Go back
Why so few women chess players?

Why so few women chess players?

Only Chess

2 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

Whenever I play checkers or card games online, I meet a lot of female players. But chess specifically leaves rare occasions when I meet a female player.

Is there something about chess that doesn't appeal to women? Maybe it's because even though the queen is really powerful, she still has to sacrifice herself for the King. 😉

Vote Up
Vote Down

Or just maybe they will be presented, during a game, with a given situation were they do not have ultimate control!!........ my opinion... I'm married with kids............

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Acutally come to really think of it I'm glad there are so few females in this game, they always spoil every sport that blokes love....consider it one of the last bastions of male dominance, say bar Snooker, Motor sport, Golf and armed combat.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Whenever I play checkers or card games online, I meet a lot of female players. But chess specifically leaves rare occasions when I meet a female player.

Is there something about chess that doesn't appeal to women? Maybe it's because even though the queen is really powerful, she still has to sacrifice herself for the King. 😉
Play more games... your sample size is very low

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by thaughbaer
Play more games... your sample size is very low
My "sample size" is my entire life of playing chess.

So by your post, I take you meet female chess players all the time?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Whenever I play checkers or card games online, I meet a lot of female players. But chess specifically leaves rare occasions when I meet a female player.

Is there something about chess that doesn't appeal to women? Maybe it's because even though the queen is really powerful, she still has to sacrifice herself for the King. 😉
Does a girl sitting on your lap while you play count as a female chess player.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
My "sample size" is my entire life of playing chess.

So by your post, I take you meet female chess players all the time?
No. I didn't meet one yesterday.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Is there something about chess that doesn't appeal to women?[/b]
Here's one theory from the field of evolutionary psychology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathizing%E2%80%93systemizing_theory

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Whenever I play checkers or card games online, I meet a lot of female players.
they're ll dudes pretending to be female...

Vote Up
Vote Down

Most people don't play chess at all. It seems to me that a better question is "why do people like to play chess"?

There seems to be something about it that attracts a very small number of people and of that small group most of them are men.

Vote Up
Vote Down

The fourth ranked player on this site is allegedly female.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Thabtos
The fourth ranked player on this site is allegedly female.
That's 1 then. 1/17150... seems fairly good. It's a lot better ratio than those that understand the offside rule.

Richard and Andy

Vote Up
1
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Whenever I play checkers or card games online, I meet a lot of female players. But chess specifically leaves rare occasions when I meet a female player.

Is there something about chess that doesn't appeal to women? Maybe it's because even though the queen is really powerful, she still has to sacrifice herself for the King. 😉
Women's chess is finally getting recognized. It doesn't hurt that many of the female GMs, IMs, etc. are drop dead gorgeous.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by thaughbaer
That's 1 then. 1/17150... seems fairly good. It's a lot better ratio than those that understand the offside rule.

Richard and Andy
🙂

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by vivify
Whenever I play checkers or card games online, I meet a lot of female players. But chess specifically leaves rare occasions when I meet a female player.

Is there something about chess that doesn't appeal to women? Maybe it's because even though the queen is really powerful, she still has to sacrifice herself for the King. 😉
I think there are 2 reasons for the lack of female players.

1. There are so many other things for ladies to do, they simply choose something else. Chess is a low priority.

2. Relationships seem more interesting to ladies than tactics, because of this I don't think chess interests most ladies.