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Chess Queens: The True Story of a Chess Champion and the Greatest Female Players of All Time
'Like The Queen's Gambit, this isn't really about chess, but power' Sunday Times What does it take to make it to the top of your game? As a chess champion, Jennifer Shahade has travelled the world playing major tournaments. At the top, she finds rivalry and friendship; sexism and feminism; ecstatic highs and excruciating losses. Chess Queens invites us behind the scenes of this ultra male-dominated sport. We meet today's elite, as well as the pioneering female players in history who fought against the odds to get to the top. An essential guide for all aspiring chess queens, Jennifer's story reveals what it takes to break through the glass ceiling. 'Jennifer Shahade is a brilliant, insightful thinker who never fails to entertain and engage' Maria Konnikova 'An astoundingly intimate, thoughtful and inspirational book by a person who has seen it all from the inside' Angela Saini
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2022
54 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Shahade
7 books18 followersJennifer Shahade is an American chess player, poker player, commentator and writer. She is a two-time United States Women's Champion and has the FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster. Shahade is the author of the books Chess Bitch and Play Like a Girl and co-author of Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Chess.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 5, 2022
From the earliest stars such as Vera Menchik - who had a sweet smile but said “I want to drink men’s blood” - through to the greatest of them all Judit Polgar, this book documents players striving to succeed as part of a a very small minority in a centuries-old game.
For some, chess was a means to travel and have fun, for others, chess was an end in itself.
It’s also a portrait of the chess community, which can be by turns welcoming and bigoted. It’s incredible to see how gender politics can be so persistent in a game that has 64 squares and 32 pieces, none of which know the colour or gender of the owner of the hand that will move them.
A great read
For some, chess was a means to travel and have fun, for others, chess was an end in itself.
It’s also a portrait of the chess community, which can be by turns welcoming and bigoted. It’s incredible to see how gender politics can be so persistent in a game that has 64 squares and 32 pieces, none of which know the colour or gender of the owner of the hand that will move them.
A great read
April 18, 2022
Chess Queens is a remarkable work. In it, Shahade provides careful articulations of the experiences of various female chess players, all while addressing chess culture as a whole. As such, this book is not only an exceptional history but also a much-needed exploration of misogyny, gender norms, and female resilience in the world of chess. As a chess player, I found it both inspiring and refreshing. And as a scholar interested in cultures of leisure and recreation, I found it diligent and well-crafted.
In her introduction, Shahade makes the pertinent observation that "chess can be an aspirational model for our culture" and asks, "what would it be like if we focused more on what people think and the decisions they make, and less on how they look, how old they are, or how much money they have?" But this optimism is grounded in her observation that chess culture has failed to embody this ideal. Throughout the book, Shahade provides engrossing bits of memoir, interesting histories of various female chess players, and new understandings of chess. For instance (page 21):
"But is chess really so like war? In chess, both players begin with armies of precisely the same strength and use only their intellects to express their aggression; in this way, chess is antithetical to war. Women's World Champion Susan Polgar said that when she was four years old, she pictured chess as a 'fairy tale' because her father told her dramatic stories involving the King, the Queen, castles, and romance. If chess is a metaphor for war, it is not war as hell, but war where fairness, females, and rules matter above all."
Seen best in the author's focus on players like Rochelle Ballantyne and Angela Alston, Shahade continues in her work to chart a new path for chess culture, one less focused on traditional narratives of the "great men of history," but one more equal, inclusive, and guided by the voices of women. Chess Queens will assuredly be a book of constant reference for those interested in chess culture.
In her introduction, Shahade makes the pertinent observation that "chess can be an aspirational model for our culture" and asks, "what would it be like if we focused more on what people think and the decisions they make, and less on how they look, how old they are, or how much money they have?" But this optimism is grounded in her observation that chess culture has failed to embody this ideal. Throughout the book, Shahade provides engrossing bits of memoir, interesting histories of various female chess players, and new understandings of chess. For instance (page 21):
"But is chess really so like war? In chess, both players begin with armies of precisely the same strength and use only their intellects to express their aggression; in this way, chess is antithetical to war. Women's World Champion Susan Polgar said that when she was four years old, she pictured chess as a 'fairy tale' because her father told her dramatic stories involving the King, the Queen, castles, and romance. If chess is a metaphor for war, it is not war as hell, but war where fairness, females, and rules matter above all."
