Chess Quotes-Women

Women

I was labeled as a tricky player early on and have been regarded as tricky throughout my whole career. It was said that I was able to pull out tricks from nowhere.  -  Judit Polgar

When men lose against me, they always have a headache ... or things of that kind. I have never beaten a completely healthy man!  -  Susan Polgar

If cunning alone were needed to excel, women would be the best chess players.  -  Adolf Albin

During the late Victorian period the majority of chess magazines printed increasing numbers of humourous stories, poems and anecdotes about the agonies and idiocies of women chess players, presumably as an antidote to the alarmed reaction of men to the fact that women were encroaching on their 'territory'.  -  British Chess Magazine

… the woman who grows up with the idea that she is simply to be an amiable animal, to be caressed and coaxed, is invariably a bitterly disappointed woman. A game of chess will cure such a conceit forever. The woman that knows the most, thinks the most, feels the most, is the most. Intellectual affection is the only lasting love. Love that has a game of chess in it can checkmate any man and solve the problem of life.  -  Charles Dickens

There can be no finer example of the inspiring powers of competition to shatter the status quo than Hungary's Judit Polgar.  - Garry Kasparov

Thanks to the Polgars the adjective 'men's' before events and the 'affirmative action' women's titles such as Woman Grandmaster have become anachronisms (though thay are still in use).  -  Garry Kasparov

If there were a 1:1 ratio of women and men in the chess world I would agree that all tournaments should be integrated. But a lot of women feel alienated at these mixed events, so it’s positive to have occasional all women’s events.  -  Jennifer Shahade

We see no objection to ladies entering the tournament by correspondence but should recommend them to use the name of some male relative ( a father or a brother), unless her opponent is a lady also. Many ladies are clever chess players, and good housewives too.  -  1865  -  reply to reader of Household Chess Magazine

I could give any woman in the world a piece and a move; to Gaprindashvili even, a knight.  -  Bobby Fischer

Fischer is Fischer, but a knight is a knight!  -  Mikhail Tal

Can you imagine the relief it gives a mother when her child amuses herself quietly for hours on end?  -  Klara Polgar

I have always felt that Judit was a relatively slow starter, though she is extremely motivated, diligent, hard-working, and disciplined towards her goals in chess and in life.  -  Susan Polgar

If we talk about pure abilities and skills, I believe there should be no reason why women cannot play as well as men.  -  Susan Polgar

What we need are lots of girls who aren't as good as us, who'll treat us with the proper respect and reverance.  -  David Norwood

Thanks to the Polgars the adjective 'men's' before events and the 'affirmative action' women's titles such as 'Woman Grandmaster' have become anachronisms (though they are still in use). (2007)  -  Garry Kasparov

http://www.chessquotes.com/topic-women

Excellent quotes. Thanks, Sarita...!!

That quote by David Norwood sounds tongue-in-cheek.  I wonder if he's ever commented on it.

very nice :)

Haha, it actually sounds really deep the more I think about it. I think his point is that it's hard to know what really goes into high level chess if you haven't struggled with tournament chess yourself -- a novice will not be able to tell the difference between a grandmaster and a 1500 for example.

So I guess David wants the best of both worlds: he wants women to appreciate chess, but only enough so that they can appreciate him, and not so much so that they are better at chess than him

Women want equal rights, to be treated as equals, to be treated as men. Then don't complain when we do treat you as such. 

Tartakower also had one like this:

"I have never defeated a healthy opponent."

I have found this to be true of all competitive pursuits, not just chess.

"Then don't complain when we do treat you as such."

Well said.

Yeah I think it's a more general thing. Although there probably are too many men who use chess as a basis for their "manhood," unfortunately.

To gain a woman's respect in chess, you have to beat her.

-William Hartston.

Well, I've got a 4-inch king, so I don't feel inadequate.