This past weekend, FEMchess held its third California All-Girls Scholastic Chess Championship with 89 players, breaking our previous record as one of the the largest all-girls tournament in CA history. It is extremely encouraging to see sustained growth in female participation in chess in Northern California, and FEMchess is proud to have contributed to moving the gender gap needle toward girls. In just one year, US Chess Federation female youth membership has grown 39% (2023/2022), and female composition has grown from 14.5% to 16.6% in northern CA. To continue this momentum, it’s essential for us to continue to organize events specifically for girls to create environments where they feel encouraged, as well as to ensure access to quality coaching, materials, and opportunities, with a special focus on supporting under-resourced youths. Check out this video of the players in action! #playlikeagirl