Seen best in the author's focus on players like Rochelle Ballantyne and Angela Alston, Shahade continues in her work to chart a new path for chess culture, one less focused on traditional narratives of the "great men of history," but one more equal, inclusive, and guided by the voices of women. Chess Queens will assuredly be a book of constant reference for those interested in chess culture.
March 31, 2022
I pre-ordered Chess Queens and was awaiting its arrival when I got involved in a fractious discussion with its author, Jennifer Shahade, on Twitter. By Twitter standards it was fairly polite, and by the end we had agreed to disagree, but I worried that this might prejudice my feelings towards her book.
Following our exchange I was concerned that the book would be a 'woke' diatribe of militant feminism; it wasn't.
Upon its release I set about reading Chess Queens with an open mind, by the end of the first paragraph I was hooked. I found Ms Shahade's use of language to be a delight, economical, effective and vibrant. She writes in a style that enables her thoughts to be understood effortlessly.
Chess Queens tells the history of women in chess in a clear, unbiased manner. The story of women in chess is rich in content but the author does everything possible to tell it with great energy. At no point did I feel that it pushed a feminist agenda unjustifiably.
I love chess, I love great writing more, and that's why this book is wonderful. If you're not a chess player but would like to learn about the history of the game, there's no better book to read than this, it's just so accessible.
Ms Shahade is an even better writer than she is a chess player.
Following our exchange I was concerned that the book would be a 'woke' diatribe of militant feminism; it wasn't.
Upon its release I set about reading Chess Queens with an open mind, by the end of the first paragraph I was hooked. I found Ms Shahade's use of language to be a delight, economical, effective and vibrant. She writes in a style that enables her thoughts to be understood effortlessly.
Chess Queens tells the history of women in chess in a clear, unbiased manner. The story of women in chess is rich in content but the author does everything possible to tell it with great energy. At no point did I feel that it pushed a feminist agenda unjustifiably.
I love chess, I love great writing more, and that's why this book is wonderful. If you're not a chess player but would like to learn about the history of the game, there's no better book to read than this, it's just so accessible.
Ms Shahade is an even better writer than she is a chess player.
October 31, 2023
Today, I finally received my paperback copy of "Chess Queens," a book I finished some time ago. The e-book alone didn't suffice; I yearned to own a physical copy and feel its pages in my hands. It now takes its place among my most cherished chess books on my desk, serving as an inspiration and resource for my future writings. "Chess Queens" is a fascinating (and sometimes shocking) repository of chess history and profound insights. This essential volume will surely endure, shedding light on what has long been underrepresented in the chess world – the rich history and untold stories of these exceptionally talented women, as well as the unique challenges that female chess players have encountered and continue to overcome. My sincere gratitude to the author for this magnificent tribute to the remarkable chess queens!
October 1, 2022
– what do you like about the game?
– love to whip obnoxious boys
– love to whip obnoxious boys
April 14, 2022
This is an excellent book. Jennifer Shahade is fully invested in the subject of her book, and that personal touch makes this more accessible than just a dry treatise on women in chess. The author intersperses personal encounters, interviews, anecdotes into her narrative of the history and issues relating to gender in chess. There are many thought provoking topics woven into the history and narrative of the players featured.
All in all, I can't recommend this enough!
All in all, I can't recommend this enough!
March 6, 2022
I became impatient waiting for my pre-ordered “Chess Queens” book to arrive, so I downloaded the audible version. This is a book for anyone interested in the human condition. All chess players will be interested in Jen’s reflections on the experience of chess competition, but I honestly don’t think this is a book only for chess players. It’s a book that reflects multi-cultural human experiences - challenges and triumphs, friendships and adversaries. I have so many favorite lines from this book.
