My Sincere Opinion On Women’s Titles And Tournaments
Hello ladies and gentlemen,
While the phrase above sounds balanced, in chess it rarely is. Today, I would like to share my thoughts with readers on women-only titles and tournaments. Are they necessary? Are they fair? Do they help integrate girls and women into the game, or do they create segregation and hinder development?
As a woman who has played chess and practiced judo since childhood, I believe I can contribute to this gender-related social debate with some personal experience. However, I will not only try to share my thoughts on the matter but also provide you with information and perspective to help you form your own opinion after reading everything.
And yes, this title is just clickbait. I am tired of recommended YouTube videos with titles like 'My sincere opinion on [polemical topic]', which make me expect something disruptive, unexpected, or even shocking. In the end, though, it is just a normal opinion that anyone out there could have. Well, it is not a lie, just disappointing.
But I hope my blog will not leave you disappointed. Let’s start!
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Table Of Contents
3. Harassment and Safety Considerations
4. Scientific And Data Perspective
5. Counterarguments And Criticism
6. Conclusion - And Finally, My Personal Opinion
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Before we begin the discussion, let me briefly explain what the women’s titles and women-only tournaments are. As you probably know, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) awards official lifetime titles based on ratings and performances. These are equally achievable for both genders. They are, in hierarchical order:
- Grandmaster (GM)
- International Master (IM)
- FIDE Master (FM)
- Candidate Master (CM).
However, there is also a parallel track of titles exclusively for women, which have lower rating requirements than their open counterparts: These are the Woman Grandmaster (WGM), Woman International Master (WIM), Woman FIDE Master (WFM), and Woman Candidate Master (WCM).
Many people are confused by this. I hope you now understand that a WGM is not simply a grandmaster who is a woman. These are different titles. We could say that the level required to become a WGM is roughly equivalent to that needed to become an FM, but this is just an estimation, not something direct.
Women's tournaments work similarly. There are open events where anyone can play, as well as competitions that are exclusive to female players.
Important: Although there are restricted tournaments, the Elo ratings are not tracked separately. They are calculated based on their overall results, regardless of opponent or tournament type.
And why were they created? That's a good question.
Historically, chess was almost entirely male-dominated, a scenario that has changed somewhat, but not significantly. With very few women competing at an international level, FIDE introduced women's titles in the 1950s and 1970s, with the aim of encouraging greater female participation by providing more achievable milestones. It could also help to increase visibility, with more women appearing on lists of titled players.
The Women’s World Championship dates back to 1927, when Vera Menchik became the first champion, decades before the ladies became commonplace in open events. Additionally, this blog by @AstroTheoretical_Physics contains some interesting information about the first women’s tournament ever held: Breaking Barriers, Checkmating Stereotypes, One Move at a Time.
From now on, the central point we will debate in this article is whether these measures empower female players by creating role models, or whether they reinforce the idea that women cannot succeed on the same terms as men. Perhaps they made sense at the time, but are no longer useful?
This tension lies at the heart of current discussions about gender and chess. Let's now explore the personal experiences and views of professional and amateur players.
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In my opinion, the greatest benefit of having tournaments for girls only is that they are especially good for kids and teenagers.
I remember joining the chess club in school, where I was one of only three girls. A few months later, before my first competition, I asked my mom why there were separate open and girls' tournaments. I could understand this for judo, but I was annoyed that there was something similar for a mind sport. So, the stubborn Leticia joined the open section.
This was one of my biggest regrets. While my other two female colleagues made new friends, talked to girls from other schools, and had more fun, I was kind of isolated among the boys. Keep in mind that some degree of gender segregation in friendships is quite natural at this age.
Making friends is vital. If girls feel more comfortable in that environment, they will surely be more likely to continue playing, regardless of the results. Personally, I would have preferred to finish in a worse position at a girls' tournament than to reach the podium among the boys.
