Jennifer Shahade, a prominent figure in both the poker and chess worlds, has filed a six-count civil action against the United States Chess Federation alleging defamation, discrimination, illegal retaliation and other civil torts.
The action, which was filed in New Jersey on Wednesday, is the latest salvo in the war between Shahade and US Chess over Shahade's assertions that the organization has failed to protect women and children from sexual predators for many years and has similarly failed to remove known predators from ongoing contact with vulnerable groups.
The lawsuit also names two individuals in addition to US Chess, president Randy Bauer and prominent chess writer Peter Tamburro. Individual and corporate John Does are also named as defendants should additional defendants be identified.
The six counts in the action include:
- Retaliation under New Jersey law against discrimination
- Gender bias and discrimination as defined under New Jersey law
- Intentional and/or grossly negligent infliction of emotional distress
- Defamation and business libel
- False light / invasion of privacy
- Conspiracy to violate as defined under New Jersey civil RICO (Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act) statute
The lawsuit asks for unspecified commpensatory and punitive damages, including compensation for Shahade being terminated from her role with US Chess in September 2023. The RICO claim could allow for damages to be trebled should the defendants be found liable.
Shahade challenged misogyny in chess head-on
Shahade famously outed herself last year as a two-time assault victim of grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez, who had for years worked in association with US Chess as a girl's coach.
Her coming forward publicly led other victims of Ramirez and others to follow in her footsteps, either also going public or confiding in Shahade that assaults had taken place. According to a major report published by the Wall Street Journal, eight separate women alleged abuse by Ramirez, who was ultimately suspended by US Chess.
However, further allegations about other individuals and a push by Shadade to the brass at US Chess to help clean up both the chess world and its own alleged lack of sufficient protections instead went the opposite direction. As Shahade alleges, US Chess tasked veteran chess scribe Tamburro with 'debunking' many of Shahade's assertions, though Tamburro's work, according to Shahade, included several falsehoods about Shahade and featured word-twisting designed to grossly minimize the seriousness of the claims being made.
One such instance involved Ramirez's molestation of a 15-year-old female chess player who Ramirez was coaching at a chess camp. As the lawsuit details, referring to Tamburro's published work for US Chess, "[It] talked about the attempted molestation and alleged rape of a child as if the molester was taking her to a school dance: 'Ramirez had tried to become involved with a 15- year-old girl at a chess camp, and later with another one alone to celebrate in a hotel room at a World Youth event'."
Shahade's lawsuit also names other individuals who have also been found to have committed assaults but, unlike Ramirez, allegedly remain affiliated with US Chess.
Using fame for the greater good
Shahade continues to parlay the fame she's earned from excelling in two mindsports into an effort to enact needed social change.
Shahade first achieved excellence and fame in the chess world by becoming a two-time U.S. Women's Chess Champion and a women's chess grandmaster. She branched out to poker over a decade ago and has since logged numerous significant finishes, and her natural candor and work as a role model for women made her a welcome signing by PokerStars as a brand ambassador. Shahade also serves on PokerOrg's Player Advisory Board.
When not playing, coaching, or organizing, she's also found time to write books, including Chess Queens and the upcoming Thinking Sideways: What Chess Reveals about True Success, which is scheduled for a 2025 release.
