Getting to know female chess rockstar Mariya Muzychuk
Andrea Gallego: Did you watch “The Queen’s Gambit”?
Mariya Muzychuk: Of course! The story is great: a talented girl with a difficult childhood ends up winning the most prestigious chess tournament in the world. As a professional chess player, I have to say it feels a bit “fake”, though. In the real world, it is very hard for women to compete at the highest level. I have been an elite female player for more than 6 years now, my Elo rating is around 2550, which means I can win a strong tournament – but not at the top men’s level. Magnus Carlsen, the current number one has a rating above 2850.
Do you identify with Beth, the lead character?
I tried not to do it too much. I mean, I’m a strong player, one of the best among women - but far from the highest level among men. But I think the show is great to get people interested in our sport. The actors did an amazing job. It must have been incredibly hard to learn and memorize every move of a game when you are not a chess player.
What got you interested in chess as a child?
I started playing when I was very young. Both of my parents are merited chess coaches in Ukraine, and they introduced me to the game when I was 2 years old. It was playful at the beginning because children that age lack the intense concentration that chess requires. But my parents saw a talent in me, and over time I got more and more invested. I quickly won the Ukrainian and European Youth Championships. And so did my sister who is two and a half years older than me. We are both ranked among the top 10 women in the world now.
So there might be some chess DNA involved…
I think I just wanted to copy my sister when I saw her playing that well. When I saw her win a tournament, I wanted to do the same.
Only 15 - 20% of professional chess players are women. Why do you think that is?
I think that’s a legacy issue. The stereotype used to be that chess is a game of logic and thus only for men. But then the number of women playing professionally started to increase and we began having our own tournaments. That was very important and led to a lot more girls who suddenly wanted to practice. With better tournaments and better prizes, there now is an incentive to play.
Do women play chess differently?
Hahaha, interesting question. Most chess players say women play more aggressively. I noticed that men are much better at prophylactic thinking. Many women only think about what they want to do next.
How did you become successful?
My parents supported me all the way, which wasn’t always easy. Tournaments are often far away and expensive. And I have a talent for chess and I’m very persistent – once I have a goal, I will do everything to get there (laughs).
What advice would you give to women who want to succeed in male-dominated fields?
It’s not easy. I often saw men make careers while equally talented women didn’t. But I think it’s important not to pay attention to what other people say. Do your job, focus on your goals and be confident. Women often hesitate. Men often seem self-assured even if they aren’t.
If you had the chance to talk to your 10-year-old self, what would you tell her?
I would tell her that her game is very good. I won the “European Championship under 10” when I was 8. I’d also suggest practicing every day.
Many consultants at BCG like to play chess. Would you say the logic the game requires can be helpful in other fields?
Yes, very much so. It’s been proven that children who play chess are more successful at school and at university. You learn to analyze, you learn to predict and you learn how to fight. And you also learn to respect your opponent no matter how the game ends.
So it’s not just about the power of your brain, but about relating to other people. That’s a huge skill set in many industries. Figuring out how to work with people is often harder than the work itself.
Yes, and you can’t win every time. So you also need coping skills and the ability to learn from your mistakes.
Do you think everybody can play chess?
Everybody who knows the rules. The good thing about chess is that everyone can learn how to play at any age. But to get to the highest level you need more refined skills. Not everybody has the patience for a game that can last for more than 5 hours, and not everybody is equally adept at analyzing and calculating variations.
Do you have any advice for women on how to become a chess master?
I would advise them to take part in strong tournaments and play against strong opponents. The theory is easy, real life is hard. Playing against weaker opponents isn’t helpful. Losing is no catastrophe, it’s a challenge to improve.
At BCG GAMMA, our work is about Artificial Intelligence. How do you see the relation between chess and AI right now?
Computers are much stronger than even the best players now. But they also made the game stronger. After every game we play, we analyze it with a computer to see where we went wrong, something that would have been impossible years ago when we only had our minds to play. But in the end, I always say: Let machines against machines and humans with humans.
Right, that is a lot more fun. Thanks a lot, Mariya! And good luck at the 1st Online World Corporate Championship!