Female competitions also increase visibility and representation. They create role models, even if they are the same age, as well as safe spaces that build confidence. To help me out, I asked two of my chess friends to share their thoughts. Now, let's hear Alina Bakhtina, from Ukraine, and Vanessa Bristow, from New Zealand.
@Alina_Bakhtina_24:
Women's tournaments are a special atmosphere; I immediately remember many pleasant stories. There is support, no unnecessary tension, and girls often share their experience, advice on the game 🙂. Women's competitions help to believe in yourself and see that there are many of us in chess.
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@VOB96:
Definitely! Children need to feel like they're part of a group to develop their social skills and become more confident adults. Making friends who like the same things is essential. If I didn't know any other girls who played chess, I probably would have given up early on, unconsciously thinking it was just for boys.
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As you can see, despite being from different cultures, they both share similar points of view.
This proves that no matter where you live, whether in chaos, a country with a chess tradition, or Middle-earth, it's extremely important to give girls the opportunity to discover friends with similar hobbies, especially in areas where they are clearly in the minority.
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3. Harassment and Safety Considerations
It is time to address the thorniest issue of all, but one that cannot be ignored.
I think we can discuss it in more detail than the general information available elsewhere. As everyone knows, sexual harassment of women in predominantly male environments is a major problem, even in developed countries.
Therefore, I would like to share two personal stories, one of my own and one of my good friend, Denise, who kindly agreed to let me share her first name with my readers.
My story happened in 2009, when I was 16 years old. I was playing in an informal tournament at a shopping mall, nothing serious or official. The purpose was just to have fun. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
During one of the rounds, my opponent, who was two years older, kept winking and blowing kisses at me after every single move. It was so annoying that I had to call the organizer and report him.
The reaction from both was to tell me that I shouldn't take it so seriously and that it was just innocent fun. Hearing this, even from the person who should have been looking out for everyone's well-being, made me immediately leave the table and go home.
I have no idea what happened after that or how the tournament ended. All I know is that what was supposed to be a fun, lighthearted day turned into an unpleasant experience, keeping me away from chess competitions for some time.
Denise also shared a brief but interesting story about a similar issue she had experienced in the past.
I was 17. Before one of the rounds, my next opponent put his hands on my shoulders, started massaging me, and said he was doing it so I could “relax before the game.” I don't think I've ever felt more uncomfortable. Unfortunately for my opponent, my father was with me, and he was almost arrested for violence against minors because he really wanted to destroy that kid.
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So, women-only events can certainly mitigate risks and foster safer environments for us, especially when men involved have little to lose if they are caught.
I do understand that this kind of problem is likely better controlled in adult tournaments with professional players, but it still happens even at this level. For example, you can see it here: Top International Arbiter Banned For Sexual Harassment During Major Tournaments.
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4. Scientific And Data Perspective
Another important topic to discuss when talking about women's chess tournaments is the results and performances, especially when compared to men.
What does science say about this? Are there inherent differences in playing ability supported by biological factors, or are the differences due to social issues? What else could explain the rating gaps? What studies have been conducted to demonstrate and understand this phenomenon?
Now, let's explore some key articles and statistical analyses to help us better understand it.
The first one I found was written by Philippe Chassy, a professor at the University of Liverpool, UK. His mathematical research concluded that, although males outnumber females and have higher average Elo ratings, an analysis of performance as a function of gender and age reveals that females tend to equal males in average rating and proportion.
In summary, he concludes that performance differences among adults may be due to participation rates or developmental pace rather than inherent ability. Here is the link to the full article: Gender Differences: The Chess Delusion.
Another study, conducted by Merim Bilalić, showed that the gender performance gap largely corresponds with the smaller number of female players. On average, the disparity in top ratings could be statistically explained by differences in sample size: Why are (the best) women so good at chess? Participation rates and gender differences in intellectual domains.
But for me, the most interesting thing is perhaps this: Experimental research revealed that women underperform compared to expectations when they know they are playing against a man. The difference is impressive, around 100 Elo points below their expected level.
