We are working toward a chess future with equal gender participation and performance.

The Chess Equity Project exists to help build a future in which chess participation and performance are not predicted by gender. For most of chess history, women and gender minorities have faced structural barriers: limited access to coaching and competition, fewer sponsorship opportunities, hostile or exclusionary environments, and persistent cultural stereotypes about ability. These forces have shaped who enters the game, who stays, and who reaches the highest levels.

Our organization works to address these disparities through research, advocacy, and education. We support initiatives that expand access to high-quality chess instruction for girls and gender minorities, promote fair tournament environments, and encourage institutions to adopt policies that reduce bias and harassment. We also highlight and amplify the achievements of women in chess to ensure their contributions are visible and valued.

The Chess Equity Project approaches these issues with honesty and openness. We engage with scholarship from fields such as sports, sociology, psychology, and education to better understand how participation gaps emerge and how they can be reduced. At the same time, we collaborate with players, coaches, organizers, and federations who want to build a healthier chess culture.

We seek meaningful parity - a chess ecosystem in which girls and boys begin playing at similar rates; receive comparable encouragement, coaching, and resources; and compete in a chess community where talent and dedication - not gender - determine outcomes.

Chess has long been celebrated as a medium for brilliance and creativity. The Chess Equity Project works to ensure that all have equal opportunity to enjoy and master it.