The Case for Investing in Women’s Chess: Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders

Photo coursey of Tima Miroshnichenko.

The Case for Investing in Women's Chess

Across the world, women in sports continue to face deep disparities in pay, visibility, and opportunity - and the chessboard is no exception. Despite its recognition by the International Olympic Committee as a sport, chess remains an overlooked arena in the broader conversation about women’s athletics. The Case for Investing in Women’s Chess explores this gap - uncovering the cultural biases, systemic barriers, and missed opportunities that have long shaped the landscape of women’s chess. Drawing on decades of history and current research, the report makes a clear argument: investing in women’s chess is not just a matter of equity, but of potential. By elevating women in chess, we elevate the next generation of leaders - strengthening communities, advancing gender equality, and redefining what it means to compete, think, and win.

The Classification of Chess as a Sport

The classification of an activity as a sport often hinges on its demand for skill and physical effort. In this context, chess fits the definition of a sport, as affirmed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which officially recognizes chess as a sport.

Although chess does not require the same type of physical exertion as traditional sports like football, tennis, or basketball, it does demand significant physical endurance. Professional chess players must maintain high levels of concentration and mental focus over extended periods, which are physically demanding. Therefore, physical fitness is crucial for players to sustain their energy levels and mental sharpness during long and intense tournaments.

Chess involves extensive training and mental endurance. Players engage in rigorous preparation, studying various strategies and practicing regularly to refine their skills. The competitive nature of chess is further reinforced by its structured organization. Chess competitions follow strict rules, employ ranking systems, and feature professional players, much like other recognized sports.

In conclusion, the skills, training, and organizational structure inherent to chess solidify its status as a sport. Recognizing chess as a sport acknowledges the dedication and physical and mental demands placed on its players, aligning it with other esteemed competitive activities.

The Current State of Affairs for Women in Sports

The disparities women face in sports are profound and multifaceted, encompassing financial, infrastructural, and media-related inequalities. Despite the growing popularity and success of female athletes and teams, women's sports remain significantly underfunded and underrepresented.

One of the most glaring issues is the financial disparity. Women athletes often receive substantially lower pay than their male counterparts, both on and off the field. This pay gap is evident in prize money, salaries, and bonuses across nearly all sports. For example, in 2019, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation, highlighting that they were paid less than the men's team despite having superior performance and higher revenue generation.

Sponsorship and endorsement opportunities for female athletes are also disproportionately low. Currently, women's sports receive less than 1% of global sponsorship dollars. This lack of financial backing limits the ability of women's sports to grow and develop. Ironically, research has shown that sponsors of women's sports teams often see better returns on their investments compared to sponsors of men's sports teams. This suggests a significant untapped potential for brands willing to invest in female athletes and teams.

Media coverage further exacerbates these disparities. Women's sports receive a fraction of the coverage that men's sports do, often relegated to secondary channels or off-peak times. A study by USC and Purdue University found that in 2019, only 5.4% of sports media coverage was dedicated to women’s sports. This lack of visibility not only limits the opportunities for female athletes to gain recognition and build their brands but also affects the public's perception and interest in women's sports.

The conditions and facilities available to female athletes often lag behind those provided to men. Reports of subpar training facilities, inadequate medical support, and insufficient travel accommodations are common. For example, during the 2021 NCAA basketball tournaments, there was widespread criticism of the stark differences between the facilities and resources provided to the men’s and women’s teams.

To address these issues, there needs to be a concerted effort to allocate more resources to women's sports. This includes increased financial investment, better media coverage, and equitable treatment in terms of facilities and support. By doing so, not only will we promote fairness and equality, but we will also unlock the immense potential that women’s sports hold, benefiting athletes, fans, and sponsors alike.

Women’s Chess Faces Similar Disparities as Women in "Traditional" Sports

Women in chess face many of the same challenges as women in traditional sports, including historical exclusion, gender bias, lack of support, and unequal opportunities, but these connections are rarely discussed in the larger conversation of women in sports.

Historically, women have been excluded in the chess community. Until the early 1900s, women were generally not permitted to join chess clubs, despite chess being a popular pastime for women leaders, like Queen Elizabeth I. Once allowed in, women were segregated and only allowed to compete against other women. It wasn't until trailblazers like Vera Menchik, the first Women's World Chess Champion, competed in top-level tournaments in the late 1920s that women began to break these barriers. Despite these advancements, women in chess continue to face disparities and challenges similar to those faced by women in other traditional sports.

