Vera Francevna Mencikova, was a Russian-born Czechoslovak chess player who primarily resided in England. She was the first and longest-reigning Women's World Chess Champion from 1927 to 1944, winning the championship eight times primarily in round-robin tournaments. In an era when women primarily competed against other women, Menchik was the first and only woman competing in master-level tournaments with the world's best players.
After Menchik won the 1926 London Girls' Championship, she gave a 13-board simultaneous exhibition (pictured) at the event, scoring +9–2=2.
Grand Hotel Panhans, the site of the World Championship match between Menchik and Graf in 1937
Menchik had two wins against Max Euwe (pictured in 1945 with his daughter), the World Champion from 1935 to 1937, in four tournament games. For this reason, Euwe was one of the players named "president" of the Vera Menchik Club.
Menchik on a 2001 stamp from Yugoslavia
Chess is a board game for two players. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to distinguish it from related games such as xiangqi and shogi.
Part of a Staunton chess setLeft to right: white king, black rook, black queen, white pawn, black knight, white bishop
Setup at the start of a chess game
A digital chess clock
Public chess tables in the Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris