polgar (Hungary)
The Hungarian chess grandmaster is regarded as one of the best players and a dangerous opponent of her time, but regardless of that, she remains underrepresented. She did not specifically compete in the women’s tournaments.
Her achievements included several wins, which have majorly overshadowed some of the best male trailblazers, including world champions such as Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand. Her greatest win was against Kasparov at the Russia vs. the Rest of the World match in 2002. In 1976, she broke Bobby Fischer’s record and became the youngest Grandmaster at the age of 15.
She, however, retired from competitive chess in 2014 but has been actively involved in promoting women’s chess.
3. Hou Yifan (China)
One of the second-strongest female chess players, Hou Yifan has won four Women’s World Chess Championships. At the age of 16, she won her first women’s world title. Three years before she became the youngest female grandmaster in chess history.
She had to skip the majority of her tournaments after getting her master’s degree and a full-time job in 2020. She then returned in 2021 and went on to win the Women’s Speed Chess Championship also in 2023, defeating GM Harika Dronavalli both times in the finals.
4. Ju Wenjun (China)
A reigning five-time world champion, Ju Wenjun has participated in several events but has remained confined to top-level tournaments, including the ones against top-ranked male players. She is also the fifth woman in history with a FIDE rating of 2600. Her achievements also include being the Women’s World Blitz Chess reigning champion and a two-time Women’s World Rapid Chess Champion.
5. Koneru Humpy (India)
A two-time winner of the FIDE Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship, 37-year-old Koneru Humpy has had some share of ups and downs in her career, including both personal and professional life.
While experiencing motherhood, she was limited and selective in participating in tournaments. She was coached by her father, Koneru Ashok, which was an added advantage to her career. She remains offsocial media, which could end up deviating one’s focus. She feels that unlike a sport like cricket, chess remains a bit underrated even today in comparison, but players like D. Gukesh and R. Praggnanandhaa have managed to lead it towards the limelight.
