Hou Yifan

Hou Yifan, born on February 27, 1994, in Xinghua, China, is a chess prodigy and former Women's World Chess Champion. Achieving Grandmaster status at 14, she shattered gender barriers in the male-dominated chess world. Hou became the youngest woman to win the Women's World Chess Championship in 2010, defending the title multiple times. Known for her strategic brilliance and versatility, she has consistently ranked among the world's top players. Beyond chess, Hou is an advocate for women in the game. Her achievements, dedication, and impact on the chess community make Hou Yifan a trailblazer and a symbol of excellence in the sport.

Here are some of her career achievements:

• Participated at the FIDE Women's World Championship in Yekaterinburg and Chess Olympiad in Torino in 2006 as the youngest participant
• Became the Woman Grandmaster in January 2007, and also the youngest National Women's Champion of China, the same year in June
• Became Woman FIDE Master in January 2004
• In August 2008, Hou earned the title of Grandmaster
• Won the Women's World Championship in 2010, held in Hatay, Turkey, making her the youngest Women's World Chess Champion in the history
• Rated amongst the top 100 players in the FIDE rating list in August 2014, and thus became the third woman to be ranked in the list, following Judit Polgár and Maia Chiburdanidze
• Bagged two gold medals one in women's individual and the other in team event at the Asian Games, held in Guangzhou