The pawns are moving in favor of gifted Black women, and Jessica Hyatt is leading the charge. At just 19, this Brooklyn phenom is now officially the highest-ranking African American female chess player in history. Read more inside because this news is Black girl magic.
It all started early for Hyatt. At 15, Jessica clinched the New York State Scholastic Championship U/1800 division with a perfect 6-0 record. She went on to rack up wins as the 2023 KCF All-Girls Nationals Champion and became a National USA Youth Team regular—joining the squad a whopping five times. According to National Black Lawyers, her early talent, hustle, and a $40,000 college scholarship from the Daniel Feinberg Success in Chess Award showed everyone she was destined for more.
Now, she’s making history. Jessica just earned her National Master title, reaching a peak rating of 2007. This officially makes her the highest-rated African American woman ever in U.S. chess. She didn’t stop there. In 2021, she beat Grandmaster Michael Rohde. In 2022, she took down young GM Abhimanyu Mishra—a feat that very few African American women have accomplished.
Then, 2024 was another banner year for the young talent. Hyatt ranked as the #1 rated 18-year-old girl in USCF, and she hosted a flawless simultaneous exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts—winning every game. By August, she had made history again by becoming the youngest African American woman to earn the National Master title, just weeks after another legend-in-the-making, Shama Yisrael, earned hers.
What’s next? Jessica isn’t just racking up accolades. She’s building legacy. She’s among the top 30 rated women in the country, pushing past 2200 points according to recent reports. Jessica garners the attention of the entire chess world. More than her rankings, Hyatt’s journey from Brooklyn’s Chess in the Schools programs to national arenas is inspiration on every board.
Congrats on a historic win, Jessica!