I read Jen’s first book “Chess Bitch” twice, shocked that I knew so little about competitive women chess players. As a late-in-life newcomer to competitive chess play I had many questions about the chess community. “Chess Bitch” gave me historical context I had been missing. I wondered how this book would match “Chess Bitch”.
By sharing her experiences and observations Jen has left me with new and unexpected learning.
I read Jen’s first book “Chess Bitch” twice, shocked that I knew so little about competitive women chess players. As a late-in-life newcomer to competitive chess play I had many questions about the chess community. “Chess Bitch” gave me historical context I had been missing. I wondered how this book would match “Chess Bitch”.
By sharing her experiences and observations Jen has left me with new and unexpected learning.
August 29, 2022
Very informative I really enjoyed it!! Plus I got some motivation myself
March 5, 2022
Fascinating and really smart book.
February 20, 2025
WGM Jennifer Shahade's second book is captivating and fresh. Part chess history, part memoir, all fascinating, "Chess Queens" details the victories and defeats of women in the chess world over the last 100 years.
Shahade's tone made a huge impression on me. She presents stunning stories & info about sexism in the chess world -- for instance, ChessBase, one of the most important resources for professional chess players, used to rate female chess players based on how attractive they were -- with dispassion and calmness, almost as if to allow the reader to decide for themselves whether such incidents are acceptable.
The narrative weaves her own stories in the chess world with the stories of many legendary female chess players. This was a little confusing to me on first read, but having read the book again I understand why this was done. The overall arc of the book is organized by themes, and not entirely by chronology -- though this book is also a fantastic overview of the history of female chess professionals.
Shahade's tone made a huge impression on me. She presents stunning stories & info about sexism in the chess world -- for instance, ChessBase, one of the most important resources for professional chess players, used to rate female chess players based on how attractive they were -- with dispassion and calmness, almost as if to allow the reader to decide for themselves whether such incidents are acceptable.
The narrative weaves her own stories in the chess world with the stories of many legendary female chess players. This was a little confusing to me on first read, but having read the book again I understand why this was done. The overall arc of the book is organized by themes, and not entirely by chronology -- though this book is also a fantastic overview of the history of female chess professionals.
February 24, 2022
Excellent overview of the history of women in chess along with plenty of musings on the feminist, cultural, and intellectual place of chess. Would recommend.
May 30, 2022
"For fans of The Queen's Gambit, this is the real life story of a female chess champion travelling the world to compete in a male-dominated sport with the most famous players of all time."
In each chapter, you get beautiful stories of great women ascending the chess world.
If you are interested in chess , just take and read.
In each chapter, you get beautiful stories of great women ascending the chess world.
If you are interested in chess , just take and read.
June 13, 2022
This is really a very delightful and informative book. A great mix of chess history, biography, challenges, and thought provoking analysis. Every chess player should read this and if there was a "Chess Book of the Year" this would be the book.
September 22, 2023
Chess Queens by Jennifer Shahade is an energetic brew of history, anecdote, speculation, and data, resulting in a compendium of biographical sketches of top female players, beginning in the early twentieth century. The author has assembled this collection to raise awareness of the women who had the will to shine in spite of organizational sexism. The book fully succeeds, though exactly how strong these competitors were is at times unclear.
The volume itself is informative and a bit larger than its precursor, Chess Bitch (2005), but if you’ve read that initial foray, this edition won’t add a good deal more. If you haven’t and you’re looking for a review of a hundred years of female champions, this is for you. And the record of many of the mentioned games is a distinct bonus.
Shahade spends much energy discussing administration’s poor handling of women’s ratings and tournaments. For example, she explains that at one juncture nearly all female players were granted an additional handful of rating points. Nearly but not all. The strongest did not receive this boost. Why not? In fact, why do this at all? Similarly, they created separate titles, such as “WGM” – women’s grand master. “Free” points and separate designations accomplish nothing beyond the amplification of sexism, and events are unbiased only when all players are titled and rated using the same methods.
