Jennifer Shahade

Jennifer Shahade (1980-) is an American chess player, poker player, commentator and author. She was twice US Women’s Champion and holds the FIDE title of Women’s Grandmaster.

Chess and Poker: Jennifer Shahade Returns to US Chess

WGM Jennifer Shahade is back to the US Chess fold – and she’s bringing pro poker skills with her. After resolving all matters with the federation, Shahade has been named its first-ever Official Ambassador. Her new book argues that thinking across both games can sharpen your edge. More 🡢

US Chess Safe Play: Real-life Examples

When WGM Jennifer Shahade posted “Time’s up.” on X (formerly Twitter) on February 15, 2023, she was the Women’s Program Director for US Chess. Less than a month later, an article in The Wall Street Journal stated, “former U.S. women’s chess champion Jennifer Shahade alleged on social media last month that she had been sexually assaulted by a prominent grandmaster named Alejandro Ramirez.” On April 5, 2024, US Chess published a Safe Play example that had some of the same elements found in allegations against Ramirez. More 🡢

Jennifer Shahade: Play Like a Champion

Two-time U.S. Women’s Champion Jennifer Shahade’s latest chess book is Play Like a Champion: Chess Tactics from the Greats. Its 700 chess positions have answers that range from checkmate in one move to checkmate in 13 moves. More 🡢

Jennifer Shahade: Underestimating Girls Who Play Chess

Jennifer Shahade, a two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion, is one of the authors on a New York University study about parents and mentors underestimating girls who play chess. Earlier in Shahade’s career, Shahade asked girls easier chess questions than boys. More 🡢

April Fools’ Day: Chess Miniatures and GothamChess

On April Fools’ Day, it’s possible to trick oneself and others. Highlighted is Marvelous Modern Miniatures: 2020 Games in 20 Moves or Less and International Master Levy Rozman’s matches with International Master Greg Shahade and with the bird-feed seller Dadang Subur. More 🡢

U.S. Women’s Chess Championships: Participants, Champions, Crosstables

In the 60 U.S. Women’s Chess Championships held between 1937 and 2020, there have been 148 competitors. Of those, 29 have earned the title of U.S. Women’s Champion. This article provides some facts and graphics about those participants and champions, plus a link to crosstables. More 🡢

Sherlock Holmes and Chess

There was a triple dose of Sherlock Holmes and chess at US Chess in December of 2020. On December 10, 2020, the 2017 U.S. Women’s Chess Champion Sabina Foisor appeared in the Girls Club to discuss Sherlock’s Method: The Working Tool for the Club Player, written with Grandmaster Elshan Moradiabadi. The December Ladies Knight podcast featured Maria Konnikova, author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes. On December 18, The Madwoman’s Book Club discussed Konnikova’s book, with Konnikova herself appearing in the first 10 minutes, and retrograde analysis. More 🡢

The Queen’s Gambit and Critical Thinking

I first read The Queen’s Gambit when I was a teenage chess expert, a lesser prodigy than the book’s main character, Beth Harmon. I noticed that what happened to Beth had happened to me too. Like Beth, I had been told that “Girls don’t play chess.” More 🡢