Unruly Queens give young girls a seat at the chess table

The Unruly Queens, a team of four female chess masters, hosted a chess festival at the Washington Square Park Chess Plaza on Sunday, Oct. 9.

Manasa Gudavalli, Editor-at-Large

October 17, 2022

Yassi Ehsani, Evelyn Zhu and Ellen Wang standing by an orange banner that reads “2022 Fall Unruly Queens Chess Festival.”

The Unruly Queens — a team of chess masters organized by Yassi Ehsani, Evelyn Zhu and Ellen Wang — hopes to empower and teach girls to play, learn and love chess.

The Unruly Queens’ Fall 2022 Chess Festival at Washington Square Park attracted many young chess players. They participated in puzzle contests, a chess simultaneous exhibition, blitz tournaments and awards.

A young girl in a pink fleece holding a piece at a chess board, playing against another young girl.

Young girls from the tri-state area gathered at the park to play chess and compete with each other during the festival. Sisters Lilianna and Isabella play a game of chess against each other while waiting for the chess simul to begin.

Chess player Olivia Gan holds up a chess piece to show her parents.

Chess player Hrtha Rajiv waits in anticipation for the chess simul to begin.

A young girl sits at a chess board while her mother stands at the side looking over her.

Naomi and her mother Natalie plan their next moves during the chess simul.

Chess player Brie Mulero fills out the Unruly Queen’s puzzle contest sheet while waiting for the chess simul to begin.

Catherine Mong, a volunteer with the Unruly Queens, sits in front of a chess board in the park to save a spot for a player.

Three young girls sit side by side at a table with chess boards, as Yassi Ehsani reaches over to move a piece.

Woman FIDE Master Yassi Ehsani runs from board to board to play the chess simul.

Yassi Ehsani sits across from a young girl in a pink jacket playing chess.

Chess player Cora plays against Woman FIDE Master Yassi Ehsani during the chess simul.

Chess players Anjyu Fujita, Emma Phu and Hannah Lee fill out the Unruly Queen’s puzzle contest sheet.

Rui Lin Feng and Olivia Gan sit next to each other at a chess board. Rui Lin Feng is writing in a booklet while Olivia Gan is moving a chess piece.

Chess player Rui Lin Feng completes her chess puzzles while another player participates in the chess simul.

culture-unrulyqueens_ManasaGudavalli-01 — (Manasa Gudavalli for WSN)

Contact Manasa Gudavalli at [email protected].

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