Chess Queens

Amazing. I was transfixed throughout, and learned so much. Chess Queens is a meditation on why women have always been so under-represented in the game, and the remarkable lives of those who played on against the odds. An astoundingly intimate, thoughtful and inspirational book by a person who has seen it all from the inside. – Angela Saini, author of INFERIORLike The Queen’s Gambit, this isn’t really about chess, but power… [Shahade] wants to provoke discussion and show how chess is just a starting point for wider liberation. * The Sunday Times *Revealing and absorbing * Business Post *An intriguing behind-the-scenes insight into the elite world of female competitive chess. Shahade gives us a tour of the history, geography and gender politics of chess, accompanied by the uplifting stories of chess heroines, of triumph after triumph over stunning misogyny and stifling cultural expectations. Chess Queens is an exhilarating read for anyone interested in the highs and lows of competitive games, especially those who are told they don’t belong! – Gina Rippon, author of THE GENDERED BRAINIf you loved The Queen’s Gambit you’ll love this way more. It’s so damn funny and interesting. – Charlotte Clymer, writer and speakerJennifer Shahade is a brilliant, insightful thinker who never fails to entertain and engage. I’m always amazed by the novel approach she’s able to bring to any intellectual challenge and discussion. She’s even made me want to learn to play chess - something I swore I’d never do. Jennifer is a true role model to any woman who has ever thought about taking on the worlds that have traditionally been branded male. – Maria Konnikova, author of THE BIGGEST BLUFF and THE CONFIDENCE GAMEJennifer’s book gives readers an insider look into the complex realities of being a female chess player, while also showcasing the badass women knocking down these barriers. Highly recommended! – Alexandra Botez, chess champion and Twitch streamerThe fascinating true stories of the lives of champion chessplayers. All women should take up the challenge and pick up a board! – Yoko OnoA wild ride exploring the enchanting true lives of women competing and winning at the world stage. But more captivating than the glamorous jet-setting when we take a deep look inside their vibrant inner lives, revealing what it truly takes to win in a male-dominated field. A book that is so much bigger than chess that by the time you get to the end of it your understanding of the human mind and our world will have changed forever, for the better. I could not put it down. – Yanjaa, memory grandmasterI have long looked up to Chess Queen Jennifer Shahade, a barrier breaker who has committed to teaching us all to understand chess both as an aesthetic and a sport. Along the way she has shown us a powerful example of what it means to be a feminist, advocate, and artist in the world of chess. If you’re hype about women and girls in chess - and you should be - then you’re gonna want to grab a copy of Chess Queens – Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, author of THE DISORDERED COSMOSIn pacey and flowing prose, Shahade intertwines episodes and experiences from her own chess career with a chronological account of the greatest female chessplayers starting with Vera Menchik and Sonja Graf. In reading through Shahade’s book, I felt something of the same pleasure of discovery as I’d had as a 9-year-old (reading about the great legends of the game). If a young female player gets the same sense of belonging to the chess world through reading this book… it will have made a world of difference. – Matthew Sadler * New In Chess Magazine *Highly engaging … a tour de force on chess history and its socio-political context. Amid decades of nonsense written about women chess players, this is an authentic, balanced and extremely readable celebration of players who, over the last century or so, have confounded social expectations for their love of the 64 squares – Harriet Hunt * Chess Magazine *I really enjoyed Chess Queens and reading about the triumphs and struggles of women in chess. Jennifer Shahade does an amazing job – Eric Rosen, International Chess MasterWith personal anecdotes and punchy vignettes, Jennifer expertly details the (often) onerous journeys women have overcome just to get a seat at the chessboard. Chess Queens is about so much more than a game; it spotlights real people whose determination and success forced the world to improve – Robert Hess, Grandmaster an World Championship commentatorA fascinating & spirited view of the world of women in chess – Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, bestselling author of EVERYBODY LIES and DON’T TRUST YOUR GUTThere is little technical analysis or jargon. She writes for the general reader…in a droll and conversational style, with a sharp eye for character quirks * The New Humanist *An inside look at feminism and sexism in the chess world - a riveting, page-turning read – Nell McShane Wulfhart, author of OFF-MENU and THE GREAT STEWARDESS REBELLIONIt’s like the Queen’s Gambit but about the real-life female heroes of the chess world, a thoroughly enjoyable read! – Anna Rudolf, International Chess Master and World Championship commentator

Jennifer Shahade is an Olympic chess champion, Woman Grandmaster, poker pro, speaker and author. She is a two-time United States women’s chess champion and was the first female to win the US Junior Open. She hosts two award-winning podcasts, The Poker GRID and Ladies Knight. Jennifer works to bring more women, girls and gender minorities into the game through programmes like US Chess Women, the Madwoman’s Book Club, and a cross-cultural chess club with girls from all the world, from Kenya to Colombia. She is an ambassador for PokerStars and Poker Power, and a board member of the World Chess Hall of Fame. Her previous books include Chess Bitch (now updated and reissued as Chess Queens) and Play Like a Girl!

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