Jessica Hyatt, 19, has become the youngest Black woman to earn the National Master title in chess, making history as the highest-rated African American woman player to date.
Hyatt, who learned chess through Brooklyn’s Chess in the Schools program, has accumulated notable achievements including winning the New York State Scholastic Championship in 2019 and becoming KCF All-Girls Nationals Champion in 2023. She also represented the USA as a five-time member of the National Youth Team.
In addition to her titles, Hyatt is among the few Black women to defeat grandmasters, overcoming Michael Rohde in 2021 and Abhimanyu Mishra in 2022. By 2024, she ranked as the top 18-year-old girl chess player in the U.S. and later secured her National Master title that same year.
Hyatt’s accomplishments have earned her over $40,000 in college scholarships. She continues to represent and create opportunities for Black women in chess.
