Are Men Really Better at Chess?

Have you ever wondered why chess is so male-dominated, even though it’s a mental game? I have. Chess is a mental sport, so you might think that men and women would be equal, right? Interestingly, no.

Chess is a male-dominated sport, although there have been women who have broken through the barriers, such as Judit Polgar, who, at her peak, was ranked 8th in the world. She was the first and only woman to break into the top ten in the chess world. We’ll discuss more on her later, though.

The under-representation of women in chess became apparent as chess tournaments grew in popularity. There were simply more men playing in tournaments than women. The ratio of men to women in tournaments raised concerns that many talented women would not be able to showcase their skills and compete on a level playing field. This issue was addressed, and the solution was gender-separate tournaments. This allowed some of my favorite female chess players to showcase their remarkable skills.

Another huge problem is how societal expectations and cultural norms influence girls' and boys' exposure to chess. Boys are often encouraged to engage in activities that challenge them intellectually, like chess, while girls are directed toward more social or creative activities. I had the privilege of being raised with four older brothers who all knew how to play chess, although I wasn’t really into it. But even with a family who played chess, I wasn’t encouraged to play. This reflects a larger cultural issue where chess is often considered a "man’s game," discouraging girls from taking an interest in it.

Men’s and women’s brains are also wired differently. A Stanford study showed that, on average, women tend to have better reading comprehension and writing skills than men. They also perform better than men in tests of fine-motor coordination. Plus, they're quicker at retrieving information from long-term memory.

On average, men tend to be better at juggling things in working memory. They also have stronger visuospatial skills, meaning they’re better at visualizing what happens when a complex shape is rotated in space, figuring out angles from the horizontal, tracking moving objects, and aiming projectiles. Men might just be able to visualize chess moves more accurately based on how their brains are wired.

This is a game from 2002 where none other than Garry Kasparov and Judit Polgar played each other. In this specific game Judit Polgar with the white pieces, claimed the victory over Garry Kasparov, who played with the black pieces.  In many chess games, women have managed to outplay even some of the best players

We, as chess players, should try and remedy this problem by encouraging women of all ages to learn this beautiful game. I, for one, would love to see a woman in the 2025 SCC.

I hope you enjoyed reading this!

“Chess is a battleground, and the pieces are the soldiers. But remember, it’s not just about winning the battle; it’s about winning with grace and sportsmanship.” – Hou Yifan

“In chess, as in life, a good move can lead to success. But sometimes, it’s the unexpected moves that bring the greatest victories.” – Judit Polgár

Judit Polgar and Hou Yifan