Cultural expectations and biases significantly impact women's participation and progression in chess. A study by the American Psychological Association found that parents and coaches believe girls have less potential to succeed than boys in chess. Jennifer Shahade, two-time United States Women's Champion and Woman Grandmaster, attributes the lack of support for women in chess as contributing to the significant drop-off in girls participating in chess around the ages of 12 and 13. Shahade broke the #MeToo movement in chess and left US Chess in 2024 after they failed to handle sexual assault allegations by another US Chess Grandmaster. Similarly, Judit Polgar, widely considered the greatest female chess player of all time, has spoken about societal and parental influences that weaken the desire of young female chess players to improve. This cultural bias often results in women competing only in all-women tournaments rather than open tournaments, limiting their opportunities for growth and recognition.

Sexism continues to plague the chess community. Susan Polgar, Hungarian-American chess grandmaster, has described the sexism in chess and has continuously reported encountering belittling comments about her abilities, opponents refusing to shake hands, and online harassment questioning her place in chess. Polgar stated, “One of the reasons why many girls drop out of chess after a certain age [is due to sexual assault]. I’ve faced it all in my 50+ years in chess, from verbal/mental/physical/sexual harassment/abuse to being blacklisted by various chess organizations for speaking out….Women continue to be discriminated against and harassed.”

Negative comments from prominent male players have also contributed to this environment. Chess grandmaster and America’s only World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer once dismissed female players as "terrible," and in 2015, FIDE’s Director of Chess Development Nigel Short claimed that men performed better in chess because they were "hard-wired" differently.

Furthermore, geopolitical and cultural factors also affect women in chess. Players like Dorsa Derakhshani, Mariya Muzychuk, and Nazi Paikidze refused to participate in specific chess events because they were required to wear hijabs and submit to forms of oppression.

The lack of investment and sponsorship in women's chess parallels the situation in women's sports. FIDE tried to make progress with a large sponsorship deal for women’s chess in 2021, but instead of drawing on the experiences of top female players and asking for feedback and engagement, FIDE partnered with Motiva, a breast enlargement company. While chess has seen some progress, such as the largest-ever sponsorship deal for women's chess announced by FIDE in 2021, women’s chess remains significantly underfunded compared to men’s chess. This disparity limits the resources available for female players to train and compete at the highest levels.

In 2020, Ashley Lynn Priore wrote an article for Ms. Magazine titled “The Queen’s Gambit Does a Lot Well. Portraying Being a Woman in Chess Isn’t One of Them.” The article critiques The Queen’s Gambit for its portrayal of women in chess, noting its artistic brilliance but highlighting its shortcomings in reflecting the real experiences of female players. Priore describes how the show idealizes women's experiences in chess, writing, “speaking from my own experience as a female chess player, some men are going to pick up the board, throw it in your face and call you a creative name that begins with a B.” Polgar supports Priore’s sentiments stating, “what Beth Harmon had to face (in terms of sexism) is like a Sunday picnic compared to what I had to face for decades.” The Queen’s Gambit was written, produced, and directed by men, and the showrunners declined offers from Polgar to advise on the series production. What could have been a turning point for women in chess turned into a disappointment.

Elevating Women in Chess - Advocating for Equal Coverage and Empowerment

Women in chess deserve equal attention and empowerment efforts similar to those in traditional sports. For too long, female chess players have confronted historical exclusion, cultural biases, sexism, and unequal opportunities. Effecting meaningful change demands a unified approach to foster gender equality, ensure equitable support and resources, and dismantle entrenched cultural barriers hindering women's advancement in both chess and conventional sports.

This pivotal juncture underscores the importance of integrating chess into discussions about women in sports, recognizing its unique capacity to empower women across athletic domains, both physical and strategic.

Chess holds immense power as a tool to empower athletes and individuals across all levels of sports and business by fostering strategic leadership and critical thinking skills. This is why Queenside Ventures, in its inaugural year, has successfully partnered with NFL teams to leverage chess for developing essential skills needed to excel both on and off the field. The organization’s innovative approach and specialized curriculum provide individuals with a distinct advantage, enhancing their problem-solving abilities, decision-making processes, and mental agility.