Women's World Chess Championship 1959

The 1959 Women's World Chess Championship was won by Elisabeth Bykova, who successfully defended her title in a match against challenger Kira Zvorykina.

1959 Candidates Tournament
The Candidates Tournament was held in Plovdiv in May 1959 and won by Zvorykina, who earned the right to challenge the reigning champion Bykova for the title.


 * {| class="wikitable"

! !! Player !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! Points !! Tie break
 * + 1959 Women's Candidates Tournament
 * - style="background:#cfc;"
 * 1 || Kira Zvorykina || - || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 11½ ||
 * 2 || Verica Nedeljković || ½ || - || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 10½ ||
 * 3 || Larissa Volpert || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 9½ ||
 * 4 || Salme Rootare || ½ || 0 || ½ || - || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 9 || 54.00
 * 5 || Edith Keller-Herrmann || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || - || 0 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 9 || 53.50
 * 6 || Milunka Lazarević || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || - || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 8 ||
 * 7 || 🇭🇺 Eva Ladanyike-Karakas (HUN) || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || - || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 7½ ||
 * 8 || Valentina Borisenko || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || 1 || - || 0 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 7 ||
 * 9 || Olga Rubtsova || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || - || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 6½ ||
 * 10 || Kveta Eretova || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || - || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 6 ||
 * 11 || 🇺🇸 Gisela Kahn Gresser (USA) || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 5½ ||
 * 12 || Elfriede Rinder || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || - || 0 || ½ || 0 || 4½ || 33.75
 * 13 || 🇷🇴 Maria Pogorevici (ROU) || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || - || 1 || 1 || 4½ || 20.50
 * 14 || 🇧🇬 Paunka Todorova (BGR) || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || - || 1 || 3½ ||
 * 15 || 🇦🇷 Soledad Gonzalez de Huguet (ARG) || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || - || 2½ ||
 * }
 * 9 || Olga Rubtsova || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || - || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 6½ ||
 * 10 || Kveta Eretova || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || - || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || 6 ||
 * 11 || 🇺🇸 Gisela Kahn Gresser (USA) || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || - || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 5½ ||
 * 12 || Elfriede Rinder || 0 || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || ½ || - || 0 || ½ || 0 || 4½ || 33.75
 * 13 || 🇷🇴 Maria Pogorevici (ROU) || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || - || 1 || 1 || 4½ || 20.50
 * 14 || 🇧🇬 Paunka Todorova (BGR) || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || - || 1 || 3½ ||
 * 15 || 🇦🇷 Soledad Gonzalez de Huguet (ARG) || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || - || 2½ ||
 * }
 * 13 || 🇷🇴 Maria Pogorevici (ROU) || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || - || 1 || 1 || 4½ || 20.50
 * 14 || 🇧🇬 Paunka Todorova (BGR) || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || - || 1 || 3½ ||
 * 15 || 🇦🇷 Soledad Gonzalez de Huguet (ARG) || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || - || 2½ ||
 * }
 * 15 || 🇦🇷 Soledad Gonzalez de Huguet (ARG) || 0 || ½ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || - || 2½ ||
 * }

1959 Championship Match
The championship match was played in Moscow in 1959. Bykova won comfortably and retained her title.


 * {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! Total
 * +Women's World Championship Match 1959
 * align=left | Elisabeth Bykova
 * 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || ½ || 8½
 * align=left | Kira Zvorykina
 * style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 4½
 * }
 * style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 4½
 * }