On February 15, 2023, Jennifer Shahade took a deep breath and wrote “Time’s up” above a long message detailing allegations of sexual abuse within the insular world of professional chess. Shahade knew her words would make an impact, but she didn’t expect the social media post to go viral and change her life.
A two-time U.S. women’s chess champion, Shahade chose her words carefully as she made serious allegations against Alejandro Ramirez, a then 34-year-old grandmaster from Costa Rica who was based in the U.S. and coached the St. Louis University chess team. She wrote: “Currently there are multiple investigations [into] Alejandro Ramirez and sexual misconduct, including a series of alleged incidents involving a minor. I was assaulted by him twice, nine and ten years ago. I’d moved on until the past couple of years when multiple women, independent of each other and with no knowledge of my own experience, approached me with their own stories of alleged abuse. These accounts were from much younger alleged victims.”
Ramirez, who had also worked alongside Shahade as a chess commentator, issued a statement in response: “Although I cannot comment on the specifics of Ms. Shahade’s assertions due to pending investigations by the U.S. Chess Federation and the St. Louis Chess Club, I understand the concern raised by the allegations. I am fully cooperating with both inquiries and look forward to the opportunity to respond to these charges and share my side of the story.”
Shahade tells me that eight women then contacted her to share their own allegations of distressing experiences with Ramirez. She adds: “If you count the women who talked to me about other men, the number is much, much higher. Some men reached out to me as well.” To talk about sexual abuse? “Yes, by different chess players, coaches, and grandmasters. I was not only proud of what I did, but also proud that people had so much trust in me.”
Three weeks later, on March 7, 2023, The Wall Street Journal published a detailed investigation headlined How Sexual Assault Allegations Against a U.S. Chess Grandmaster Went Unaddressed for Years. The newspaper highlighted allegations made against Ramirez by eight other women, including three who were under 18 at the time of the alleged abuse. In the aftermath, Ramirez resigned from his coaching post and from U.S. Chess. Ramirez’s lawyer told The Wall Street Journal: “Superimposing today’s mores on erroneous recitals of acts of yesteryear is a recipe for disaster for both the accused and the accuser … in this era of introspection and sensitivity to all matters ‘Me Too’ related, Mr. Ramirez remains very supportive of those who seek to raise issues of concern about anyone.”
Shahade had become the unofficial leader of chess’s #MeToo movement. Ellen Carlsen, whose brother Magnus is the world’s best chess player, was “shocked and saddened” by Shahade’s post—but she finally felt able to report an allegation of harassment she experienced as a young chess player.
In August 2023, more than 100 women in chess added their signatures of support to an open letter written by 14 female chess players in France, who stressed that “we have remained silent too long” about sexual abuse and sexism. That same month, the British chess player Sabrina Chevannes, who had quit the professional game in 2017, spoke out about misogyny and predatory behavior in the sport. She also alleged that she had been raped by a fellow player.
Shahade cannot comment on specifics relating to allegations made against Ramirez, but when considering wider issues in the sport she says: “It’s upsetting to see how there’s still lots of abuse against women. But I’m tremendously proud of bringing this to light in chess. It’s my biggest achievement because, as in so many other cultures,”There is a long and deeply ingrained history of abuse.”
When the Guardian contacted Ramirez’s legal representative last week for comment on all the allegations detailed in this article, they said: “Mr. Ramirez continues to be fully supportive of investigations whenever allegations of misconduct are made by anyone, anywhere.”
The 45-year-old Shahade has always been distinctive. “I got opportunities and was celebrated by people who wanted to see more women in the game,” she says. “But there are definitely negatives as well. My brother and my dad were much stronger at chess than me, but they were very supportive because they saw I had a different learning curve and different interests. From the outside, though, there was this sense that ‘Oh, she’s female, so she’s not as intelligent.'”
Shahade is fiercely intelligent and determined. “I always wanted to win a mixed-gender US Junior Open title because I was already successful on the women’s circuit,” she says of her landmark victory in 1998. “I took a Greyhound bus for six hours to get to the tournament in upstate New York. I won and became the first female US junior champion.”
What was the reaction? “People were pretty excited. When you do well, you often get celebrated as a woman. It’s more when you do poorly that people say: ‘Oh, she’s just a woman.'”
Only one woman, Judit Polgár, has cracked the world top 10 in chess. Shahade greatly admires Polgár, who often played Garry Kasparov when he was the dominant world champion. In 1989, Kasparov said that women are not equipped to excel at chess because it is “a mixture of sport, psychological warfare, science, and art. Every single component of chess belongs to areas of male domination.”
Shahade raises an eyebrow when I read her that outdated quote: “Now he says the exact opposite, so it’s nice to see growth in that respect from him.”
In 2002, after losing to Polgár, Kasparov conceded: “I was wrong about women playing chess. I gave an opinion a long time ago that I no longer believe.”
Women are still not thriving in elite chess, even though they have the required intellect and resilience. I tell Shahade I saw a statistic suggesting that just 11% of classical-rated players and 2% of grandmasters are women. “That might be right. Girls are definitely less encouraged than boys to get into chess by schools, society, and internet algorithms. I’m starting to make chess videos with my son. As a vocal feminist with a very mixed crowd of followers, I thought that when these videos reach the algorithmic space, the breakdown of men to women seeing them would be something like 85 to 15. But the reality is that between 95% and 99% of the videos are shown to men.
“It’s crazy. Algorithms are profiling each user and saying: ‘What are the percentage chances this person will be interested in a chess video?’ This is a very harmful effect of social media deciding for you what you’re interested in. It’s very sobering and concerning because the rise of algorithmic social media coincided with The Queen’s Gambit [the hit Netflix series starring Anya Taylor-Joy as a complex young woman who dreamed of becoming the world’s best chess player]. The algorithm is just deciding your interests.”
