The people behind the game
Vera Menchik
The first women’s world champion. Her dominance established a new stage for women in international chess.
- Born
- 1906
- Died
- 1944
- Country connections
- Czechoslovakia / England
At the board
The games. The ideas.
Explore classic encounters and championship battles. Play every move, or jump straight to the moments that tell the story.
1931 · Hastings 1931–32 · Round 2
Menchik defeats a future champion
Menchik’s victory over Euwe at Hastings 1931–32 is a notable encounter between the women’s champion and a future open champion.
Read the position
Every move sets the scene.
Use the controls to explore the full game, or select an annotated moment below. Each explanation describes the position immediately after its highlighted move.
Complete move list 56 moves
The journey
A remarkable path.
Menchik was born in Moscow and moved to England in 1921. She competed in international events against leading male players as well as dominating the women’s championship. The Women’s Chess Olympiad team trophy bears her name. [1]
From the photographic archive Explore the championship record →The championship record
Time with the crown.
- 1927–1944Women’s world championship
Reigns are periods of title ownership, not a count of championship victories. Open-ended reigns reflect the record checked on 18 October 2026.
From the archive
A life in photographs.
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Sources & credits
Biographical details and title records checked . Country connections describe the player’s career and background, rather than a live federation listing.
Portrait: Unknown photographer (Underwood & Underwood) · Public domain. Displayed in monochrome and cropped.
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