One of the best things that could happen to the chess world would be to have as many female players as male players in the top class level. Unfortunately, though this is still a ways down the pike, we see indications which make us believe the next generation of women’s chess players will enter the ranks of the elite.

In last week’s column about the origin of the boys’ chess champions, we pointed eastward to Russia and its former possessions as the primary producers of the best players. For the world’s best girl players, again we must point to the east, but this time to two top producing countries: India and China.

From India the two top players are Dronavalli Harika, born in 1991, and Nadig Kruttika, born in 1988. From China, we have Yang Shen, born in 1989, and the youngster, Yifan Hou, born in 1994.

These are the names which very soon will be on the tongues of the chess world. The level of chess  at which these girls play cannot anymore be considered lower than that of their male counterparts.

Today we present an extraordinary illustration of the skills of new junior world champion Yang Shen. Her opponent, the Indian–as if she would be from any other country–Eesha Karavade, could remain competitive until only the 14th move. Every move that followed became a chess exhibition from Shen, who played the opening as a veteran and ended the game with a spectacular sacrifice.

Next week we will talk about the female player who began this revolution, the Hungarian Judit Polgar, an elder stateswoman by comparison born in 1976. She recently won the Essent Chess Tournament after not once, but twice, beating the ex‑world champion Veselin Topalov. Polgar stands as the only female player who has realistic chances to become world champion soon.