Female chess players also endure “relentless questions. How do I become more confident? How do I overcome imposter syndrome? How do I get over a loss? I get these difficult questions again and again from women because they’re not as practiced in the affirmations you need to compete.”
Jennifer Shahade, at an event where she played 17 games simultaneously in London, was a groundbreaking chess player in the US. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian
Shahade no longer plays competitive chess, as she concentrates on writing and professional poker. Her intriguing new book, Thinking Sideways, about the lessons she gleaned from chess and poker, doeShe chooses not to discuss allegations of sexual abuse. Instead, she explains that her goal for the book is to inspire readers and help them become smarter and more successful. “It certainly did that for me,” she says. “After writing the book, I had my biggest success in poker—I won third place in a massive tournament in Vegas and used some of the book’s techniques.”
“A poker tournament is grueling, and it’s important not to spend too much time on your phone during breaks. After writing my book, I was strict about writing down notes on my opponents. I never looked at the notes again, but writing them down helped me remember things better.”
How much did she win? “$290,000.”
When asked to compare chess and poker, Shahade says, “I love both games. I see them as similar in many ways, but the history and art of chess are unparalleled. You can’t compare any game to it.”
In 2024, Shahade wrote a compelling Substack article detailing her allegations of sexual abuse. She stressed, “A lot of people want to move on without Alejandro in chess, but without me too. I am compelled to fight for accountability—not just for me, but for anyone who is afraid to report because they worry that, even if proven correct, the endgame won’t be vindication. It will be becoming collateral damage.”
Shahade says she warned US Chess about her allegations against Ramirez “multiple times” between 2020 and 2022, urging that he not be allowed to coach the US Women’s Olympic team. But she felt ignored and “humiliated.”
After Shahade’s public allegations, Ramirez stopped working with women and girls. However, she alleges that a US Chess lawyer warned her that discussing the case with others could compromise their investigation. It was just the start of another battle.
In September 2023, she again used social media to state, “US Chess sent me a cease and 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.”
Shahade left US Chess and felt discredited by its president, Randy Bauer, who later apologized for including her in an outburst against critics of the federation. Bauer said, “I again thank Shahade for coming forward in the Ramirez case, which led to the US Executive Board banning him for life from US Chess membership.”
In her Substack piece, she concluded that “the price” of whistleblowing “included job loss, violent threats, severed relationships, legal costs, and both covert and direct attacks on my credibility. The cost is too high.”
US Chess did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on Shahade’s allegations.
It’s striking to consider Shahade’s story against the backdrop of the Epstein scandal and Donald Trump’s presidency. Shahade was moved by the commercial aired during last month’s Super Bowl, in which some Epstein survivors demanded the release of all the files. “It was very powerful and so important to have accountability from the men implicated in this criminal scheme and cover-up,” she says. “I also feel not enough attention is paid to the women. It sometimes feels like they’re being treated as a means to an end, which is an important end, but maybe when Trump is no longer in power there could be major movement.”
Shahade sighs when asked how it feels to live in a country ruled by Trump. “It was a horrible day when he got elected again. It’s really hard to stomach.”
The last few years have been testing, but in shining a light on a subject as dark as sexual abuse, Shahade says, “It’s given me a tremendous sense of purpose and clarity. The truth elixir is so important. The scariest thing about Trump is that, in this post-truth world, he can confuse people and tell so many lies that you don’t know which one to attack first. It’s very destabilizing, and the attack on journalism…”The rise of “lism” is truly concerning. However, the fight for truth is vital. As a famous quote says, lies and hypocrisy cannot endure in chess, because if you lie, you will lose. And losing to your opponent will expose your lies.
Thinking Sideways by Jennifer Shahade (Hodder & Stoughton, £22). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Jennifer Shahades Statement on Chess
Q1 Who is Jennifer Shahade
Jennifer Shahade is a twotime US Womens Chess Champion author commentator and advocate for women in chess She is also the Womens Program Director for the US Chess Federation
Q2 What did she mean by Chess has a longstanding and deeply rooted history of abuse
She was referring to systemic issues within the chess world including sexual harassment discrimination bullying and misconductparticularly affecting women and marginalized playersthat have persisted for decades
Q3 Is she talking about abuse during games or outside of them
Both This includes abusive behavior in competitive settings and off the board such as sexual harassment online abuse and institutional failures to protect players
Q4 Has there been proof of this abuse in chess
Yes Multiple highprofile cases have emerged including allegations against top players and coaches lawsuits and investigative reports detailing harassment and coverups in national federations and tournaments
Q5 Why is this coming to light now
Increased awareness through social media more players speaking out and advocacy by figures like Shahade have encouraged victims to share experiences pushing organizations to address these issues publicly
Q6 How does this affect amateur or casual players
Abusive cultures can discourage participation especially among women and juniors Casual players may encounter online harassment toxic behavior in clubs or feel unsafe at events harming chesss inclusivity
Q7 What is being done to fix these problems
Initiatives include stricter codes of conduct safe sport policies training for officials reporting systems and advocacy groups promoting equity and accountability
Q8 Are men affected by abuse in chess too
Yes While women are disproportionately targeted men can also experience bullying psychological pressure or misconduct The issue often highlights power imbalances affecting all genders
Q9 What should I do if I experience or witness abuse in chess
Report it to event organizers national federations or dedicated integrity units Support resources include helplines and organizations like Safe Sport Documenting incidents can help
