Contradictheory: The more queens, the better

Woman Grandmaster Tan Zhongyi at the 2026 Candidates Tournament in Cyprus. There are only about 42 women among roughly 1,700 living grandmasters, reflecting the lack of women participants in competitive chess. — MICHAL WALUSZA/FIDE

If you are a fan of chess, you probably already know about the 2026 Candidates Tournament being held in Cyprus right now. Eight men are battling it out for the honour of becoming the challenger for the World Chess Championship.

And if you are a serious chess fan, you’ve probably been tuning in to watch the games live on YouTube until well past midnight. The FIDE (International Chess Federation) Candidates Tournament began on March 28 and ends on April 15.