Women's World Champion #3
1953–1956, 1958–1962
Soviet Union
Elisaveta Bykova
Won the title twice, with Olga Rubtsova's brief reign sandwiched in between.
Photo: Gerhard Hund · CC BY 3.0
Biography
Trained as an engineer, Bykova beat Rudenko for the title in 1953, then lost it to Olga Rubtsova in 1956 — only to win it back just two years later in 1958.
She held the title for a second time until 1962, when the young Nona Gaprindashvili dethroned her, beginning Gaprindashvili's own long reign.
Playing Style
A precise, technically disciplined player typical of the rigorous mid-century Soviet chess school.
Notable Games
1958 Championship rematch
Bykova's win over Rubtsova to reclaim the title she'd lost two years earlier.
Fun Facts
- She is one of only a handful of champions, in either title line, to win back a title after losing it.
- Her two reigns bookended Olga Rubtsova's title, a rare split unique to this stretch of the championship's history.