Women’s in chess: definition and usage

Women’s

Definition

In chess, “Women’s” is an adjectival label used to denote events, titles, rating lists, and competitions that are restricted to female players. Examples include the Women’s World Championship, Women’s Candidates Tournament, and titles such as Women’s Grandmaster (WGM) and Women’s International Master (WIM). The parallel “Open” category in chess is not gender-restricted and is open to all players.

Usage in Chess

• Titles: FIDE awards women-specific titles—WGM, WIM, WFM, and WCM—alongside the gender-neutral titles (GM, IM, FM, CM). The women’s titles have lower rating and norm thresholds, designed to broaden access and recognition within the female player pool. See also WGM and WIM.
• Championships: The Women’s World Chess Championship crowns the female world champion. Its challenger is determined by the Women’s Candidates Tournament. Cycles have included matches and knockouts at different times.
• Team Events: There is a Women’s section at the Chess Olympiad, with national women’s teams competing separately from the Open section.
• Circuits and Series: The Women’s Grand Prix and women’s continental championships (e.g., European Women’s, Asian Women’s) feed into title norms and the championship cycle.
• Ratings: FIDE publishes a women’s rating list highlighting top female players, in addition to the overall rating list.
• Event Naming: PGN headers and event posters use “Women’s” to clearly indicate eligibility (e.g., “FIDE Women’s Candidates”).

Strategic and Historical Significance

Women’s events and titles have historically provided structured pathways for female participation, recognition, and professional advancement in a sport with long-standing participation imbalances. They have also created role models, increased visibility, and funded competitive opportunities specifically for women. At the same time, top female players frequently compete—and succeed—in Open events, underscoring that chess rules, time controls, and rating systems are identical across categories.

• Origins: The first Women’s World Championship was held in 1927; Vera Menchik became the inaugural champion and dominated for years.
• Milestones: Nona Gaprindashvili became the first woman awarded the (open) GM title in 1978; Judit Polgar reached world top 10 and achieved a 2735 peak rating, a record for a woman.
• Modern Era: The women’s cycle now features the Women’s Candidates Tournament, match play for the world title, and a regular Grand Prix circuit.
• Development: National federations often run girls’ and women’s programs that feed into youth and elite pipelines, increasing participation rates.

Common “Women’s” Terms You’ll Encounter

• Women’s World Chess Championship: The title match to determine the female world champion.
• Women’s Candidates: Elite qualifier that determines the next challenger for the Women’s World Championship.
• Women’s Grand Prix: A series of elite tournaments awarding points toward the championship cycle.
• Women’s Chess Olympiad: National-team competition parallel to the Open Olympiad.
• Women’s titles: WGM, WIM, WFM, WCM (distinct from GM/IM/FM/CM).
• Women’s rating list: Monthly FIDE list showcasing top female ratings.

Examples

PGN tag example showing “Women’s” in an event name:

• [Event "FIDE Women’s Candidates 2024"]
• [Section "Women’s"]
• [Category "Women’s Grand Prix"]

Illustrative attacking motif (common pattern seen at all levels, including women’s elite events): a Greek Gift sacrifice leading to a direct attack on the king.

Try stepping through the moves to visualize how “all-in” attacking play can arise in classical and rapid women’s games alike:

Famous references:

• Vera Menchik, the first Women’s World Champion (1927), defeated many leading male masters; men who lost to her were jokingly said to join the “Vera Menchik Club.”
• Judit Polgar, who did not compete for the Women’s World title, became a top-10 player globally and defeated numerous elite grandmasters, illustrating that strong female players often choose Open competition.
• Hou Yifan has been a dominant Women’s World Champion in the 2010s and 2020s and has also excelled in Open tournaments.
• Recent Women’s World Championship matches (e.g., Ju Wenjun’s title defenses) have featured deep opening prep and endgame technique comparable to top Open events.

Interesting Facts and Anecdotes

• “Women’s” titles are earned via norms and rating thresholds like other FIDE titles, but with lower performance requirements; they are often used as stepping stones toward IM/GM.
• At the Olympiad, the Gaprindashvili Cup is awarded to the federation with the best combined result across the Open and Women’s sections.
• The women’s championship cycle has alternated between knockout formats and classical matches; many top players advocated for a stable match format similar to the Open World Championship.
• Judit Polgar’s peak rating (2735) and world top-10 ranking set enduring benchmarks for women in chess.

Clarifications

“Women’s” indicates eligibility, not different rules or time controls. Notation, scoring, ratings, and equipment are identical to Open events. Youth categories such as “Girls U20” are age- and gender-specific; adult events labeled “Women’s” are open to all adult female players who meet the event’s rating or qualification criteria. Many federations also run mixed “Open” events where women regularly participate and win.