The Big Question: Will A Woman Ever Become Absolute World Chess Champion?
It's that time again. The latest episode of our flagship global chess TV program, The World Chess Show, has been released and is airing across the world.
Episode 7, titled Will A Woman Ever Become Absolute World Chess Champion?, addresses one of the biggest, most agonized over questions facing the sport today.
The programme broadcasts from October 7 across 156 markets and 53 networks worldwide and is available to view on the World Chess YouTube channel.
The episode features exclusive interviews with the former top-10 player GM Judit Polgar, her sister Susan, the first female grandmaster, and the former Women’s World Champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk.
All three are highly-respected figures in the game. The guests discuss barriers women face in the game, how the Polgar sisters were bred for success at an early age, and the recent successes of women at the elite level.
Ilya Merenzon, Chief Executive Officer of World Chess, said: “The World Chess Show is never scared to confront the big questions head-on, and this episode tackles one of the biggest.
"The question of why there are so few women in the world’s top 100 players and why only one woman in history has ever made it into the world’s top 10, is the great elephant in the room in chess.
“The World Chess Show exists to open the game out to new audiences, confront issues, and help spark debate. Viewers will find this episode fascinating.”
The World Chess Show is a global television series showcasing the drama, rivalries and cultural impact of chess.
Each episode blends elite competition with compelling storytelling, reaching an audience far beyond the dedicated playing community.
The series is also a key part of World Chess’ broader strategy to expand chess to the largest possible audience.