Brooklyn, NY – 19-Year-Old Becomes Youngest Black Female Chess Champion
Jessica Hyatt, a 19-year-old Brooklyn native, is making history as the highest-rated African American female chess player and the youngest African-American woman to earn the prestigious National Master title. Her groundbreaking achievements are reshaping the face of American chess and inspiring a new generation of young Black girls to pursue the game.
Hyatt’s journey into chess began in the classrooms of New York City through Chess in the Schools, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching chess in underserved communities. What started as a school activity soon evolved into a passion that has propelled her to the top ranks of American youth chess. Her steadily rising rating and numerous wins have already earned her over $40,000 in college scholarships, according to Duchess International Magazine.
– Advertisement –
As a teenager, she stunned older and more seasoned competitors. In 2019, she claimed victory at the New York State Scholastic Championship. By 2023, Hyatt had solidified her standing with a series of accomplishments, including becoming the KCF All-Girls Nationals Champion and a five-time member of the USA National Youth Team. That same year, she held a draw against top-seeded Liya Kurmangaliyeva at the World Youth Chess Championship, despite being rated over 400 points lower.
Hyatt’s ascent gained even more attention when she began defeating grandmasters. In 2021, she defeated Grandmaster Michael Rohde, and in 2022, she toppled prodigy Grandmaster Abhimanyu Mishra—placing her among the very few African-American women to ever defeat a grandmaster.
In 2024, she was ranked the number one 18-year-old female chess player in the United States. She also wowed audiences during a simultaneous exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts, where she won every game she played. Just two months later, she became the youngest African-American woman to earn the National Master title, following closely behind Shama Yisrael, who became the first.
But for Jessica, the mission goes far beyond titles and trophies. She is determined to use her success to mentor and uplift other young women of color in the chess world. In a sport where Black women remain significantly underrepresented, Hyatt wants to be the example that shows what’s possible when talent is met with opportunity.
From Brooklyn classrooms to the global stage, Jessica Hyatt is not just breaking barriers—she’s building bridges for the next generation.
