Women & chess: FIDE’s mission to bridge gender gaps

During the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, the Women’s Commission hosted the „Women & Chess & Balance“ conference—a gathering dedicated to exploring how chess can drive gender equality and empower women both on and off the board

The event brought together experts, advocates, and chess professionals from around the globe, tackling the multifaceted challenges women face in the chess world while also offering forward-thinking solutions that extend beyond the game.

Leontxo García, the renowned Spanish chess commentator and author, hosted the conference, guiding an audience through an intense day of presentations, panels and discussions.

Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Deputy Chair of FIDE’s Management Board, opened the conference with a powerful message on FIDE’s commitment to supporting women in chess and beyond. Reizniece-Ozola, who also served as Latvia’s Minister of Finance, spoke candidly about her experiences navigating male-dominated fields.

„I see it as my personal mission and very much FIDE’s mission to improve women’s chess… We want to encourage young women chess players not to stop their active chess careers“.

Reizniece-Ozola emphasized FIDE’s mission to enhance opportunities for women in chess, notably focusing on increasing female participation in the Olympiads and reducing the prize gaps between open and women’s events.

Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the Women’s Chess Commission, added to this by highlighting efforts to integrate more women into chess roles outside of playing—encouraging participation as organizers, arbiters, and even media professionals.

The National Female Team Initiative

TrisAnn Richards, President of the Saint Lucia Chess Federation, introduced the National Female Team Initiative, aimed at increasing the number of female teams participating in major chess events. The initiative was launched to tackle disparities between male and female representation in the Olympiads, citing a 2022 statistic where only 151 female teams competed compared to 188 male teams. By identifying structural issues like funding and lack of female players, the initiative seeks to secure more investment in women’s chess, elevating its status worldwide.

Managing your mate: Aruna Anand’s view

Aruna Anand, wife and former manager of five-time World Chess Champion Vishy Anand, shared personal insights about the unique challenges of managing both a family and a world chess champion. An advertising professional by education, she was the manager of her husband and five-time world champion, Vishy Anand.

Her reflections on balancing personal and professional life resonated deeply with attendees, showcasing how even in the fast-paced world of professional chess, family support is pivotal.

ChessMom: A game-changer for female players with children

For the first time ever at a chess Olympiad, mothers of newly born/young children were able to bring them, alongside with an accompanying person, to be with them during the competition. This is thanks to the ChessMom project launched last year, initiated by Cruz Arce, Francisco J. (Puerto Rico) who explained how a team member from his country ended up missing an event because she had a child.

„I thought – how many players have we lost because of this… We want to mitigate the impact on female players – so they have an accompanying person with them. These five players who came to the Olympiad [in Budapest] are a message we are sending.

„What’s next? We want this to increase and not be limited only to the chess Olympiad. We want the federations to be involved as well. America is the first one to do it. In November, we have the female continental tournament, and we want to spread the word and have other nations join this effort“.

Round table on work-life balance

Judit Polgar, the strongest female chess player in history, shared her experiences during a round table discussion on balancing family life and a professional chess career.

Speaking about her challenges as a mother and a chess player, Polgar explained how becoming a parent impacted her chess career and life: „Everything changed when my son was born. We wanted him very much. I started to play more relaxed [after that]. In the first tournament after having a baby, I understood that a chess tournament can be a relaxation. „Priorities completely changed, but I felt much better – like a complete person. Chess was very important for me but not as before. When I was not cooking and dealing with the kids, then I was focusing more on chess. I became more efficient, I guess“, Polgar said.

Gender equality and the „motherhood penalty“ in chess

Australian Grandmaster David Smerdon, an economist and FIDE WOM member, shed light on the existing gaps in chess performance between men and women.

Citing scientific papers and research data, Smerdon pointed out that the gap between women and men in event participation is narrowing but noted a high-performance gap. The reasons for this, according to research cited by Smerdon, are – social stereotypes, differences in attitudes towards risk between men and women but, also, the „motherhood penalty“ – where the data showed that women chess players lose ELO when they give birth, while the ELO remains the same for male players who have just become parents.

Smerdon said that there is „a lot of research in the field“ and that there are still many unanswered questions in this field.

Chess for peace: Empowering refugees through the game

Ukrainian WGM, photographer, commentator, and journalist Anastasia Karlovich shared moving insights into her work with refugees from Ukraine and the Kakuma camp in Kenya, focusing on how chess has provided solace and empowerment to girls affected by war. She emphasized that chess, beyond being a game, became a therapeutic tool, offering a sense of control and mental discipline during times of chaos. In particular, five participants from Ukraine who came to Hungary for the event shared their stories. These girls spoke of how chess gave them not only a mental escape but also a source of strength and confidence in an uncertain world.

Photos: Denis Burko