I am fighting back against campaigns to silence me and retaliate against me for speaking up about sexual violence in chess.
I have fought many battles on the chess board and the poker table. This is the most important one.
US Chess sent me a cease & desist demanding that “on behalf of its members" I refrain from contact with scholastic/teen members. This would stop me from replying to girls who reach out about my books and work, who see me as a role model who prioritizes their success and safety.
@AuschwitzMuseum
@huntersonprime
As a Jewish chessplayer I was horrified by this scene. Thanks for this tweet.
here’s a thread about an actual chess champion who survived Auschwitz, was just 25 kilo when she got out and is now 91 years old 👑
Amazing article in
@EuropeEchecs
about Isabelle Strauch-Choko, concentration camp survivor turned chess player and who became women French Champion in 1955. Here my mini review of the article, which is emotional and charged with history. Thread 👇 1/7
@ask_aubry
Oh don’t get me wrong, jerks like this def exist. I play poker and chess so should know.
It’s the combo of sexism and cruelty with self awareness and attention to detail that seems odd/rage-farmy. 🕵️♀️
“Mommy will you teach me the Queen’s Gambit?”
“Sure honey.”
A few minutes later the Uber driver whispers to me, as I leave the car:
“In Cuba they taught us to play king pawn at such a young age. Try the Ruy Lopez.”
How do I give TEN stars?
A very special podcast with Holocaust survivor, author and 1956 French Women's Chess Champion, the amazing Isabelle Choko.
Her passionate advice to future generations gave me so much hope and inspiration.
Please Listen and RT:
This bullying has nothing to do with the US Chess mission.
I remain committed to bringing more girls and women and gender minorities into chess and thank everyone for their support!
Sexualization of chess girls is so pervasive. When I played in my first international open at ~16, I remember GMs over twice my age talking about my breasts—within earshot.
Hasn’t improved enough since 😭
But chess Twitter makes me hopeful. ❤️
This happened to me at a very important championship, and it made me feel sad and embarassed for simply wearing shorts when it was 40C outside. We need to make chess a better environment for girls and women in general, to make the ones that do wanna play chess, stay.
Someone at the table asked
@PapoMcArg
“does anyone make fun of your nails?”
“You know I’m a battle rapper right? That’s like trying to punch a professional boxer.” 🥊 💅 🔥
#EPTBarcelona
#pokerhands
Guy at the table asks about my abortion access pin. He has no idea about Roe v Wade, so I explain how our reproductive rights just went back 50 years.
Other guy at the table huffs: “I don’t want to talk about this.”
I say “Great, I’d love for men not to have a say on this.”
US Chess took issue with an uplifting farewell email I sent to the girls club on my last day of work, claiming it violated policy— but they got the date wrong so it didn't.
This demand letter was sent within 24 hours of the US Chess president’s very public attacks.
@Nicole_Cliffe
A woman saw me drop my wallet on the Northeast Corridor as the train doors closed. She found me on FB, and fed exed it the next day with a children’s book.
I was 8 months pregnant ♥️
I think about her kindness every time I read “Dinosaurumpus” to my two year old son
When I started working on removing Ramirez from coaching kids and women back in 2020, I’ve often felt lonely, shunned— and even crazy.
Today I don’t feel alone.
@chesscom
@WSJ
@lichess
I have left US Chess and will no longer serve as director of US Chess Women, a program I started four years ago.
Resignation letter on why I cannot in good conscience lend my credibility to the org anymore.
@cmclymer
This video made me mad. That stupid commentary and the viral response. Unless the woman consented to the filming, she should do a response vid mocking them for sitting in their car being assholes.
Yep I’m real fun at parties. Good thing there aren’t any now!!
My favorite chess player in the World right now: Sara Khadem, representing Iran in the World Rapid & Blitz in Kazakhstan ❤️❤️❤️
photo
@LennartOotes
#RapidBlitz
#MahsaAmini
After looking at the troll comments to the
@lichess
post, I was so disappointed.
This is a signal that we must to do more to show our support for the LGBTQ+ community in
#chess
.
Happy
#PrideMonth
Big news I'm so excited to finally reveal: I signed a *two* book deal with
@HodderBooks
! Both books, Chess Queens (March '22) and Reset (Spring 2024) are driven by my passion for the rich history of chess---and for making our culture more inclusive and less toxic. 🥂
.
@HodderBooks
has pre-empted world rights in two non-fiction books from Olympic chess champion
@JenShahade
aimed at fans of the popular Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit", starting with Chess Queens:
Since I posted this, four more women have contacted me about alleged misconduct from Ramirez, ranging from harassment to sexual assault to grooming students. Seven if including second hand reports. 😭
"I mean [Hans Niemann has] disrespected just about everybody in the chess world at this stage, calling other players idiots and stuff ... I think pretty much everyone knows that Hans is the most disrespectful teenager in chess."
—Wesley So after round three.
#USChessChamps
@GregShahade
he goes on to attack ME and claim I “declined” to report when I warned them over and over and over again. Including using the form Randy refers to below. 🤦♀️
Headed to Monte Carlo for the European Poker Tour. First overseas poker trip since I was preggo With Fabian in EPT Barcelona.
Espresso martini before the flight, let this be the first of many good decisions. ✈️
Happy Birthday to Grandmaster
@SusanPolgar
, who qualified for the WORLD Championship in 1986, but wasn't allowed to play because it was called the "Men's World Championship." She fought to change that title to the "Overall" Championship. 👑
My son loves chess tournaments so much he cried when his first round opponent didn't show up.
Here he is in round three.
I treasure this for as long as it lasts!
In Junior High I almost quit chess because there were so few girls in the Philadelphia area who played.
Today I spoke at an
@PhillyASAP
event with over 70 girls 🥰
Gorgeous location!
@phillyseaport
This is hopefully nearing the end of a long battle. Ever since I heard from younger women, I have not rested in raising alarms and working on this. I am thankful for everyone who’s given support over the past two years and today. ❤️
Gross to see such sexism in the broadcast for a women's event.
"Why does she want to be a man Grandmaster?"- Smirin 🤦♀️
Fiona did a great job in an uncomfortable convo she never should have been in. 😡
It is ridiculous that so many are thinking that I really beat Vishy sir in a chess game, that is almost like me waking up and winning a 100mt race with Usain Bolt. 😬
It's my own brother, with a solid fanbase built over decades of commitment to our youth and chess innovation vs. a GenZ social media GIANT with MILLIONS of cheerers.
Join
#TEAMGREG
, the mighty minority!
I got a chance to meet my hero:
1956 French Women’s Champion, Holocaust survivor, mother of three, author and entrepreneur Isabelle Choko 👑
@chesscom
@USChess
@Kelli96
This guy won 5 bucks and my ❤️. My mom died five years ago after obsessively watching Jeopardy for decades. It’s a constant in its own space time continuum that keeps me connected to her.
#weloveyouAlex
So happy for 17 y.o Jennifer Yu, our new U.S. Women's Champion!
#USChessChamps
Her advice for other aspiring teen champs: "Keep Playing. Sometimes it gets really hard but it's worth it in the end. I can't imagine my life without chess."
Photo from
#HSChessChamps
@USChess
My response to a chess pro on facebook who told Grandmaster Pontus Carlsson (a Black Grandmaster from Sweden) he'd never seen systemic racism and that black people have at least equal opportunity in America.
#BlackLivesMattter
What a literal *joy* to see the faces of dozens of girls in my program when the star of the Queen's Gambit herself surprised them with some encouraging words. ⭐️
"Make room for a whole bunch of queens."
#grateful
Ramirez is not the only one. According to interviews and documents reviewed by Lichess, another prominent American GM has also been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women, raising troubling questions about how chess orgs deal with such matters.
Surprised that the legendary Nona was misrepresented in The Queen's Gambit? The script was written by a man, based on a book by a man, produced & directed by men, featuring real games- ALL by men.
Great show in spite of fixed male gaze, not because of it
"Victories over women don’t satisfy me anymore. I want to drink men’s blood." Eight-time Women's World Champion Vera Menchik, born on this day in 1906
#chess
Will
#TheQueensGambit
inspire more girls and women to play chess? Definitely!
@Kasparov63
to speak about his role in the
#1
ranked
@Netflix
series to our
@USChessWomen
Girls Club later this week. Creator Scott Frank will also appear!
Details:
Magnus Carlsen vs Hans Niemann: What happens when the world chess champion loses to a teen in a high stakes tournament? The biggest scandal in chess history.
Stream
#ImpactOnHulu
to learn how a rumor about cheating using a sex toy sparked led to a multi-million-dollar lawsuit.
Among a sullen line of grinders at wsop payouts, when a beatific man who just busted the hyper bounces into line, calls his wife and exclaims:
“I just came in 96th out of 1300 of the *greatest* poker players in the World! Do you realize how many people would love to say that?”
The true existential threat to
#chess
and its growth: a predatory subculture that looks the other way to abuse, then wonders why women and girls drop out.💔
Change is necessary.
@LevAronian
Levon, I am so sorry. Everyone who met Arianne was gifted that spark of brilliance and joy.
Your love was so inspiring and made the world a happier place. That will never die.
Out of the
#wsop
main, but in the money 1200th/8663. This event is mental marathon, and I learned so much about what I need to do to bring my game to the next level. 🚀
Good luck to all the ladies and good guys still in. ♥️
“I felt disrespected on every level… I do feel that I channeled in a bit of my anger from that to play some aggressive chess today.”
-GM Christopher Yoo shares his feelings about
@HansMokeNiemann
's interview yesterday
#USChessChamps
RIP to the trailblazing two-time US Women's chess Champion Lisa Lane, who fought for more pay and respect for women in chess. 💐
"Lane showed the world that chess can be glamorous and that women can be as competitive as men."
@Slate
@stefanfatsis
Amazing! Two of the top three eight year old chessplayers in the 🇺🇸 are girls.
This is a great reminder that the bigger your competition, the better. I never would’ve won two US titles if not for Irina Krush.
Can’t wait to watch these girls rise to the top.
Incredible synchronicity: We've never seen anything like this. 8-year-old Alice Lee has broken the 2000 barrier the very same weekend as Rachael Li 👑 Keep shattering records simultaneously! 🆙
@USChess
#USChessWomen
Wow! The eight year old chess champion Tani Adewumi and his family is giving the 200k+ raised on gofundme to less fortunate African immigrant families ❤️🏆 ♟
Update on my case:
Did
#USChess
try to silence me till after their Annual US Open and Delegates Meeting? We agreed to chill while attempting to work out mediation terms-- they agreed to all our conditions except payment.
Imagine an org that rakes in millions a year asking the