Denis Lazavik commented on the division of Mikhail Shereshevsky’s chess training camps into men’s and women’s. Lazavik calls this the right decision, and notes the difference in level between men and women in chess. Denis spoke about it in an interview with Chess Yaroslav.

Denis Lazavik

Denis Lazavik

Belarus' No. 1

“I remember, with Shirov last year we tried to look at some openings, but it was impossible. Moreover, now the camps have been divided into men’s and women’s. A brilliant idea!

Because it is madness to train with women, especially when looking at openings — there is a difference in level. They don’t understand anything that we are being taught.

[Chess Yaroslav reads the stream chat: ‘Yaroslav is a sexist, and Denis is a sexist…’ I do not know what is surprising about men playing chess better than women. And in general, not only in chess. It is just the truth.]

You can’t argue against the truth.”

The most prestigious FIDE events, such as the World Chess Championship Match, Candidates Tournament, Grand Swiss, World Cup, and others, have a division into Open and Women’s sections. Some Open tournaments use a division system, including Norway Chess 2026, Tata Steel India, and others.

Hungarian GM Judit Polgar is the only female player in history to reach 2700+. She reached a rating of 2735 and is No. 67 of all time. Six players, including Judit, reached a rating above 2600. The No. 1 female chess player is Chinese GM Hou Yifan (2596), as of September 2026.

Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE