Vera Menchik was a Czech chess grandmaster and the first Women’s World Chess Champion. She was the dominant female chess player before the war, winning at least 59 games in a row at the Women’s World Championship tournaments. Highlights of her successes against male players included two victories and a positive score in tournament play against Euwe and a positive score in 29 known games against George Thomas, who received the International Master (IM) title. Any master-level players that Menchik defeated were said to be members of the Vera Menchik Club, which included six players who ended up receiving the Grandmaster (GM) title or the honorary equivalent.