Fruzsina Szente-Varga

FRUZSINA SZENTE-VARGA is our Chess Educator for the month of August!

Fruzsina has been playing chess for over 17 years! She is a Woman FIDE Master and a strong proponent for the empowerment of women all over the world! Over and over again, she has made it her mission to compete professionally against her male counterparts and to show them that a woman can hold her own in a male-dominated field.

With a passion for psychology, strategy and speaking her mind, there is no doubt that Fruzsina is an unstoppable force!

Check out the full chat with Fruzsina Szente-Varga! Find out what this Hungarian native is doing in Greece, what her greatest struggles are and what she thinks of the work that the Girl Boss Chess Movement is pioneering.

1) You are originally from Hungary; what has taken you to Greece where you currently are?

Well, firstly, love brought me to Greece and secondly, curiosity and the need for adventure! As a little girl, I always imagined and wished to live in many other countries and to meet new people from different backgrounds. There are so many things that other cultures can teach you! That’s probably also why I love to travel so much. So far, I have lived in Italy for almost a year and, for the past couple of years, I have been living on and off in Greece.

2) When did chess first become a part of your life & what drew you to the sport?

Chess became a part of my everyday life when I was 8 years old. My mom took me to my first chess tournament ever and I fell in love with the game. What drew me to chess the most was that it was a way for me to compete with boys and show them that a girl could fight them and teach them a lesson (since most of the time in tournaments, men and women are in the same category, unlike in other sports). If it wasn’t chess, I probably would have turned to karate or some other fighting sport for the same reasons.

3) What has your experience been like as a Woman FIDE Master? How has it been

different from the experience of your male counterparts, in your opinion?

Unfortunately, there aren't many women in the chess world yet, so people generally have something to say when they see a woman playing. I have met people who told me that I should have picked some ‘girly’ activity instead of playing chess; others have underestimated me and some were even afraid of me, claiming they ‘can’t’ play against girls. In my country, chess teams are obliged to have women players, so they fight over strong female competitors. Also, if you have a good rating, people value you more than male counterparts, who are rated the same. Girls are very special and rare in chess and they are, therefore, treated differently, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

4) What do you love about teaching chess?

There are so many things that I love about teaching chess. One of them is that chess resembles life in many ways. For example, in life, it is important to think of the consequences when making decisions, it is important to learn to deal with small or big failures or successes and to learn how to manage time…and it’s exactly the same in chess. Therefore, the lessons you learn in chess are never just about the game alone;  there is always a life lesson to be learned for everyday life as well. 

5) What do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far?

My greatest achievement, so far, is that I overcame my self-doubt and stage fright and started streaming. Currently, I have over 5000 followers on Twitch, as I try to make chess even more popular and help my community improve their game. I offer advice, instructive chess lessons and sport-psychology content, using my years of experience in chess competitions and my Master’s Degree in Psychology as my reference points.

6) What is something you have struggled with or still struggle with?

I used to struggle a lot with my self-confidence. I had difficulty identifying my strengths and good qualities and accepting my weaknesses and flaws…and sometimes I still do. Through my travels and by facing my fears and streaming online however, I learnt a lot about myself, about others and their struggles. That has helped me face those negative beliefs I have. Chess has contributed as well in that it has helped me understand that if I don’t identify my strengths, as I assume a particular position, then it will be hard to craft a good strategy, making it almost impossible to win!

7) What message do you have for young Girl Bosses who are afraid to pursue chess?

I have been playing chess for more than 17 years and my greatest memories and most awesome experiences and opportunities were made possible because of this amazing game. Thanks to chess, I’ve met incredibly kind people, who have understood and supported me and I have made friendships for life!  I would never want to change a thing about it! So ,if chess is what you would like to pursue, don’t let anything stop you from doing so! Never be afraid to go after what you enjoy and to do what you like!

8) What do you think are the most important qualities of a GIRL BOSS?

I would say the most important qualities of a GIRL BOSS is that she is confident enough to share what is in her heart and to express her feelings/opinions freely with others, without shying away. A Girl Boss knows what she likes and wants in life and is aware of how valuable she is…so she absolutely doesn't let anyone tell her or treat her otherwise!

9) What is the impact you hope to have by empowering girls through chess?

I would like girls to realise how much they are worth and that they are capable of doing anything they set their mind to. I believe the world would become a much better place if more girls could freely share their gifts and creativity.

10) Complete the following sentence: GIRL BOSS CHESS is…

GIRL BOSS CHESS is a great example of showing how important girls are and that by investing time, energy and money in the education and empowerment of girls, we are investing in the future!

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