A well known chess journalist from the NY Times Dylan Loeb McClain had a piece with the title “Sex and Chess. Is She a Queen or a Pawn?” today. He basically discussed about how some women would use their bodies to market themselves in the chess industry. Does this help women’s chess or is this just poor hype for personal promotion?
I prefer to see these women promote the game using their chess abilities and personalities instead of using their bodies. What bothers me is the way how some of these women would mislead the world claiming that they are promoting women’s chess by taking their clothes off for men’s magazine or selling pictures in skimpy bikinis.
How do these actions help women’s chess? How do their action give credibility to women’s chess? You have to really be kidding me. I traveled all over the United States in the past few years to promote chess, especially for girls. My foundation, the Susan Polgar Foundation is promoting the educational, social and competitive benefits of chess for young people across the country, especially girls. I asked hundreds / thousands of chess Moms, Dads and Coaches about this same issue. In fact, none of these Moms, Dads and Coaches would encourage their daughters to follow the examples of these women and none of them think that these actions would help women’s chess.
These actions help promote these women but hurt women’s chess in the long run. On one hand, these women want to be respected for being good chess players. On the other hand, they want men to focus on their bodies instead of their chess skills. What hypocrites! They say that they would dress appropriately at chess tournaments or when attending scholastic events. What century are we living in? Anyone can GOOGLE and thousands of things can come up in seconds. Who are you trying to fool? I have no problem if these women want to do this. They are free to do this. I only have a problem when they claim that they are doing it for the good of women’s chess instead of themselves. I rather be the role model who parents would encourage their children to look up to.
The worst part is some of these women even inflate their chess credentials in the name of chess promotion. We live in a free world. They are entitled to do what they want and people like me are entitled to promote chess for girls my way. I spent my own time and money to organize the 3 of the most important tournaments for girls in the United States: The annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the annual Susan Polgar National Open Championship for Girls and the annual Susan Polgar World Open Championship for Girls. Let the facts come out and let the chess Moms and Dads decide what is appropriate for their children, especially daughters.
What is your take? 
I agree with you Susan. These women are despicable. I would never allow my daughter to follow their examples.
Mary
Yikes! I can’t believe what Manakova and Kosteniuk are doing! How disgusting! And what does Kosteniuk want to show anyway? At least Kournikova has something to show. Kournikova was also the #1 ranked woman tennis double player in the world and she won many double’s grand slams. Kosteniuk won 3 Mickey Mouse girl’s championships and lied about it on her website by saying that she won 3 world championships. What a bold face liar!
Low class actions by these women!
You’re right on, Ms. Polgar!
Phil
I love my mother it doesn’t mean I want to see her in a skimpy bikini.
I am shocked by the comments above.
I read what susan read and agreed more or less. but then I went over to mig site and he gave the url.
http://www.1wcbc.com/contest/index.php
and so I looked around. well I think the pictures are in nice good taste. they are not professional pictures. they are simply pictures of people in every day life. some playing chess. these are the women. they are actual pictures of real women. real people.
to put down the picture is to put down the person. Every person is the Holy Loving Son of God. and God made them in His image and they are good.
I also read a bit about why they are running the contest. it can change the perception that the public has that all chess players are pimple faced geeks. not true. there are many normal beautiful people playing chess. and I love them all.
I will agree that one should hot use sex to promote oneself. one wants to be accepted for who they are inside of themself. not for the way the outside body looks.
but then our mission here on earth is to come to love ourself. and there is no virtue in dressing up ugly. there is virtue in loving ones own body and dressing up nice and neat and clean.
I did not see any pictures that were sexually offensive. all were in good taste. just people being people.
I hope that everyone will look more closely at the web site before condemning the woman who are participating in a fun project. I hope everyone can participate in the fun. and not sit in condemnation and miss out on the Beauty that God has created.