Of note: the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) has changed from offering separate events to providing open and women’s. This approach recognizes that some prefer to avoid competing against men, while others seek the highest level of opponents, which includes both. An interesting difference between bridge and chess is the rank and file of the former is roughly 50-50, but skews to mostly men at the highest level. Many players have offered educated guesses about why, but to no consensus. Both men and women are awarded equally, based solely on the event and are ranked exclusively on performance, a much better solution than cheapening achievements or establishing gender-based titles. Chess should follow bridge’s lead here.
The book does well in the discussions and descriptions of players and their backgrounds and in expressing the challenges women have faced to be treated as equal to men. Kudos to those who have done so successfully and thrived, despite obvious prejudice.
Roughly the final third is dedicated to biographies of less-well-known female pioneers. This is a good section for its diversity of players. The reader comes away with a broad overview of people who in chess have found a way forward in life. In this regard, Shahade has created a strong work that fills a gap in the literature by bringing unfamiliar individuals to the fore and to a degree restoring memory of them.
One small quibble: the editing could have been stronger. The writing itself is in places clunkily repetitive.
If nothing else, this treatise underscores that chess is a great game, an inventive, daring, beautiful game which should be celebrated, not described in terms of the gender of the participants.
Four stars. Notably appealing for aficionados.
The volume itself is informative and a bit larger than its precursor, Chess Bitch (2005), but if you’ve read that initial foray, this edition won’t add a good deal more. If you haven’t and you’re looking for a review of a hundred years of female champions, this is for you. And the record of many of the mentioned games is a distinct bonus.
Shahade spends much energy discussing administration’s poor handling of women’s ratings and tournaments. For example, she explains that at one juncture nearly all female players were granted an additional handful of rating points. Nearly but not all. The strongest did not receive this boost. Why not? In fact, why do this at all? Similarly, they created separate titles, such as “WGM” – women’s grand master. “Free” points and separate designations accomplish nothing beyond the amplification of sexism, and events are unbiased only when all players are titled and rated using the same methods.
Of note: the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) has changed from offering separate events to providing open and women’s. This approach recognizes that some prefer to avoid competing against men, while others seek the highest level of opponents, which includes both. An interesting difference between bridge and chess is the rank and file of the former is roughly 50-50, but skews to mostly men at the highest level. Many players have offered educated guesses about why, but to no consensus. Both men and women are awarded equally, based solely on the event and are ranked exclusively on performance, a much better solution than cheapening achievements or establishing gender-based titles. Chess should follow bridge’s lead here.
The book does well in the discussions and descriptions of players and their backgrounds and in expressing the challenges women have faced to be treated as equal to men. Kudos to those who have done so successfully and thrived, despite obvious prejudice.
Roughly the final third is dedicated to biographies of less-well-known female pioneers. This is a good section for its diversity of players. The reader comes away with a broad overview of people who in chess have found a way forward in life. In this regard, Shahade has created a strong work that fills a gap in the literature by bringing unfamiliar individuals to the fore and to a degree restoring memory of them.
One small quibble: the editing could have been stronger. The writing itself is in places clunkily repetitive.
If nothing else, this treatise underscores that chess is a great game, an inventive, daring, beautiful game which should be celebrated, not described in terms of the gender of the participants.
Four stars. Notably appealing for aficionados.
October 22, 2022
Although I had always known the rules, chess piqued my interest as a professional sport when I was an undergrad student in Chennai during the 2013 world chess championship. Ever since I had gone through phases of immense addiction and complete nonchalance towards chess. I considered myself reasonably well educated on chess history. So I was ashamed to realize how little I knew of the historical women chess players. I knew of hometown heroes Dronavalli Harika and Koneru Hampi, of the Polgar sisters and Hou Yifan, and also the more recent top women players, but I had only a very vague familiarity of Vera Menchik and Sonja Graf. Their rivalry and completely contrasting life trajectories (and personalities) were beautifully brought to life in this book.
