Just noticed that all of my current nine opponents are guys... and I would say that about 80% of the games I've played, both online and in real life, have been against men.

My questions are, and be honest here, what are your opinions on female chess players? Do you underestimate a lady opponent? Just, in general, do you have any views at all on the subject?

i do not under estimate ANY opponent.

The bigger question may be - Why are their so few women chess players?

Do you have any theorys?

An earlier thread...

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/the-status-of-female-players-in-chess?page=1

The one is about the status of female players in chess overall. I know firsthand that there are many cool women players on this site, and if you'd like to meet some of the coolest ones I know, just ask. They're around. 

No offense or anything like that

Men are made to be logical (according to science)

Chess is a logical game... 

Generally females are not interested in sport!

Worse still the game that requires one to sit down and analyse moves before playing....................CHESS!

You are one of the few ladies that enjoy this game like a men do!

We shall continue recruiting more female chess players so that you should be a reasonable number on this site.

For now you are stuck with us males and you are invited for the game!

Kim,

 that is my ex's name hehe, I taught her to play within the year she was beating me and my buddy. Him and I incidently played every friday night for hours by the way. love a hot yet smart woman. (period!)

Reb,

I find even more interesting than why European (and Asian) women are more attracted to chess (than American women),  which most always comes down to  social  or  societal  reasons,  is the fact (which you indicated)   that where there are fewer players in any particular category,  the play is generally weaker and where there is a greater percentange in that category, the play is stronger.   That almost always comes down to numbers.   And numbers trickle up in a receeding fashion (because winning is encouraging and losing is discouraging),  so the closer to the top of the heap, the lower the percentage.

To add controversy to the isuue  -   it's obvious to me that men,  who who use the assumption of their naturally logical thinking process as an argument for a reason for why so few women play chess or at the top of the chess heap,  belie their own initial assumption.   In other words,  it's a self-defeating argument.

I think few women played chess - earlier - because they saw the game as a "male" game...it was more men that were playing the game.. and it was a game associated with "men"... like rugby... the more girls/females are exposed to the game, the more they realised it's a brilliant game to play! I was involved in chess teaching - to kids - and they all had this idea that it's a "boys" game... only if you they realised it's a "brainy"-game and not a "boys"-game...they took up the challenge to play it and to get better at it! I'm still sometimes involved in children-chess and some of the girls are really far better than some of the boys... in their way of thinking... (no offence to the men here! ......) Women also had "better" things to do ...than "sitting around playing a game"... their interests are different and I think they used to think it's a waste of time to site playing a game like monopoly instead of going shopping!  it has nothing to do with logical thinking... that men are better at it than women... I don't think enough has been done to expose the game to girls at an early stage!

I'm afraid all the women will read this topic , leave the kitchen and start playing chess

that's what my hubby is "complaining" about...

Relax mate , I was just kidding ... I guess humor is not easily conveyed online :P

I remember that,at school and university,girls who liked numbers,maths,physics and chemistry were a minority.They preferred history,literature,Latin,Ancient Greek,which I was never eager to study for long.The exceptions confirm the rule and you are one of them.In my country the percentage of men among the people who study to become kindergarten teachers is less than 1%!!!They are exceptions which confirm the general rule.I am a man and I love maths and physics,I love calculations.Maybe those people who are the exceptions are more interesting(?).

Generally,men have different talents from women,as one of my friends says(psychology degree).We are also different regarding our psychology,reactions,way of thinking.That is why I am looking forward to marry a woman.The better half,the companion, is the supplement we are all looking for.Motherhood is superior to fatherhood,but both are needed by children.

I'm sorry,I've said enough,besides it's a chess site here.

TalFan wrote:

I'm afraid all the women will read this topic , leave the kitchen and start playing chess

I think men and women can both enjoy the game equally although probably a higher percentage of men find the gme interesting than women . I think also women are attracted to the game for different reasons , ex. women like to socialise with their opponents more than men etc . Interestingly I read that when S. Polgar plays she likes to look for the combinations that are pretty and prefers them to the more aggresive straight forward types that majority of males would pick .