Remember if you condemn these beautiful women then you are saying that god is not god. for he made someone to look and be evil just from the way they look. that is rediculous. god can make no mistakes. and these women are good women.
and I am glad to see many women displaying both beauty and intelligence.
Tommy
Tommy,
You missed it. Many women gave the founder of the website ultimatum. They actually took pictures of women and posted without their consent. They even had naked pictures of women players. The site was finally cleaned up recently after threat of lawsuits by multiple players. It was disgusting before and most of the comments from voters were even more disgusting.
Maca
Anonymous said…
I love my mother it doesn’t mean I want to see her in a skimpy bikini.
12:42 PM
well when you were a tiny baby your mother saw you naked and changed your diapers.
If you dont want to look at the chess playing women then dont look. but do not condemn the fun that the women themselves are having putting their own pictures up on the web. it is all in good fun.
and by the way. do you have any children. I wonder where your children came from.
God made the world so that there were 2 people man and woman and when he was done he stood back and looked over everything and said it was good.
if you say what god did was bad then you are not in contact with the ONE TRUE GOD.
Tommy
Maca is right, it was totally disgusting and tasteless before. Don’t let the new stuff fool you. It was one of the worst ideas in chess ever.
Mary
There were many naked pictures before. I guess they took them down now. Many of these pics were posted without the women’s consent.
Anonymous said…
I agree with you Susan. These women are despicable. I would never allow my daughter to follow their examples.
Mary
11:27 AM
Mary it is not your job to live your daughter’s life. it is her life and I recommend you live your life and you choose and let her live her life and she chooses.
LOVE is giving the other person the FREEDOM to do what they choose. if you are not giving that person the total freedom to do what they want then you are not expressing love for them.
so I ask you to love your daughter and give her the Freedom to do what she wants to do.
Stop trying to control another person and put the focus on yourself. I highly recommend that you pray to god real hard every day with much feeling and desire. Praying always to god to change yourself. never pray to change another person. that is a waste of time. God is waiting for everyone to pray to change themself.
Imagine what this world would be like if every person changed him or her self. and stopped trying to change another person.
It would be a world where everyone loved everyone else and mostly a place were everyone loved themself also.
Spritual Hint: we are all one and therefore loving oneself is the same as loving everyone else.
Tommy
Zsuzsa, I agree with your assessment of this situation…some things ‘sell’ products: beer, cars, clothes. food, houses, sports, ‘bodies’, etc
Chess is not to be one of them. Of course it will happen, this is inevitable, and this can NOT be stopped.
But, those of us that do not approve also do NOT have to participate in any manner, way, shape, form, or size, either directly or indirectly.
Those of us that feel this way, should not be apathetic or apologetic about our feelings. We should speak out at every opportunity!
Thank you for taking this positive and proactive VIEWPOINT and bringing this out in your BLOG!!
Molly S, KVCS Chess Correspondent & Investigator
Chess is allready about mating. No need to add more sex to it.
Just facts : Alexandra Kosteniuk is #4 and she just make fashion photos.
I’m pretty sure that Susan was not thinking to Alexandra in her general comment.
Kosteniuk is a good player.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
Ms. Polgar,
I respectfully disagree with your viewpoint of how Ms. Kostenuik and other women are promoting chess.
First, I don’t think that women chess players who have racy pictures taken of them are planning on marketing chess to children, either boys or girls. I believe that these women players are trying to market themselves and the game to a more mature audience.
Second, this has been a successful practice outside of sports. Probably the most well known maxim of marketing is: sex sells. Now it takes a bit more than the rudimentary pin up pictures that some women chess players are using; however, I think this is the first step for chess to put itself it the mainstream.
Third, I don’t believe there is justification for misstating one’s credentials.
Fourth, I think the good comes with the bad. I do not believe that web site which rates the most attractive women chess players will do much at all for promoting the game, I do think doing it tactfully will be good for the game. This means that nude photos are not allowed because one will not gain positive attention for chess with those. Also, I think sexy pictures must be done professionally like Ms. Kostenuik sells on her web site, not like that trashy web site that just ranks the most attractive women.
