Veselin Topalov shared his opinion on the gender division in chess tournaments. Topalov believes few women would earn a living from chess without separate competitions, and notes the success of Judit Polgar.

Veselin Topalov

Veselin Topalov

Former FIDE World Champion

“[Question: Why in 2026, in your opinion, do two separate championships still exist — men’s and women’s?]

At present, I think the separation of men’s and women’s competitions benefits women.

Since fewer women play chess, statistically prize money in most cases would go to men. Only a few women would be able to make a living from chess, which could push many of them to quit chess.

Perhaps in the future, the playing level will become close enough, and separate competitions will no longer be needed. Since the beginning of this century, women, by the way, have improved incredibly, and today it no longer surprises anyone when a woman defeats a grandmaster of a very high level.

The great Hungarian chess player Judit Polgar, the strongest female player of the late 20th - early 21st century, for example, is a great source of inspiration for me.”

The most prestigious FIDE events, such as the World Chess Championship Match, Candidates Tournament, Grand Swiss, World Cup, and others have division into Open and Women’s sections. Other 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 peak rating of 2735, and held the No. 1 spot for female players for 26 years. Judit was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame in 2021 for her achievements and contributions to the game.

Credit: Spectrum Studios