Shahade makes the point that rating should not be the only measure of a chess player's importance. One of the most touching profiles was that of a good amateur player who was a stripper and a drug addict who went to jail and now teaches chess.
All these characters will stay with me for a long time. Their delightful eccentricities and idiosyncrasies brought to life in a lucid and fluent prose. In a few deft strokes, Shahade is able to convey the entire essence of a person. There are so many people in this book that I thought it wouldn't be possible to do justice to each of them. I was glad to be so wrong!
Jennifer Shahade herself emerges as a likeable and relatable protagonist. The reader is on her side when she fights back after tough losses, when she wins the US Womens' Championship, when she has difficult interviews to conduct etc, her feelings of awe and respect towards good players (especially close acquaintances like her brother and Irina Krush). A very cool and intelligent presence throughout the book! Highly recommended for all interested in chess! A good bonus of all games at the end of the book for the real chess obsessive.
Shahade makes the point that rating should not be the only measure of a chess player's importance. One of the most touching profiles was that of a good amateur player who was a stripper and a drug addict who went to jail and now teaches chess.
All these characters will stay with me for a long time. Their delightful eccentricities and idiosyncrasies brought to life in a lucid and fluent prose. In a few deft strokes, Shahade is able to convey the entire essence of a person. There are so many people in this book that I thought it wouldn't be possible to do justice to each of them. I was glad to be so wrong!
Jennifer Shahade herself emerges as a likeable and relatable protagonist. The reader is on her side when she fights back after tough losses, when she wins the US Womens' Championship, when she has difficult interviews to conduct etc, her feelings of awe and respect towards good players (especially close acquaintances like her brother and Irina Krush). A very cool and intelligent presence throughout the book! Highly recommended for all interested in chess! A good bonus of all games at the end of the book for the real chess obsessive.
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December 20, 2023Overall, this was an engaging and well written book. Shahade’s experiences both at the chess board and with poker has likely put her front row to a fair amount of bad behavior from the men in those respective arenas and are stories that I think need to be highlighted.
Listening to this in audio was a bonus as it was read by the author and as she is clearly invested, it makes for maybe the best way to read this book. And she uses her platform for a great purpose in talking about individuals who deserve much more attention than they receive. It’s unfortunate that names like Susan and Judit Polgar, Irena Crush and Hou Yifan aren’t as widely spoken of as Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen. And that’s just to name a few.
There were parts of the book that I did check out a little, that seemed mostly a string of recounting tournament and match results and was a bit on the dry side. There were also moments that she describes that I wish she had discussed further - like a conversation she had with chess player at a tournament - a man who, along with his team began joking about how they disliked the US because of how much more strict our rape laws are.
The parts of the book that I felt worked the strongest was when Shahade was using these stories to highlight the importance of having women’s titles and women’s only events. That getting more women to play chess means that young girls need to have positive, supportive environments to play in and they need role models to look up to.
My one quibble with the audiobook was that at times it was hard to tell if it was Shahade speaking or if she was quoting someone. Not a huge issue though. And like I said, some of the sections were a little on the dry side. But overall, this was a great book.
Listening to this in audio was a bonus as it was read by the author and as she is clearly invested, it makes for maybe the best way to read this book. And she uses her platform for a great purpose in talking about individuals who deserve much more attention than they receive. It’s unfortunate that names like Susan and Judit Polgar, Irena Crush and Hou Yifan aren’t as widely spoken of as Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen. And that’s just to name a few.
There were parts of the book that I did check out a little, that seemed mostly a string of recounting tournament and match results and was a bit on the dry side. There were also moments that she describes that I wish she had discussed further - like a conversation she had with chess player at a tournament - a man who, along with his team began joking about how they disliked the US because of how much more strict our rape laws are.
The parts of the book that I felt worked the strongest was when Shahade was using these stories to highlight the importance of having women’s titles and women’s only events. That getting more women to play chess means that young girls need to have positive, supportive environments to play in and they need role models to look up to.
My one quibble with the audiobook was that at times it was hard to tell if it was Shahade speaking or if she was quoting someone. Not a huge issue though. And like I said, some of the sections were a little on the dry side. But overall, this was a great book.