I have some more thoughts, but I have probably bored you all by now. Just a patzer’s thoughts.
You can email me at shr0pshire@hotmail.com
I did not mention anyone by name. I have no problem that some women are using their bodies to promote chess. That is their right. It is a free world. What I have a problem with is to make a claim that it is for the best interest of women’s chess or they do it for women’s chess. Some even go as far as saying that it is to encourage young girls to be more interested in chess.
That is my same problem with Kramnik. Kramnik wanted to play for the title and for the money in 2000. Please don’t insult our intelligence by saying that it is for the best interest of chess. If it was for the best interest of chess, he should have given a rematch to Garry. #1 versus #2. That would have been for the best interest of chess.
Again, to make my point clear, anyone can do as they wish. But when you do it, don’t try to mislead the public. That is my #1 problem.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
Ms. Polgar,
In a sport where men dominate the women players such as is the case in chess, the women who participate need to do something to gain recognition.
To to come out of the shadow of men’s chess women can play in exclusively women’s tournaments. However, I think that this is anti-feminist be seperating the genders, and without getting to play against the strongest competition, I don’t think women will progress as fast as they could.
Another avenue would be to let women use their bodies in marketing themselves and the sport. This creates more interest in chess, and while creating interest could compel both genders to join the sport. Like I mentioned in my previous post, if done correctly this is an extremely successful marketing technique that could get both women and men to join chess.
I don’t think this is misleading the public at all. These women are attracting people to the game. I don’t think they are misrepresenting what the game is about, or what it is. I have never heard the criticism that using sex to market a product misleads the public.
Also, I never said you mentioned anyone by name. I did, and so did the NY Times article.
Lastly, I think whether or not women using their bodies to promote chess is in “the best interest” of it comes down to the fact if it attracts more people to the game. Why use any marketing technique if it is not working?
Shr0pshire
*I think that getting more people into the game, especially women and girls, is in the best interest of chess. I will wait and see if these marketing tactics have any impact on that.
PEACE
That is the beauty of it. People are entitled to their opinions. I simply don’t agree with what some people do. I am a role model for many young girls. As I mentioned before, I meet thousands of young players, their parents and coaches each year. Not even one person I spoke to agree with the idea of using sex to promote women’s chess.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
Looks like some people are “stuck on stupid” here, Susan. Only a moron would want their daughter exploited and looked on as disgusting.
Another avenue could never be to let women use their bodies in marketing themselves and the sport. It is a DEAD END and the complete antithesis of what a woman’s goal should be for Chess. While it could create interest, it is also true that a five car collison also creates interest on the highway.
The focus should be on legitimizing the intellectual capability of women to play beautiful games of chess. There are already too many men objectifying women on chess chatrooms. We don’t need to give them a roadmap.
WE need to tell my daughter and her peers that the road to success is achieved primarily through practice and study .
Tommy you say: “LOVE is giving the other person the FREEDOM to do what they choose. if you are not giving that person the total freedom to do what they want then you are not expressing love for them.”
I couldn’t disagree more, Parenting is ALL ABOUT setting guidelines.A parent is obligated to teach their children and not take the easy way out.
I agree with Michael. I am a father of a pre-teen daughter. I would do everything I can in my power to discourage her from following the examples of these women. I may not succeed but that is my job as her father. Which parents in their right minds would tell their daughters to take their clothes off? It is not up to our daughters. It is up to the parents to guide their children toward the right direction. Ms. Polgar has set the best examples for any female players out there.
Lee
This is what is listed on Kosteniuk site:
Alexandra’s Chess Titles :
Alexandra is 3-times World Champion
That is a lie. She never won 3 world championships. She won 3 girls junior championships and 2 of them are Disney Mickey Girl’s Championship.
