Vera Menchik

Vera Menchik, born in Moscow to a Czech father and English mother, inherited a knack for strategic thinking that she applied expertly to the chessboard. She became the first Women's World Chess Champion in 1927 and held the title until her death in 1944, winning every single championship she entered. Her dominance was so complete that the women's division of the Olympiad was informally known as "Menchik's Team."

Her prowess wasn't limited to women's tournaments; she regularly competed against and defeated many of the strongest male players of her time, including future World Champion Max Euwe and Grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky. At one tournament, a male player jested that anyone she defeated should be inducted into the "Vera Menchik Club" – a club whose membership quickly grew to include many prominent male grandmasters.

Despite her undeniable talent and enduring legacy, Vera Menchik remained firmly outside the Tribe. Her family lineage and personal history show no trace of Jewish heritage, nor did she ever identify with Jewish culture or religion. She was, in fact, "definitively not Jewish but interesting," as the fellow said, proving that even a non-Jew can be exceptionally good at chess, which, let's be honest, is a bit of a shocker.