May 25, 2024
National champion player telling the stories of great women players from around the world, some from her own observations and interviews and others from historical research. I couldn't entirely follow the relation to previous edition, but my rough understanding is that she updated/rereleased a book from about 20 years ago to capitalize on the renewed popularity of chess after Queen's Gambit was a big pandemic hit for Netflix.
I know how to play chess and follow big stories approximately every half-century (Fischer/Spassky match in i think 1972 in Iceland; Magnus Carlsen accusing opponent of cheating by getting results of computer analysis of current position wired to him during play, around a year or so ago), but I'm not into it so a lot of the technical description of specific games was beyond me, nor did I necessarily care about all details of the bios of each past star.....
.....but on the plus side, she's a good and engaging writer, and her own story was interesting. Some real characters whose paths through a sexist society/sport made for vivid anecdotes.
I know how to play chess and follow big stories approximately every half-century (Fischer/Spassky match in i think 1972 in Iceland; Magnus Carlsen accusing opponent of cheating by getting results of computer analysis of current position wired to him during play, around a year or so ago), but I'm not into it so a lot of the technical description of specific games was beyond me, nor did I necessarily care about all details of the bios of each past star.....
.....but on the plus side, she's a good and engaging writer, and her own story was interesting. Some real characters whose paths through a sexist society/sport made for vivid anecdotes.
September 12, 2022
This is a timely, welcome, needed treatise on important chess women through the years.
Many of them are not well known but should be, and this is a great step in that direction. The relationship knowledge is first hand. The various characters described are unique and brilliant, quirky and idiosyncratic.
Plus, the writing is colorful, easy to digest, non-technical with regards to the lay public, and understandable. This is not a dry chess book filled with positions, named openings, analyese, and diagrams. Even if you dont play chess, but are interested in the psychology or play contrast, or women's issues, or the worlds of competition that players endure, then this is a unique must read. After you finish, go see The Queen's Gambit !
Thanks Jennifer for a great book. It will comfortably reside right beside John Urschel "Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football". Looking forward to whatever is next.
Cheers
Many of them are not well known but should be, and this is a great step in that direction. The relationship knowledge is first hand. The various characters described are unique and brilliant, quirky and idiosyncratic.
Plus, the writing is colorful, easy to digest, non-technical with regards to the lay public, and understandable. This is not a dry chess book filled with positions, named openings, analyese, and diagrams. Even if you dont play chess, but are interested in the psychology or play contrast, or women's issues, or the worlds of competition that players endure, then this is a unique must read. After you finish, go see The Queen's Gambit !
Thanks Jennifer for a great book. It will comfortably reside right beside John Urschel "Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football". Looking forward to whatever is next.
Cheers
January 1, 2023
Ich habe von dem Buch über Ben Johnsons "Perpetual Chess" Podcast erfahren, es gleich bestellt und dann die letzten hundert Seiten monatelang nicht fertig gelesen: Nicht weil es langweilig war, sondern weil ich nicht wollte, dass es vorbei ist. Jen Shahade legt alles von sich in dieses Buch: Ihren persönlichen Werdegang als IM und US Champion, Erfahrungen mit Sexismus, lustige, traurige und kuriose Anekdoten, Begegnungen mit Spielerinnen wie Kosteniuk und Irina Krush, Studien, Fachdiskussionen, Biographien historischer Spielerinnen usw. Ich habe noch nie ein Buch über Schach gelesen, das so übervoll von Erfahrung und der Lust am Erzählen ist.
Einzig die annotierten Spiele im Anhang hätten eine Kommentierung verdient. Die Auswahl ist sehr interessant, aber ohne Kommentar lädt sie nicht gerade zum Nachspielen ein.
Einzig die annotierten Spiele im Anhang hätten eine Kommentierung verdient. Die Auswahl ist sehr interessant, aber ohne Kommentar lädt sie nicht gerade zum Nachspielen ein.
