The 1956 Women's World Chess Championship was won by Olga Rubtsova, who became the fourth women's champion.
Instead of her playing the defending champion Elisabeth Bykova, however, FIDE decided that the championship would be decided between the top three female players: Rubtsova, Bykova, and Lyudmila Rudenko, ex-champion and loser of the last title match.
The Candidates Tournament was held in Moscow in October 1955.
Rubtsova won narrowly, only half a point ahead of her closest competitor.
The three players each played 8-game mini-matches against each other, with Rubtsova eventually clinching the title.