Why does she have to lie about it? If I am wrong then please tell me what 3 world championships did she win? She was told about this and she still continues to lie about her titles.
Disney Mickey Girl’s Championship is NOT a World Championship. She does not even have the courtesy to say it is a girls / female events.
Maca
What some women want to do with their bodies is their personal matter. But if they say they do it to promote women’s chess, then it is bu**sh**!
I agree!
No matter what our views are, please no personal insults to any player including those who you do not agree with.
Thanks!
Susan
I perfectly agree with you susan.
Sex appeal is not required for chess promotion but if anybody wants to become famous by wearing less cloths, they are free to do it without linking it to chess. Don’t call it chess promotion.
As I said numerous times before, anyone is free to do as they wish. However, don’t say that you do it for women’s chess. Do we really believe that millions of kids, especially girls will be interested in chess because a few women decided to take their clothes off in the name of women’s chess? These people do not represent me and will never represent me.
My problem is not what they do. My problem is they are using the name of chess and women’s chess to promote themselves for personal gains.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
I fail to see the controversy. This dillemma is not a question of taste or individual preference at all. It is a cut and dried case of whether or not women posing (semi) nude should promote and/or appear at a sporting event in which juveniles participate or are present.
And the answer is: Of course not, morally as well as legally. Think about it.
Why does Kosteniuk claim that she is a 3-time World Champion? She is never the overall champion and she also never won the women’s world championship. Why not be truthful and say that she won 3 world girl’s junior championships? It’s disappointing to see a player that caliber faking her credentials for personal ego.
Javier
I agree with you Javier. That’s so dishonest especially when she was informed of this issue. Therefore, it can’t be a mistake. That’s what she wants the world to believe. Very sad.
Utut
I don’t disagree necessarily but I feel the issue is a little more nuanced then Susan makes it seem. For example, consider a girl who is interested in chess but is worried that it will be nerdy for her to play and consequently unattractive. Well, if she sees these women, it may help to change her perception of chess. In general, I feel like these women,as well as the book by Jen Shahade, may have the consequence of changing the public image from a high and mighty game to a really interesting and human one. This is part of what has made Poker so popular. Whether this is desirable or not is a different question.
No one has made a bigger impact for girl’s chess in America than Susan. She does more than all other women combine and she does it class and dignity. Why not follow her examples?
Jolie
mary uses the word despicable. This is overly dramatic. And all the stuff about god and morals… give me a break. The pictures are hardly pornographic are they? What is the big deal about a picture of a woman in a bikini? Kosteniuk especially has the image of an excellent chess player who – gasp – is fortunate enough to look nice. Maybe she can be a different type of role model for a different type of woman.
I think Kosteniuk is a nice person. But why lie about her titles? As many others have correctly pointed out, she never won the world championship or the world women’s championship. Humpy doesn’t lie about her titles. Humpy proves it on the chess board.
E. Kozubova
Look here Susan. I have no idea what your problem is. Fact is, if they want to flaunt it, let them. Free world after all.
Interesting comments from some people. So if kids are follow the examples of drug dealers, we should just let them. So role models are just supposed to look the other way when they see something wrong. Very interesting.
Petroff Patzer
ummmmm… drug dealers??? are you really likening selling pictures of yourself in a bikini to selling drugs?????
I just now was reading:
Maca said…
Tommy,
You missed it. Many women gave the founder of the website ultimatum. They actually took pictures of women and posted without their consent. They even had naked pictures of women players. The site was finally cleaned up recently after threat of lawsuits by multiple players. It was disgusting before and most of the comments from voters were even more disgusting.
Maca
1:08 PM
I want to say. I never saw the web site until a day or two ago and then did only look over a few.
but I did not miss anything in the sense that I would not want to be a party to inappropriate postings of naked women and pictures without consent. that is really bad. I am glad they were threathened with lawsuits and stopped the inappropriate behavior.
all pictures should be posted with consent and dignity and grace.
I believe that everyone is the ONE SON OF GOD. and as the son of god one would always have dignity and grace and beauty. and everyone should always behave remembering that they are the son of god acting with dignity and grace and this will be a better world.
It’s a good thing you never saw that site before. It’s real bad. Many women were hurt. Many pictures were posted without their consent. Don’t believe those guys when they said they did it to promote women’s chess. They’re some of the most famous playboy chess players in the world. They’re known for their style.
Hello, just read this post and all the controversy about it. Yes, I think Kosteniuk seems to be the main issue here. And as far as I can see, though she’s a good player, she’s not as good as she tries everyone to believe she is. All the marketing issues around her, are of course to promote her! But, hey, there’s nothing wrong with it. And also she’s not harming chess, or giving it a bad name! Obviously she’s got an ego that’s bigger than the cyberspace. Obviously, she thinks she should be the world champion by now, otherwise, she wouldn’t be so hugely proud to beat time after time the poor Stefanova, and humiliate her every time she can in her website, by saying how ‘convincingly’ she beat her again and again! And obviously she tries to make everything about her look bigger than it actually is! But as far as I’m concerned that’s ok! Executives do it, actors do it, teachers do it, artists do it! That’s only human, thank God! But when it comes to chess and results, all we can do is, go to the chessboard, and beat her. (And you, ms. Susan, should be the right one to do it. We all would like to see such a duel! )That maybe would make her a bit more humble and human. A humbling experience is something people like her should have every other year. As for the chess damages by people like her… no way! There’s no damage at all! This story about the use of beauty is such an issue now in chess because it’s new here. But as I said before, it started to happen long ago in many fields. It is a little stupid and boring, but I guess is absolutely harmless!!
Quote from Susan: “What I have a problem with is to make a claim that it is for the best interest of women’s chess or they do it for women’s chess.”
Not all of the entrants claim this.. perhaps the organisers do, so blame them not all of the girls! Why not enter a contest where you don’t have to take off your clothes, but just look naturally beautiful. It’s just a beauty contest to some competitors! They happen to play chess. So blame the organisers if you will, but not all of the girls.
bonscott, we are not talking about the same issue. I am talking about people who specifically said that they do it for chess.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
Funny, I saw a comment, and then a few minutes later it was deleted, I suppose the admin only likes to listen to their side of the story.
Funny the same anonymous coward keeps on spamming the site with the same message. If you don’t like this site then go elsewhere. Many of us do enjoy this site and what Susan has to say. Troll!
I think this kind of debate is very important. We may not agree, but we can also find some new perspectives. // The more I think, the more I believe we’re dealing with some kind of diguised rivalry between Susan and Alexandra. I think there’s an older champion seeing a brand new face coming and threatening her place, and at the same time, this new star, not strong enough, knowing she could be easily beaten by the first on the chessboard. Every thing elese are mere representations of this matter. // So: please, solve your problems, fight against each other, deal with the weapons you know the best. // This whole story smells like rivalry and worst, envy and jealousy. Do you think this is what can help chess? Do you??
Sorry Alfred but you are very mistaken. Karpov vs. Kasparov was a rivalry. There is no rivalry here. We are not even promoting the same thing. Kosteniuk is a good player and a nice person. People interject something that does not exist.
However, I don’t approve of ANY woman using sex to promote chess for young children or other women. If they want to use sex to promote themselves then good for them. But please don’t tell me that they are doing it for me or other players.
They have the right to do as they wish just as I have the right to speak out against it. I also do not condone of anyone falsely advertising themselves.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
Susan,
Thanks for your quick answer.
Even with your explanation about the issue – and I believe what you say – most of the people still think of this as a jealousy matter. For the best and the worst.
I believe people would like to see a good chess foght between you and Alexandra. And that, believe me, would help soften all these tensions and, most of all, would be a great promotion for female chess.
I guess Alexandra is ready for a match. Are you?
Best regards,
AP
Alfred,
I really do not pay attention to what a few bias and small minded people think. My foundation has given out nearly $250,000 in prizes, scholarships and stipends in the past two years for young players, especially young female players. What is there to be jealous of?
If GM Kosteniuk would like the opportunity to play me a match, let her representatives contact my manager. They know his contact info.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
I just visited Judit Polgar fan club which is currently running a poll to gauge how her fans are seeing this new development.
http://juditpolgar.maribelajar.com
I voted that “it depends”..
I guess Kosteniuk is not up to the challenge then. What a wuss!
Maca
Kosteniuk is going through a good time in her chess career, and I think she would defeat Susan quite easily. But maybe I’m wrong, and I guess Kosteniuk deserves a lesson, and Susan will be the right player to give it.
Sure, she’s having a good time. LOL But her chess peaked long ago dude. She’s too busy posing for guys to play real chess. Now she’s pretending to be an American. What happened? Russia is no good for her? Or she wants to feed more of her ego?
Arkadiy
Comparing Polgar and Kosteniuk is a joke. They’re not in the same planet. Kosteniuk is in the same league as Krush or Skripchenko at best.
Leonid
Well, I think we’re talking here about the 5th player in the world, folks, please do not forget that fact! And this kind of place in the ranking is achieved only by work and talent. Not by pictures in magazines. We can all like or not like the fact that Kosteniuk makes this kind of things. But it’s her own business, not ours. Now, if we’re talking about chess, and compare with Polgar, I would say that AK is still very young and we still haven’t seen the best of her. As for SP, she’s a more experienced player, and I think that, in terms of chess, she’s already shown everithing she has to show. Which is much, by the way. As for a battle between the two? I bet Kosteniuk will win, even if many of would like to see her beaten hard.
You have to be kidding me gregor.
This is how your beloved AK performed in her latest conquest:
Stefanova, Antoaneta g 2501 BUL 1 1 0.48 10 4.8
Zhukova, Natalia wg 2478 UKR 0.5 1 -0.05 10 -0.5
Xu, Yuhua wg 2480 CHN 0 1 -0.55 10 -5.5
Galliamova, Alisa m 2453 RUS 0.5 1 -0.09 10 -0.9
Kosintseva, Tatiana m 2477 RUS 1 1 0.45 10 4.5
Chiburdanidze, Maia g 2509 GEO 0.5 1 -0.01 10 -0.1
Koneru, Humpy g 2531 IND 0.5 1 0.02 10 0.2
Kosintseva, Nadezhda m 2490 RUS 0.5 1 -0.04 10 -0.4
Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina m 2471 RUS 1 1 0.44 10 4.4
Don’t make a fool of yourself by comparing the two. That’s quite arrogant.
Ludmila
Anyone who makes this comparision is a true jackass. They’re not in the same league, not now, not ever. One if a playboy wannabe and the other is one of the greatest female world champions ever.
Giacomo
Let’s not insult anyone please. GM Kosteniuk is a good player and I’m sure she will have many years ahead of her to prove her strength. If she feels that she wants to challenge me, her team can contact my business manager directly.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
What does Nigel Short have to say about this? After all, he is the leading expert on sex and chess.
Each and every woman that I’ve met, when looking at sites featuring close to nude chess women, has only one thing to say – (hint: check out the 2nd word of the title of Shahade’s book).
It’s so sad how chess was getting hurt… If you dearly love the game… You’ll understand how it feels… seeing it paddle right straight to the whirlpool just to promote it…
Well.. I’ve to recognize that (omly for fun) I like to see them in skimpy bikini (even less). But of course these actions are only to promote them not women in chess.
Is there a book/ DVD devoted to Judit Polgar. I would like to study her attacking style of play.
visit http://chessthinkingsystems.blogspot.com/