Nona Gaprindashvili
Who was Nona Gaprindashvili?
Women's World Chess Champion from 1962 to 1978, the first woman to be awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Nona Gaprindashvili (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Nona Gaprindashvili was born on May 3, 1941, in Zugdidi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union. She's a Georgian chess Grandmaster known for her bold and aggressive style and for being a dominant force in women's chess for more than sixteen years. Her career changed perceptions of what women could achieve in competitive chess at the international level, and she became a famous figure both in Georgia and among chess enthusiasts worldwide.
Gaprindashvili started playing chess when she was five. In 1954, she moved to Tbilisi to train with experienced Grandmasters, which greatly accelerated her progress. By 1962, she had become a leader in women's chess, defeating the then women's world champion Elisaveta Bykova in a decisive match to win the title. This victory brought her widespread recognition in Georgia and the Soviet Union. She successfully defended her title four times, three against Alla Kushnir and once against Nana Alexandria, before narrowly losing it in 1978 to fellow Georgian Maia Chiburdanidze.
In addition to the women's events, Gaprindashvili competed in men's tournaments, a bold and uncommon choice at the time. A strong performance at the Lone Pine International tournament earned her a norm for the title of International Grandmaster, and in 1978 FIDE awarded her that title, making her the first woman to earn it. She later regularly competed in the Women's World Senior Championship, staying competitive well into her later years.
Beyond chess, Gaprindashvili was active in Georgian public life. She was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR and later served as president of the Georgian National Olympic Committee. She was also part of the People's Assembly group involved in organizing the 2011 Georgian protests. In 2013, she was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame. In 2021, she sued Netflix for defamation after the series The Queen's Gambit incorrectly stated she had never competed against men. Netflix settled the lawsuit in 2022.
Throughout her career, Gaprindashvili received numerous honors for her sports achievements and public contributions. These include the Order of Lenin in 1966, the Medal for Distinguished Labour in 1965, the Order of the Badge of Honour in 1985, the title of Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR, the Silver Olympic Order in 1996, the Presidential Order of Excellence in 2015, and Georgian state honors like the Order of Queen Tamara, the Order of Vakhtang Gorgasali, and the Order of Honour.
Before Fame
Gaprindashvili was born in 1941 in Zugdidi, a city in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, during a time of great upheaval in the Soviet Union due to the Second World War. She started playing chess at the age of five, showing both natural talent and benefiting from the strong chess culture in the Soviet Union, where the game was heavily promoted by the state to showcase intellectual achievement.
In 1954, when she was thirteen, she moved to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, to train with experienced Grandmasters. This competitive environment improved her skills quickly. The Soviet chess system, which focused on finding and nurturing talented players, provided a clear path for her progress. Within less than ten years after her move, she had defeated the current women's world champion and claimed the title herself.
Key Achievements
- Women's World Chess Champion from 1962 to 1978, defending the title four times
- First woman in history to be awarded the FIDE title of International Grandmaster (1978)
- Inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame in 2013
- Recipient of the Order of Lenin (1966) and multiple Soviet and Georgian state honors
- Successfully sued Netflix for defamation in 2022 over misrepresentation of her competitive record
Did You Know?
- 01.Gaprindashvili began playing chess at age five and moved to Tbilisi at thirteen specifically to train under Grandmasters, an unusual degree of early dedication for the era.
- 02.She defended the Women's World Chess Championship title on four separate occasions across sixteen years, three times against the same opponent, Alla Kushnir.
- 03.In 2021, she sued Netflix for defamation after The Queen's Gambit series described her as a player who had never faced male opponents, which was factually false; Netflix settled in 2022.
- 04.She was the first woman in history to be awarded the FIDE title of International Grandmaster, receiving it in 1978, the same year she lost the women's world title.
- 05.Gaprindashvili served as president of the Georgian National Olympic Committee and was awarded the Silver Olympic Order in 1996 in recognition of her contributions to Olympic sport.
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of Lenin | 1966 | — |
| Order of the Badge of Honour | 1985 | — |
| Medal "For Distinguished Labour" | 1965 | — |
| Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR | — | — |
| Presidential Order of Excellence | 2015 | — |
| Order of Queen Tamara | — | — |
| Order of Vakhtang Gorgasali | — | — |
| Order of Honour | — | — |
| Silver Olympic Order | 1996 | — |