Hou Yifan

Born on February 27, 1994, Hou Yifan is a distinguished Chinese chess grandmaster and a four-time Women's World Chess Champion. She has made her mark in the chess world not only as a player but also as an academic, currently serving as a professor at Peking University. Recognized as the second-highest-rated female player in history, Hou's journey in chess began at an early age, showcasing her prodigious talent.

At just twelve years old, Hou made history by becoming the youngest player to compete in the Women's World Championship in Yekaterinburg and the Chess Olympiad in Torino, both in 2006. Her rapid ascent continued as she became the youngest Chinese Women's Champion in June 2007. By the age of fourteen years, six months, and sixteen days, she qualified for the title of grandmaster, a record that still stands.

In 2010, Hou clinched her first Women's World Championship title in Hatay, Turkey, at the age of sixteen. She successfully defended her title in subsequent championships held in 2011, 2013, and 2016, achieving an impressive record of ten wins, zero losses, and fourteen draws against three different opponents. Despite her dominance, she opted out of several knockout tournaments in 2012, 2015, and 2017.

Throughout her career, Hou has been a trailblazer for women in chess, becoming the third woman to be ranked among the world's top one hundred players from 2014 to 2016 and again from 2017 to 2022. Following the retirement of Judit Polgár, she emerged as the strongest active female player, maintaining a significant rating lead over her contemporaries. Since September 2015, she has held the title of the world's number one ranked woman, although her activity has diminished since 2018.

In addition to her chess accomplishments, Hou was recognized in the BBC's 100 Women programme in 2017. By 2020, she became the youngest professor at Shenzhen University at the age of twenty-six, later transitioning to Peking University, where she continues to inspire the next generation of chess players.