The Field
Humpy Koneru
Humpy Koneru is a highly accomplished grandmaster, India’s top female player and current World No. 3 among women. She is also a former Women’s World Championship challenger, three-time semifinalist in the Women’s World Championship, three-time World Youth Champion, and former World Junior Girls Champion. In 2019, she won the Women’s World Rapid Championship and in 2020, Koneru took first place in the second ever Cairns Cup.
Alexandra Kosteniuk
Alexandra Kosteniuk is a former Women’s World Champion and current women’s World No. 7. She has won several team Olympiads as well as European Championships while playing for the Russian national team. In March 2023, she switched federations to Switzerland.
Nana Dzagnidze
Nana Dzagnidze is a multiple time Georgian Women’s Champion, current Georgian Women’s No. 1 and current Women’s World No. 10. She has represented Georgia in many prestigious team competitions, winning several medals including team gold at the 2008 Chess Olympiad and 2015 World Team Championship, as well as an individual gold at the 2014 Tromso Olympiad. Dzagnidze was also the winner of the 2017 European Individual Chess Championship.
Harika Dronavalli
Harika Dronavalli is a former Indian Women’s Champion, current India Women’s No. 2 and current Women's World No. 13. She has earned multiple medals while representing the Indian national team, winning silver in the 2021 FIDE Women’s World Team Championship as well as bronze in the 2021 FIDE Online Chess Olympiad. Dronavalli’s individual achievements include winning the 2016 Chengdu FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, the 2008 World Junior Girls Chess Championship, and the 2006 Girls U18 World Youth Championship.
Zhansaya Abdumalik
Zhansaya Abdumalik is a two-time Kazakhstani Women’s Champion, current Kazakhstan Women’s No. 1 and World No. 14. She is a two-time girls’ World Youth Champion as well as former girls’ World Junior Champion. Abdumalik was an incredibly accomplished junior player, and has represented Kazakhstan in numerous team events since 2014. In 2021 Zhansaya completed the grandmaster title after scoring 8.5/11 to win the Gibraltar FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, which also left her ranked as high as No. 11 among female players worldwide.
Elisabeth Paehtz
Elisabeth Paehtz is a German grandmaster and No. 1 female player from Germany. She was the 2002 World Youth Champion among girls under-18 and in 2005 won the World Junior Girls Championship. In 2018 Paehtz won the Women’s European Individual Rapid Championship and in December 2022, Paehtz earned the Grandmaster title, becoming the first German woman to do so. Elisabeth’s father, Thomas Paehtz, is also a chess grandmaster.
Bella Khotenashvili
Bella Khotenashvili is a multiple time Georgian Women’s Champion and current Georgian No. 2. female player. She has represented the Georgian national team since 2010, earning a number of medals in various Olympiads and other high-level competitions, including both team and individual gold at the 2015 World Team Chess Championship. Khotenashvili’s peak fide rating is 2531, and she has been ranked as high as No. 8 among female players worldwide.
Gunay Mammadzada
Gunay Mammadzada is a two-time Azerbaijani Women’s Champion and current Azerbaijan No. 1 among women. She achieved a number of successes as a junior which include winning the girls U10 World Youth Championship as well as the girls U8 and U14 European Youth Championship. In 2014, Mammadzada became the youngest Women’s Grandmaster in Azerbaijan history at the age of 14, and has represented Azerbaijan in several prestigious team competitions, earning both team and individual bronze at the 2019 European Team Chess Championship.
Irina Krush
Irina Krush is an eight-time U.S. Women’s Champion and current U.S. Women’s No. 1. Originally from Ukraine, Krush immigrated to the United States at the age of five in 1989, and has represented the U.S. Women’s National Team since 1998, winning team silver in the 2004 Chess Olympiad and team bronze in 2006. In 2013, Krush became the first and only American woman to earn the Grandmaster title.
Anna Zatonskih
Anna Zatonskih is a 4-time U.S. Women’s Champion and former Ukrainian Women’s Champion. She represented Ukraine in two Olympiads before switching to the United States in 2004, winning team silver for the U.S. in the 2004 Chess Olympiad, team bronze in 2006, and an individual gold medal for the second board in the 2008 Chess Olympiad. Zatonskih is currently married to grandmaster Daniel Fridman.