Why are men so bad at chess compared to women?

At my friend's high school, there was a girl called "Joie Wang" who could beat all the other boys in chess. They never stood a chance. 

I thought men were really good at chess at one point, but now I'm starting to doubt myself, since there are so many strong women players, like Joie. 

Tell me, why are men so bad at chess compared to women?

men get distracted by women who play chess

10. Elisabeth Paehtz

Elisabeth won the 1999 Germany Women’s chess championship.  She is an Internal Master ans Women’s Grandmaster with a rating of 2464.

9. Jennifer Shahade

Author of the book Chess Bitch: Women in the Ultimate Intellectual Sport .  She is a two-time American women's chess champion and the only female thus far to win the US Junior Open.   She is a women’s Grandmaster with a rating of 2322.

8. FM Alisa Melekhina

Alisa Melekhina was the youngest player in the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship two years ago, and is still the youngest today.   That’s what you might expect from someone who started playing at age 5 and entered her first tournament at age 7.  In less than three years, she was winning prestigious international tournaments.
Alisa has already earned an International Master norm, which she considers her top chess accomplishment so far, but her ultimate goal is to become a grandmaster.  Go Alisa!  Womens international master.

Rating 2301 


7. The Polgar sisters.  Left to Right:  Susan Polgar, Sofia Polgar, Judit Polgar


Susan, Sofia, and Judit Polgar are all very strong chess players.  Judit is a Grandmaster widely acknowledged as the best female chess player in the world today.  Susan is a Grandmaster was a former Women’s World Champion.  Sofia is an International Master.

6. . USA - Rusudan Goletiani (2371)


Rusudan is an International Master.  In 2005 she won the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship and in 2008 helped the USA team win the Bronze Medal in the Chess Olympiad in Germany.  

5. Anna Sharevich 

Anna Sharevich is a Women’s Grandmaster from Belarus.  She’s won the women’s Belarus Chess Championship four times and has competed four time in the chess Olympiads.  

4. Natalia Pogonina

Natalia Pogonina has a rating of over 2500 and is a Women’s Grandmaster.  She is a three time European Champion is “ranked as 3rd most successful female chess player in the world in 2009” by the Association of Chess Professionals.




3. Regina Pokorna


Regina has a rating of over 2400.  Her beauty speaks for itself, on and off the board.  

2. Anna Zatonskih



Anna is an International Master and is the current and four-time U.S. Women’s Champion.  She was also on the 2008 US Olympiad team that won Bronze.  She is an amazing tactical player and a tough competitor.  She has a child but has no intention of slowing down her chess career and is even eying the World Chess Title.  Go Anna!

1. Alexandra Kosteniuk


Alexandra is truly a chess queen.  She won the Women’s World Title in 2008, has won many blitz tournaments, and even won the first Chess 960 world tournament (chess variation).  She is an international master with a rating of over 2500.  She is an accomplished model and has authored chess tutorial books, as well as a biography with game analysis called: Diary of a Chess Queen . 

Bluejib, thanks for your long, detailed post.

However, I don't understand what these numbers are - why are they going from 10 to 1, and not 1 to 10 like a normal list? Also, there are more than 10 women who play chess (there are many, and many strong ones), so what's the deal here?

hou yifan is going easy on the men she's playing at grenke. 

Indeed, she is. Truly a spectacular role model she is for strong women all around the world!

They're just being goofy on purpose, don't take it seriously

They are not bad, they just let the girls win. You will understand why when you grow older Billy.

It is good to see so many prominent women in chess. Finally, some sexual opportunities for otherwise unattractive men.

LOL

Why are there people who categorize skill by gender?? there millions who play chess!! of all skill levels

Just cuz some random chick comes and kicks ass doesn't mean she's even good at all. 80% of players cannot break 1200, and 50 merely know the rules and are complete garbage. This chick is lucky to be one who is of enough skill to beat easy people. I am a male, and i go to a chess club. Every game, i destroy everyone!!! men and women alike. i have more skill, and that is not based on gender.

This chick simply has skill, probably 1600 or so, and is picking on people who don't know diddly shit.

lol. all these comments about womens' attraction factor...

I know some very beautiful girls who are also very kind. i barely get bothered at all by a random chick accross the board, that crap doesn't work on people as many people as these comments suggest.

Women chess distractions:

Only one OTB rated game I played ever drew a Grandmaster's interest.  GM's Leonid Shamkovich and Anatoly Lein had defected to the West from the old Soviet Union, were playing in the master section of a Swiss Tourney I was in, and their pictures were on the cover of that month's Chess Life (got my copy autographed by both).

During one game that I played Shamkovich walked up and stood right next to me as he observed my game for a few minutes. I felt extra pressure to make good moves and eventually won the game.

Years later, I was showing one of the high school students I coached that game. He looked in my scorebook and asked, "You were playing a girl?"

Instantly, the wisdom of age made me realize it wasn't my "interesting" game that drew Shamkovich to it.  It was hot-looking Monica whom I was playing - which is why Shamkovich stood on my side of the board.  Her dress was cut just low enough to make him smile!

FIDE needs to publish a nude calendar.

they are All transgender.

you did not know this?

wow.....

Humans are the same as a lot of snails.

ONLY A BIOLOGIST WITH A pH and GREAT social status will understand it

I wonder what Alexandra Kosteniuk does to keep her stomach so flat.

"When did you stop beating your wife."

I stopped in here for a bit of vitriolic acid and all I found was cheesecake.

Your bad. Read the title again! Maybe then u understand.