India’s first Woman Grandmaster calls Vaishali’s push to remove women’s chess titles 'unfair and hurtful'

India’s first Woman Grandmaster (WGM), Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi, has expressed disapproval at Grandmaster (GM) R Vaishali’s recent comments that titles like WGM and Woman International Master (WIM) "can create a false sense of achievement" and need to be removed.

Vijayalakshmi, the first Indian to earn the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title in 2001 and a recipient of the Arjuna Award, said that the 23-year-old’s call to abolish women-specific titles in chess is “deeply unfair and hurtful. " The chess legend also added that the titles played a major role in Vaishali Rameshbabu’s rise as a chess player.

The now-retired chess legend questioned Vaishali’s stance, asking why she accepted these titles during her journey to becoming a Grandmaster (GM) if they hold such “low value.”

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“I saw your article yesterday @chessvaishali, and I was visibly distraught,” Vijayalakshmi wrote on X. “As India’s first woman Grandmaster, I find it deeply unfair and hurtful that you would suggest abolishing these titles. You mentioned these titles create a “false sense of achievement,” yet they played a crucial role in your own rise to recognition. If you really believed they were so, I wonder: Why take them regardless of their low value?”

Vijayalakshmi, who achieved a peak FIDE rating of 2485 and holds the International Master (IM) title in the open category, argued that removing women-specific titles would erase the struggles faced by female players, undermining their journey and achievements.

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“Erasing these titles would undermine the struggles we’ve faced. We deserve respect for our progress, not erasure,” she wrote in an emotional post.

I saw your article yesterday @chessvaishali , and I was visibly distraught. As India’s first woman Grandmaster, I find it deeply unfair and hurtful that you would suggest abolishing these titles. You mentioned these titles create a "false sense of achievement," yet they played a… pic.twitter.com/tCifTLqCWW

— Vijayalakshmi Subbaraman (@chessviji) January 9, 2025

What are the different titles in chess?

In addition to titles in the open category, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) also awards titles specifically for women. These titles include Woman Grandmaster (WGM), Woman International Master (WIM), Woman FIDE Master (WFM), and Woman Candidate Master (WCM). While titles in the open category are gender-neutral, women’s titles are exclusively reserved for female players.

Chess titles reflect a player’s skill level. To earn a specific title, a player must meet a defined set of criteria.

For instance, to achieve the highest title of GM, a player must attain an Elo rating of at least 2500, along with fulfilling other requirements. Similarly, an Elo rating of 2300 is required to secure the WGM title.

Vaishali: ‘WGM title should be removed’

Vaishali, who became a WGM in 2018 and the third Indian woman to become a Grandmaster in 2023, had recently said that abolishing women’s titles would allow female chess players to aim big and compete directly for GM title.

“Early in my career, I felt that titles like WIM and WGM can create a false sense of achievement. In the open category, these titles don’t hold much value and can demotivate players from aiming for the GM title. Removing these titles could inspire more women to compete directly for GM titles,” Vaishali told the Times of India.

Vaishali, who recently won bronze at the 2024 World Blitz Chess Championship in New York , was, in fact, endorsing the thoughts of chess legend Judit Polgar.