Hou Yifan Becomes World Champion

Hou Yifan, a 16-year-old chess player from China, became the youngest world chess champion on Friday, toppling a record held since 1978.

Ms. Hou defeated another Chinese player, Ruan Lufei, in the final of the Women’s World Chess Championship, which was held in Antakya, Turkey.

Maia Chiburdanidze of the Republic of Georgia had previously held the record for youngest champion. She won the title in 1978, when she was 17, and held it until 1991, when she was defeated by Xie Jun of China.

Ms. Hou is the fourth women’s world champion from China, following Ms. Xie, who was champion from 1991 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2001; Zhu Chen, 2001 to 2004; and Xu Yuhua, 2006 to 2008.

Record Set for World’s Youngest Chess Champion