The Hidden Gender Bias in Chess

Imagine two people sit on opposite sides of a table — the only thing separating them is a small, checkered black and white board. Each of them intently stares at the board, contemplating what their next move is– to go for an attack? Or no, to defend? The weight of the game rests upon this moment, and each player understands that it is going to be a close match. 

I bet you imagined two men sitting across from each other, with their backs hunched over the board. So, why do you immediately only imagine men? Well, if you’re unfamiliar with the game of chess and have only seen a few of the big, flashy names — Magnus Carlson or Garry Kasparov — you may have realized that nearly none of the “popular” players are women. 

There is an overwhelming majority of male players, especially competitively – it’s a fact. Aliya Saldanha Suri ’27, a competitive chess player and member of the chess club, said, “I don’t remember the last time I played a girl who wasn’t at an all-girls tournament.”