February 4, 2023
I'm not a chess player (yet?) and I still found this book incredibly interesting. The author is amazingly skilled and helped create a lot of FOMO surrounding chess for me! There were a few terms that were not defined when they appeared in the text, but I read through the definitions in the glossary at the end and that cleared up most of it. I wonder how to best learn the game so that I fall in love with it the same way? I love the parallels between chess and poker in that the bliss is in the focus. I'd recommend this book to anyone. I think I've told my mom to read it about three times already.
February 22, 2023
This book definitely gets a bit dull at times. It tells the life story of a bunch of female chess players I've never heard of, and of course my eyes glaze over hearing over and over what city someone was born in, what age they moved, which chess tournament they won with how many points, etc. But Shahade found enough amusing anecdotes to include that it was worth the read for me, overall. I liked hearing her impressions of the players she'd met in person, as well as her own experiences with the pressure of playing in top chess tournaments.
July 29, 2022
An incredible book for both chess fans and those new to the game.
As a chess player I learned so much more about the women trailblazers who proved they could compete with men. I also enjoyed learning the history and obstacles women like Vera Menchik and Sonja Graf dealt with. It was so easy to read and a fun perk is all the games are included at the end for future analysis for the chess players. Thank you Jennifer for this incredible gem of a book!
As a chess player I learned so much more about the women trailblazers who proved they could compete with men. I also enjoyed learning the history and obstacles women like Vera Menchik and Sonja Graf dealt with. It was so easy to read and a fun perk is all the games are included at the end for future analysis for the chess players. Thank you Jennifer for this incredible gem of a book!
May 7, 2023
What an amazing book! I have played chess on and off throughout my life, even had an elo rating at one point (not very high!) and it was fascinating to read of the many brilliant female chess players, a lot of whom were strong feminists, fighting against the male-dominated chess world. Jennifer writes beautifully, clearly and, at times, humorously and is thoroughly engaging throughout. If you have any interest in chess or feminism it's well worth your time.
December 29, 2022
I very much enjoyed learning about the relatively few women in chess, the professional chess world in general, and the author’s personal journey. I also appreciated learning about the discrimination and misogyny handed to women by many top male players and the chess tournament organizing committees and share the author’s strong disapproval of this. That said, I could have done without the far left political correctness, such as “Columbus’s bloody voyages” (it was 530 years ago, time to move on!), and the whole chapter on the transgender issue, which I side more with conservatives on.
January 27, 2023
I found this book very inspiring and facinating. Lot's to love here. for example this brilliant quote moved me:
"In chess, both players begin with armies of precisely the same strength and use only their intellects to express their aggression; in this way, chess is antithetical to war. " -Jennifer Shahade, Chess Queens
"In chess, both players begin with armies of precisely the same strength and use only their intellects to express their aggression; in this way, chess is antithetical to war. " -Jennifer Shahade, Chess Queens
June 27, 2024
Jennifer Shahade discusses the history if women in chess and the modern progress towards chess equality. Most interesting is her analysis of girls-only chess tournaments and their impact on the growth of young girls. I recommend this book even, and especially, to people who know nothing about chess. You will learn more about Georgian chess players than you ever thought.
June 16, 2022
Chess Queens is a fascinating glimpse into chess history ♟
Not only a brilliant homage to Women grandmasters of the game’s past, but is also bound to serve as inspiration to Chess Queens of the future.
Can’t recommend enough!
Not only a brilliant homage to Women grandmasters of the game’s past, but is also bound to serve as inspiration to Chess Queens of the future.
Can’t recommend enough!
July 3, 2022
I enjoyed Shahade's analysis of great women players in chess. Her insight into the psychology and social systems involved in the world of chess players, particular female players, showed me much about the world of chess played at the highest levels.
January 14, 2024
As Jennifer points out, there's a long way to go to reach any semblance of equality in chess. Thankfully, with voices like hers, steps are being made, and I've been thankful to observe some positive action happening in the last decade.
October 27, 2022
I liked the book, but I wish it had been more focused on the author's experiences than historical figures.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews