The Chess Equity Project

About The Chess Equity Project

Amplifying women’s voices and supporting increased participation of girls and women in chess.

Publisher

Scott Walsh

Category

leisure · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Mar 2026

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Chess As Recovery, with Chess Maidens Founder Esmeralda

   Esmeralda is the founder of the Chess Maidens Club. We discuss how she overcame personal challenges to create a welcoming space for women in chess, and also advice she has for other women who are thinking of doing the same. https://www.instagram.com/chessmaidensclub/ (https://www.instagram.com/chessmaidensclub/) https://www.threads.com/@chessmaidensclub (https://www.threads.com/@chessmaidensclub) Get in touch with Esme and the Chess Maidens directly at: chessmaidensclub@gmail.com (mailto:chessmaidensclub@gmail.com) 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Esmeralda's background and challenges 02:12 The birth of the Chess Maidens Club 05:07 Overcoming fears and building community 08:35 Creating a welcoming environment for women 15:30 Advice for aspiring club founders #ChessMaidens #WomenInChess #ChessCommunity

2. 

   2 Oct 2026

   Oases of Peace: Charlotte H of Lichess

   Charlotte H is most well-known as the creator of the Lichess Horsey (and many of its variants). She also works behind-the-scenes at Lichess and provides a special perspective on the chess world. One of her duties is to moderate the Lichess Discord server and in that capacity is on the front lines to see and deal with all manner of problem behaviors there. In this interview, we discuss gender issues in several contexts: the possible differences in (and causes of) poor behavior online versus in person, whether Charlotte is optimistic about the future of women in chess, and possible improvements to the community and ways to create oases of peace for women in the game. Charlotte can be reached through her Lichess account: http://lichess.org/cham (http://lichess.org/cham) One of many posts about Elizabeth Spiegel: https://en.chessbase.com/post/elizabeth-spiegel (https://en.chessbase.com/post/elizabeth-spiegel) Link to the “Checking Gender Bias” paper: https://chessequityproject.com/checking-gender-bias-parents-and-mentors-perceive-less-chess-potential-in-girls (https://chessequityproject.com/checking-gender-bias-parents-and-mentors-perceive-less-chess-potential-in-girls) Womyn’s Land: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Womyn%27s_land (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Womyn%27s_land) Invisible Pieces: Women in Chess (Lichess Blog) - https://lichess.org/@/Lichess/blog/invisible-pieces-women-in-chess/X9i1gRUA (https://lichess.org/@/Lichess/blog/invisible-pieces-women-in-chess/X9i1gRUA) 00:00 Introduction 07:38 Am I more than my rating? 11:02 Working with Lichess 19:41 Normalizing women in chess 28:19 Improvements 32:20 What are you most proud of? 34:59 Shout out to Harry! 40:22 Women's Only Events 45:26 Advice for Women 52:34 Conclusion

3. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Aiming Higher, with IM Rose Atwell

   7 year-old Rose Atwell recently earned the IM title and will be representing the US in the upcoming chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This interview focuses less on her over-the-board success and more on her experiences as a young woman in chess. She discusses how she met her "chess friends," who her role models have been, what it's like to be supported by parents and coaches, and how she hopes others will see her. Rose does feel like she is an advocate for women in chess, but she also says that not every woman needs to advocate vocally, and that sometimes "playing tournaments and crushing people" is enough. Rose's interview with WGM Sabrina Foisor on the Class in Session podcast:    • 🎙️ Class in Session | IM-elect Rose Atwell   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6YiEvust3k) Rose's interview with GM Mauricio Flores Rios:    • How Chess Prodigies Train: Rose Atwell (2390)   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w-JQbZUIRs) Rose's interview on the Perpetual Chess Podcast: https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new (https://www.perpetualchesspod.com/new)... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUM4Zm9rUUdfc0dpeTJyZ1pSZWo2dGlEeXdJcHxBTl9pYzRjd2V3UWpNZFJiVnRyOXBxVFJGTUo0NTVTNXo2SjN3WG9lWTl5R3I4bE1ONUkyZFBoamZHVjgwUjAxUHBSWEVKWWU4M1pZR0VYNzc3M0t1Yy1ZNUR6UlcxcVlYMXJ5&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perpetualchesspod.com%2Fnew-blog%2F2026%2F6%2F30%2Fep-489-im-elect-rose-atwell-on-discipline-improvement-and-chess-psychologynbsp&v=ztHMQQuv2Nw) Cairns Chess Queens $100,000 Award: https://new.uschess.org/news/saint-lo (https://new.uschess.org/news/saint-lo)... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUM4Zm9rU1V2MGVmR3h4a2w1UEdMUXlhNUItdnxBTl9pYzRkem80RU0ySUtZbG5JdkNFT1J0S1NqWkRndzBwZXNVVnBDbFhXNXV4eTFOQUVRbWVab3BpcUM0S3lGcXZWeEtVY1BEV0swVUNySDMtWHVRZnFUaXMyVHd2bWR0c2VL&q=https%3A%2F%2Fnew.uschess.org%2Fnews%2Fsaint-louis-chess-club-announces-cairns-chess-queens-award&v=ztHMQQuv2Nw)

4. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Leading By Example, with Teacher and Author Jessica Martin

   Jessica Era Martin is the author of four chess books and founder of the Over the Chessboard school in Charlotte, NC. In her playing days, she was ranked as the #1 woman in NC and in the Top 100 women in the US. She has been a chess instructor for over 20 years and started out training with Chess-in-the-Schools in NYC. Jessica is the past Vice President of Scholastic Chess of the North Carolina Chess Association (NCCA). She was a weekly author for http://chesskid.com (http://chesskid.com) from 2010-2015. More importantly, she cares deeply about her students and about making the chess world a better place. She continues to advocate for equity in chess, and with her background in creative writing, does so both with well-chosen words and by being a fantastic example of a leader in her community. The Truth About How Much Women Talk — and Whether Men Listen https://time.com/4837536/do-women-rea (https://time.com/4837536/do-women-rea)... Ms. Martin's books are available through Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/ (https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/)... Ladies Knight interview with WGM Jennifer Shahade: https://new.uschess.org/news/ladies-k (https://new.uschess.org/news/ladies-k)... Ms. Martin’s articles on http://ChessKid.com (http://ChessKid.com) (as BoundingOwl): https://www.chesskid.com/learn/articl (https://www.chesskid.com/learn/articl)... 01:13 Introduction 02:47 Chess is for everyone 07:10 Proud moments 12:44 Experiences of dropping out and returning to chess 16:42 Gender-based challenges and safety concerns 20:51 Stereotype threat and cultural influences 38:00 Language, words, and perception 39:35 Women's titles and events 50:21 Modeling inclusive behavior for children 55:51 Future of chess and gender equity 01:03:38 Books!

5. 

   3 Jul 2026

   Good Vibes Only: Teacher and Writer Kamryn Hellman

   Kamryn Hellman is a YouTuber and writer that produces excellent educational chess content, and also runs a local girls' chess club. Her channel has helped thousands of people make improvements to their game, and she does it while keeping the channel and community positive and welcoming (with help from her strict ban hammer). Kamryn's energy and hustle have propelled her from zero to 2000 chesscom (http://chess.com) rating. She started playing after the Queen's Gambit, gained her rating, and then built her channel while also attending graduate school through Harvard Extension. To improve chess, Kamryn recommends: Adding at least one additional (lower) open title - perhaps at 2000 FIDE - to replace women's-only titles, and Providing a genuine disincentive for misconduct by increasing discipline for harassers Links: Website: https://kamrynheidi.com/ (https://kamrynheidi.com/) Substack: https://kamrynheidichess.substack.com/ (https://kamrynheidichess.substack.com/) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kamrynheidi (https://www.youtube.com/@kamrynheidi) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamryn.heidi (https://www.instagram.com/kamryn.heidi) Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/kamrynheidi (https://www.twitch.tv/kamrynheidi) BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/kamrynheidi.bsky.social (https://bsky.app/profile/kamrynheidi.bsky.social) 00:43 Introduction 04:13 Being a Woman in Chess 08:28 Teaching and Leadership 12:43 Role Models and Mentorship 21:42 Growth Despite Adversity 26:50 Goals 30:30 Women's Titles and Sections 35:37 Ideas for Improvement of the Community 41:04 Optimism 46:28 Fitness 51:30 Balance

6. 

   28 Jun 2026

   Passion and Positivity: WCM Maddie Weber

   WCM Maddie Weber - known online as madchess - exudes positivity and optimism about chess. She began competing at age 10 and has continued through high school and through her undergrad program at NYU. Having just finished her Bachelor's, she continues to compete and coach chess while working on her Master's in Accounting at NYU's Stern School of Business. She is most well-known for streaming in Washington Square Park, where she is one of the "family" of chess hustlers there. Now even a punch to the face from a random man can keep her away from there! To improve chess, Maddie recommends: doing whatever we can to keep girls playing through high school - time of girls' well-known "adolescent drop-off," eliminating women's-only sections at tournaments and replacing those awards with Women's Prizes for top women in the open section, OR rescheduling women's only sections so they do not conflict with the open section. That way strong women are not faced with conflicting incentives. reminding women to aim high! Maddie's link: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maddieplayschess (https://www.tiktok.com/@maddieplayschess) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddieplayschess/ (https://www.instagram.com/maddieplayschess/) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maddieplayschess (https://www.youtube.com/@maddieplayschess) Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/maddieplayschess (https://www.twitch.tv/maddieplayschess) To best support Maddie, be positive about chess! 00:00 Introduction 03:18 Education and Making It All Work 06:24 Gaining Confidence 08:48 The Unique Experience of Female Chess Players 10:25 Chess is a Cheat Code for Young Women 12:07 Community and Support in Chess 14:32 Washington Square Park 18:21 Positive Vibes and Trash Talk in Chess 20:28 The Jobava! 22:23 Teaching 24:32 The Gender Disparity 27:10 The Debate on Women's Titles in Chess 37:10 Embracing Engagement: The Fun in Hate Comments 42:37 Building a Supportive Community in Chess 44:46 The Healing Power of Friendship in Chess 46:09 Inspiring the Next Generation of Female Players 49:03 Brainstorming Solutions 56:11 Maddie's Proud Moments 01:00:16 Shout Out to Maddie's Mom 01:01:16 Conclusion

7. 

   27 Jun 2026

   "Hot Girls Play Chess": Spotlight on TikTok creator Kiera G

   Kiera G is an amateur player, community builder, and creator of "Hot Girls Play Chess." In this interview, she shares how she’s leveraging TikTok to inspire more women to pick up the game, challenge stereotypes, and create supportive spaces for everyone. Kiera's journey from casual player inspired by "The Queen’s Gambit" to a content creator advocating for gender equity offers a powerful insight into how media, community, and small actions can drive change. To improve chess, Kiera recommends making clubs and tournaments feel more welcoming to newcomers, increasing accountability for inappropriate behavior, and creating more opportunities for women to connect and support one another. Links: Hot Girls Play Chess: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotgirlsplaychess (https://www.tiktok.com/@hotgirlsplaychess) Women In Chess Foundation, Advocacy Initiative: https://www.womeninchess.com/programs/advocacy-initiative/ (https://www.womeninchess.com/programs/advocacy-initiative/) ClubChess, https://www.clubchess.co/ (https://www.clubchess.co/) Andrea Botez Coach ad (WITH KIERA’s HAND!): https://www.tiktok.com/@coach/video/7447184933774282014 (https://www.tiktok.com/@coach/video/7447184933774282014) Sara Herman YT: https://www.youtube.com/@zefcatt (https://www.youtube.com/@zefcatt) I couldn't find one exact reference for the idea that we should lose our first 100 games as quickly as possible. It turns out it is a common saying, like adapted from the game Go. I may have heard it from Noel Studer but can't be sure. Here's a link to his channel anyway: https://www.youtube.com/@GMnoelstuder (https://www.youtube.com/@GMnoelstuder)

8. 

