Are Women Really Worse at Chess?

For years, people—especially men—have argued that men are simply stronger than women at chess. But is that really true?

In this article, ChessTV.com brings you the scientific side of the story.

Let’s rewind a bit. In 1963, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation interviewed the legendary Bobby Fischer. When asked, “Why do women make bad chess players?” Fischer replied, “They’re terrible chess players. I mean, some are better than others, you know. They never play in men’s tournaments. I don’t know why—I guess they’re just not so smart.” Later in the interview he added, “I don’t think women should mess in intellectual affairs. They should keep strictly to the home.”

Hearing those comments today is jarring, but they reflect the mindset of that era—when women were far from being treated as equals. It’s sad, but not surprising, that Fischer echoed such views.

Fast-forward to 1989. Asked about women in chess during a Playboy interview, Garry Kasparov said:

“In the past I have said there is real chess and women’s chess. Chess is a fight—a big fight. It’s not for women. Sorry. She’s helpless if she has men’s opposition. … There is also the aspect of creativity in chess. You have to create new ideas. Chess is the combination of sport, art and science. In all these fields you can see men’s superiority. Probably the answer is in the genes.”

Statistically, Kasparov wasn’t wrong that few women were at the top in 1989. But looking only at the outcome misses the bigger picture. Across history, women have faced unequal opportunities and barriers that limit participation—chess included. Even in 2025, some cultures still deny women equal rights. When that’s the case, you can’t simply point to ratings and declare that men are inherently stronger at chess. Given the same chances and conditions, women would almost certainly reach much higher levels. We already see signs of this: at the 2025 Swiss Grand, several women entered the Open section and performed impressively.

In a more recent interview, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov noted that none of the world’s top 100 players are women. That’s statistically accurate—but again, it doesn’t explain why.

What Science Says

So let’s look at the science. Are men really more intellectual than women? Are there meaningful differences between male and female brains?

Research is mixed. Some studies find small male advantages in certain tasks, others show women ahead, and many report no significant differences at all. For example, one study found women slightly faster at certain speed tasks while men scored a bit higher in other areas—but the gaps were tiny.

When researchers examined chess specifically, the results were clear. A well-known study (Bilalić et al., 2009) showed that the rating gap between men and women is mostly a numbers game, not a brain difference. Far more men play chess, so it’s statistically more likely that the very highest ratings belong to men—like rolling more dice gives you more chances to hit the top score. The researchers found no evidence that women drop out because of lower ability or that men have special chess-related cognitive skills. Until participation is equal, using today’s rankings as proof of innate male superiority is simply misleading.

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3. Wesley So Resigns in a Dead Draw: A Shocking Turn in Round 2