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Mariya Muzychuk

Mariya Muzychuk of Ukraine became women's world chess champion in 2015, when she won FIDE's knockout tournament in Sochi. In the final she beat Natalia Pogonina 2½–1½. The following year she lost the title to Hou Yifan in a match in her hometown of Lviv.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: Krzysztof Szeląg / Wikimedia Commons, 2022. CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and toned.
  • BornSeptember 21, 1992, Lviv, Ukraine
  • CountryUkraine
  • Women's world champion2015–2016
  • In the line of women's championsNo. 15 of 17
  • Highest rating2563 (March 2016)
    Again in April 2019
    FIDE's official lists (from July 1971)

The road to the title

Muzychuk was born in Lviv in 1992. She won the Ukrainian women's championship two years running, in 2012 and 2013.

The title matches

Muzychuk's points come first, then wins (+), losses (−) and draws (=) in the classical games. A tiebreak at faster time controls is given separately.
YearAgainstResultWhere
2015Natalia Pogonina2½–1½
Won the title · the final of FIDE's knockout		Sochi
2016Hou Yifan3–6 (+0 −3 =6)
Lost the title		Lviv

Sochi 2015

In Sochi in 2015 she was seeded eighth of 64. The reigning champion, Hou Yifan, did not take part. Muzychuk reached the final and beat Natalia Pogonina of Russia there, with one win and three draws. The victory also brought her the grandmaster title.

The match with Hou Yifan

In 2016 she was challenged by Hou Yifan in a match in Lviv. Hou Yifan won three games, and the other six were drawn.

Sources

  • Wikipedia: Mariya Muzychuk
  • Chess.com: Mariya Muzychuk
  • OlimpBase: the 2015 knockout and the 2016 title match
  • Wikipedia: Women's World Chess Championship 2015
  • FIDE: Muzychuk's profile and rating history

The facts on this page come from the sources above, checked against each other. Where the sources disagree, only what they agree on is given. The match results are also checked game by game.

Updated November 8, 2026