   18 Jun 2026

   The Policy Change That Decreased the Gender Gap by 200 ELO, with Dr. (and FM) Jose De Sousa

   Dr. Jose De Sousa, a FIDE Master and renowned labor economist, discusses how a simple but profound rule change in the French chess league sparked tangible progress. In this episode, Jose shares the surprising results from over 35 years of data on gender quotas in French chess. The mandate of one woman per team increased female participation both at top levels and across the community. It also dramatically improved women’s performance and closed approximately 2/3 of the gender gap between 1990 and 2018. His research, conducted with Stanford’s Muriel Niederle, highlights that quotas can motivate clubs to train and retain women, creating a ripple effect across the community. This episode is perfect for anyone passionate about gender equity. If you believe structural change requires more than just good intentions and want to understand how targeted policies translate into real-world success, this is a must-listen. WIM Chaudé de Silans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chantal_Chaud%C3%A9_de_Silans (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chantal_Chaud%C3%A9_de_Silans) Prof. De Sousa's paper, "Trickle-Down Effects of Affirmative Action: A Case Study in France": https://chessequityproject.com/trickle-down-effects-of-affirmative-action-a-case-study-in-france (https://chessequityproject.com/trickle-down-effects-of-affirmative-action-a-case-study-in-france)

9. 

   24 May 2026

   Women Play Worse, Men Won't Resign: How Chess Stereotypes Mess With Our Heads with Dr. Maria Cubel

   The legacy of the infamous "Vera Menchik Club" is alive and well in the psyches of modern male chess players. Dr. Maria Cubel’s research reveals that behavioral and psychological factors, likely fueled by stereotypes and social expectations, are driving women to underperform when facing men. Why do men wait longer to resign against women? And how do societal biases subtly influence every move? In this interview, we dive into Dr. Cubel’s empirical analysis of chess data from over 58,000 games, revealing that men unconsciously play longer and with more confidence against women - again, likely motivated by deep-seated stereotypes and social pressures. These factors have been at play from the beginning of strong female players and negative attitudes have been perpetuated through the generations. Dr. Cubel discusses how changing narratives and institutional reforms can help bridge participation gaps, and why solutions must involve everyone - men, women, and the systems that shape their interactions.

10. 

    25 Apr 2026

    Quantitative Economist Julia Francesca Engel, April 2026

    The conversation covers Julia Engel's journey from the US to Germany, her chess background, and the inspiration behind her research. It discusses her analysis of Titled Tuesday data, psychological responses to failure, feedback, gender differences, stereotype threat, and its psychological impact. The conversation delves into the challenges of extrapolating chess performance results to the general population, the psychometric normalcy of chess players, the impact of gender stereotypes on performance, and the economics of resource allocation in chess. It also explores the role of visibility and role models in chess, as well as the selection and stereotypes in competitive fields. Takeaways Psychological responses to failure differ between men and women. Feedback intervention can influence women's willingness to compete and their performance. Extrapolating chess performance results to the general population is challenging Visibility and role models play a crucial role in chess Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 06:33 Chess Background and Research Inspiration 12:45 Psychological Responses to Failure 24:29 Stereotype Threat and Psychological Impact 29:33 Selection and Stereotypes in Competitive Fields 43:27 Visibility and Role Models in Chess

11. 

    22 Mar 2026

    Introduction to the Chess Equity Project

    Women make up a fraction of competitive chess players and an even smaller fraction of top players. This project will educate the chess community on the reasons behind the gender gap (spoiler alert: it isn't ability), amplify women's voices, and make recommendations to eliminate the gap.

Contact The Chess Equity Project

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.