Zhao Xue is a highly accomplished Chinese chess player who, at the age of 14, accomplished the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM). Later, in 2008, she earned the title of Grandmaster (GM) confirming her position among the world’s most elite chess players. She has been instrumental in propelling the Chinese Women's national team to top level competitions, including the Women's World Team Chess Championships and the Women's Chess Olympiad.
Born on April 6, 1985, in Jinan, Shandong, Zhao started playing chess at a young age. She represented China on five occasions at the World Youth Championships in various age categories. Zhao Xue's consistent performances in these tournaments led to her being among the youngest women to achieve the WGM title in 1999.
Zhao achieved a major milestone when she won the Corus Chess Tournament, Group C, in 2005. She became China's fourth female grandmaster (GM) in 2008 after drawing with Péter Lékó in the second round of the World Mind Sports Games blindfold event.
Zhao was a part of the gold-winning Chinese team at the Women's Chess Olympiad in 2010. Individually, she won the silver medal for the best performance on board four. Two years later in September 2012, she won the Hangzhou Women Grandmaster Chess Tournament with a round to spare.