Meanwhile, their performance improves significantly if they are unaware of the opponent’s gender or are told that the opponent is female. Read more about it here: Gender, competition, and performance: Evidence from chess players.
And certainly, the analysis cannot focus solely on the performance of adult women without considering their journey to that point. According to reports by the American Psychological Association, coaches and parents often underestimate the potential of female youth chess players compared to male players with similar skills: Checking Gender Bias: Parents and Mentors Perceive Less Chess Potential in Girls.
Evidently, the fewer girls who are encouraged to reach the highest levels, the fewer elite players we can expect. Furthermore, if coaches and parents underestimate them, it is only natural that they will not have the same confidence when they reach adulthood.
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5. Counterarguments And Criticism
To finish this post, it is important to consider counterarguments and hear from those who oppose it, particularly the many professional female players who have publicly expressed their disapproval.
Therefore, instead of writing a lot by myself, let's make this section about quotes. We will start once again with Alina and Vanessa.
@Alina_Bakhtina_24:
In open tournaments, everything is different: opponents are stronger, the fight is more difficult, but that is where I feel real progress. In my opinion, it is always harder to play with boys/men than with girls.
I believe that women's tournaments are necessary, especially for beginners, so that they do not get lost in the chess world. But for development, participation in open tournaments is extremely important.
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@VOB96:
If you truly want to progress in any field, you cannot limit your opponents to only 50% of the population. Even in physical sports, elite women train against men to improve, so chess should be no different.
Although women-only tournaments are good for integration, playing in open competitions is essential.
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Of course, the opinions of some of the best female players in history must be heard, too. For example, the 2008 Women’s World Chess Champion, Alexandra Kosteniuk, believes that women-only tournaments are important.
The most serious challenge for top-rated female chess players in general is to find commercial sponsors or institutional support. Having both Open and Women’s divisions enables them to earn money that helps them continue their professional pursuits.
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WGM Natalia Pogonina has another point of view:
You just can’t obtain the norms, no matter how well you perform, unless there is a certain percentage of Grandmasters among your opponents. And where would you get those in a female tournament?
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Regarding women's titles, IM Irina Krush once said:
I don’t see their benefit. Women’s titles are really a marker of lower expectations.
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And of course, we cannot finish without hearing from the Polgár sisters. They argue that having separate titles implies that women can’t compete on the same level, which reinforces harmful psychological limits.
Women are as capable as men. If a woman wants to succeed, she must put in the same amount of work and make the same amount of sacrifices [as men]. There is no other way around it. There are no excuses, and there should not be.
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I might have never become a chess grandmaster if I’d stuck to women-only tournaments.
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6. Conclusion - And Finally, My Personal Opinion
Okay, now finally to the part that probably made you click on this post. My sincere opinion. Perhaps attentive readers could infer it from the arguments presented throughout the text, but it is still important to state it explicitly.
For me, women-only events at the youth and teenage levels are really helpful in building confidence, social skills, and participation in the sport. Therefore, I strongly support them.
However, when a game becomes a profession rather than a hobby, it is time to face the real world, baby. I am against women's tournaments and titles at the professional level. While I understand their importance in the short term, I am convinced that they also hinder women’s chess development in the long term.
Shocking? Maybe, but I wrote over 2,000 words explaining why. If you disagree, please do so respectfully.
Although always open to discussion, I believe today that its existence negatively affects equal standards. Furthermore, it seems contradictory to me to separate women into an exclusive category in a sport where we insist that we can perform just as well as men.
After all, what kind of chess scene do we want in the future? I think we all want to see men and women compete on equal terms for the highest stakes, with perhaps five representatives of each gender in the top 10. The growing pains may be intense, but it is necessary to step out of the comfort zone and start this process right away.
That’s it, dear readers! I have shared my thoughts, and I would love to hear yours, too. Do you agree with me? Or do you think I'm missing important points? If you disagree, why? Let's have a healthy discussion in the comments section. That's the fun part of writing polemic stuff!
See you next time!
