Editing Jennifer Shahade

{{short description|American chess and poker player (born 1980)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox chess player
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|12|31}}
|birth_place = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], US
|death_date =
|death_place =
|title = [[Woman Grandmaster]] (2005)
|worldchampion =
|rating = [https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2011905/chart 2322] (January 2006)
|peakrating = 2366 (April 2003)
|image=JenShahade0201 063.jpg
|caption=Shahade in 2002
}}

'''Jennifer Shahade''' (born December 31, 1980) is an American [[chess]] player, poker player, commentator and writer. She is a two-time United States Women's Champion and has the [[FIDE]] title of [[Woman Grandmaster]]. Shahade is the author of the books ''Chess Bitch'', ''Play Like a Girl'', and most recently, ''Chess Queens'', and co-author of ''[[Marcel Duchamp]]: The Art of Chess''. From 2018 to 2023, she was the Women's Program Director at the [[United States Chess Federation]]. She is also a MindSports Ambassador for [[PokerStars]] and a board member of the [[World Chess Hall of Fame]] in Saint Louis.

== Early life ==
Shahade was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of [[FIDE Master]] Mike Shahade and [[Drexel University]] chemistry professor and author Sally Solomon.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Pauleanna |title=Two-Time Women's US Champion, Jennifer Shahade, Teaches Us Four Life Lessons From The Game Of Chess |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauleannareid/2019/02/18/two-time-womens-us-champion-jennifer-shahade-teaches-us-four-life-lessons-from-the-game-of-chess/ |access-date=2024-03-27 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> Her father is Lebanese and her mother is Jewish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2013/02/24/jennifer-shahade-a-jewish-queen/|title=What Drives Jennifer Shahade, And Where's She Heading?|last=Haspel Ben-Dak|first=Yehudit|date=February 24, 2013|website=Jewish Business News|access-date = July 5, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uschess.org/content/view/6810/343/|title=Jennifer's Blog: Linares Impressions|last=Shahade|first=Jennifer|date=February 17, 2007|website=Uschess.org|access-date=July 5, 2020}}</ref> Her older brother, [[Greg Shahade]], is an International Master.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/chess-queen-87073362/?no-ist=&page=2|title = Chess Queen|website = Smithsonian|first=Paul|last=Hoffman|date=August 2003|access-date=July 5, 2020}}</ref> She attended [[Julia R. Masterman School]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=McQuade |first=Dan |date=May 13, 2016 |title=An Interview with Philly Chess and Poker Pro Jennifer Shahade |work=[[Philadelphia (magazine)|Philadelphia]] |url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/05/13/jen-shahade-interview/ |access-date=March 7, 2023}}</ref>

== Career ==
In 1998, she became the first woman to win the U.S. Junior Open.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/chess-icon-jennifer-shahade-to-lecture-on-women-in-chess/|title=Chess Icon Jennifer Shahade to Lecture on Women in Chess|website=Office of Communications}}</ref>

In 2002, she won the [[U.S. Women's Chess Championship]] in Seattle, Washington. At the next U.S. Women's Championship, she earned her second [[International Master]] norm, and in 2004, she won her second U.S. Women's Chess Championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.uschess.org/content/view/154/203|title=The United States Chess Federation - WGM Jennifer Shahade|last=-lk|website=www.uschess.org|access-date=April 28, 2016}}</ref>

Shahade earned a degree in [[comparative literature]] at [[New York University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://philadelphiaweekly.com/2005/oct/26/pawns_shop-38401554/#.VyIaVPkrLIU|title=Pawn's Shop {{!}} Philly Weekly|website=philadelphiaweekly.com|access-date=April 28, 2016|archive-date=August 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814034035/http://philadelphiaweekly.com/2005/oct/26/pawns_shop-38401554/#.VyIaVPkrLIU|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

Her writing has appeared in the ''[[Los Angeles Times|LA Times]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Chess Life]]'', ''[[New In Chess]]'', and ''Games Magazine''. Her first book, ''Chess Bitch: Women in the Ultimate Intellectual Sport'' (Siles Press, {{ISBN|1-890085-09-X}}) was published in October 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://en.chessbase.com/post/-che-bitch-an-eye-opener-by-jennifer-shahade|title = 'Chess Bitch' – an eye-opener by Jennifer Shahade|date = October 31, 2005|website = Chess News|language = en-US|access-date = April 28, 2016}}</ref>

Shahade is the former web editor-in-chief of the [[United States Chess Federation]] website<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gothamist.com/2006/12/28/jennifer_shahad.php|title=Jennifer Shahade, Author, Chess Bitch, U.S. Women's Chess Champion 2002, 2004|website=Gothamist|access-date=April 28, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310012507/http://gothamist.com/2006/12/28/jennifer_shahad.php|archive-date=March 10, 2016}}</ref> and has hosted a monthly chess podcast, ''Ladies Knight,'' for the federation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shahade |first=Jennifer |date=August 22, 2022 |title=Ladies Knight, August 2022: Tatia Skhirtladze |url=https://new.uschess.org/news/ladies-knight-august-2022-tatia-skhirtladze |access-date=March 7, 2023 |work=[[United States Chess Federation]] News |quote=Ladies Knight” is a monthly US Chess podcast hosted by WGM Jennifer Shahade, two-time US Women’s Chess Champion, featuring female chess champions and leaders.}}</ref>

In 2007, Shahade co-founded a chess non-profit called 9 Queens.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.9queens.org/about/founders/|title = About the Founders|website = 9 Queens|access-date = April 28, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160419103206/http://www.9queens.org/about/founders/|archive-date = April 19, 2016|url-status = dead}}</ref>

Shahade is also a poker player.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.globalpokerindex.com/poker-players/jennifer-shahade-85543/|title = Jennifer Shahade {{!}} KYE186 {{!}} United States {{!}} The Official Global Poker Index – GPI Rankings|website = www.globalpokerindex.com|access-date = April 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=85543|title=Jennifer Shahade's profile on The Hendon Mob|website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database|access-date=April 28, 2016}}</ref> In 2014, she became the MindSports Ambassador for [[PokerStars]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scimia |first=Ed |date=July 7, 2015 |title=Jennifer Shahade Talks to CardsChat About Life as a Poker Star, Being a Chess Grandmaster, and Tying It All Together |url=https://www.cardschat.com/news/jennifer-shahade-exclusive-interview-cardschat-13397 |access-date=April 6, 2020 |website=CardsChat.com}}</ref> On December 9, 2014, Shahade won the first [[TonyBet]] [[Open-face Chinese poker|Open Face Chinese]] Poker Live World Championship High Roller Event, taking home €100,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://tonybetpoker.com/blog/jennifer-shahade-becomes-the-first-ever-ofc-world-championship-high-roller-champion|title = TonyBetPoker.Com|website = tonybetpoker.com|access-date = April 28, 2016|archive-date = March 4, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072625/https://tonybetpoker.com/blog/jennifer-shahade-becomes-the-first-ever-ofc-world-championship-high-roller-champion|url-status = dead}}</ref> 

Shahade is the host of the poker podcast ''the GRID'', which she produces with her husband Daniel Meirom. In 2019, the GRID won the Global Poker Award for Podcast of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalpokerindex.com/awards/the-2nd-annual-global-poker-awards-celebrated-25-of-pokers-best-including-poker-icon-recipient-johnny-chan/|title=The 2nd Annual Global Poker Awards Celebrated 25 of Poker's Best Including Poker ICON Recipient Johnny Chan|date=March 7, 2020}}</ref> She is also a former coach for the training website Run It Once.

Shahade is a board member of the [[World Chess Hall of Fame]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Shahade |first=Jennifer |date=October 17, 2019 |title=On Chess: Not Particularly Beautiful |work=[[St. Louis Public Radio]] |url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/arts/2019-10-17/on-chess-not-particularly-beautiful |access-date=March 7, 2023 |quote="Not Particularly Beautiful" is a chessboard I created with Daniel Meirom...Jennifer Shahade is a commentator, author and the director of Women’s Programs at US Chess. She is also a board member at the World Chess Hall of Fame.}}</ref> In 2018, Shahade became the woman's program director at the U.S. Chess Federation, which brings chess programming to thousands of girls in the country.<ref name=":0" /> Shahade resigned from the US Chess Federation on September 6, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://new.uschess.org/news/us-chess-announces-jennifer-shahades-departure|title= US Chess Announces Jennifer Shahade's Departure|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= September 4, 2023 |website= [[United States Chess Federation]] |access-date= September 7, 2023}}</ref> She claimed that the Federation treated her with "hostility instead of support" and that she was "constantly minimized or ignored" when she came forward with allegations of assault against GM [[Alejandro Ramírez (chess player)|Alejandro Ramírez]].<ref name= jenniferleaves>{{cite web |url= https://www.chess.com/news/view/jennifer-shahade-leaves-us-chess#:~:text=WGM%20Jennifer%20Shahade%20says%20she,with%20allegations%20of%20sexual%20assault.|title= Jennifer Shahade Resigns Director Position At US Chess|last= Svensen|first= Tarjei J.|date= September 7, 2023 |website= [[Chess.com]]|access-date= September 7, 2023}}</ref> Shahade released a statement on her social media regarding her resignation, stating: "Based on what I’ve seen, I cannot currently lend my credibility to the organization in good conscience. This is especially true since I’ve become a de facto confidante for so many women and girls—making it essential for me to have faith in executive decision-making and communication."<ref name= jenniferleaves/>

== Personal life ==

Shahade is married to Daniel Meirom. They live in Philadelphia and have a son, Fabian, born in 2017. In 2019, they created "Not Particularly Beautiful", an art installation that overlaid misogynist insults directed at women in chess over the squares of a chessboard.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Thomas |first=Louisa |date=August 2, 2021 |title=Hou Yifan and the Wait for Chess's First Woman World Champion |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/02/hou-yifan-and-the-wait-for-chess-first-woman-world-champion |access-date=March 7, 2023}}</ref>

In February 2023, Shahade accused [[Alejandro Ramirez (chess player)|Alejandro Ramirez]] of sexually assaulting her twice, and stated that she had heard from other alleged victims. The [[United States Chess Federation]] and [[Saint Louis Chess Club]] are, {{As of|2023|February|lc=y}}, investigating Ramírez over the alleged sexual misconduct.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Doggers |first1=Peter |title=Alejandro Ramirez Under Investigation For Sexual Misconduct |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/alejandro-ramirez-under-investigation-for-sexual-misconduct |website=Chess.com |access-date=February 16, 2023 |date=February 15, 2023}}</ref> On March 6, Ramírez resigned his affiliation with the Saint Louis Chess Club and the [[Saint Louis University]] chess team.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Levin |first1=Anthony |date=March 6, 2023 |title=Alejandro Ramirez Resigns From Saint Louis Chess Club |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/alejandro-ramirez-resigns-from-st-louis-chess-club |access-date=March 7, 2023 |website=Chess.com}}</ref> The following day, ''The Wall Street Journal'' published an article corroborating Shahade's claims, finding based on interviews with eight women, that Ramírez had made unwelcome sexual advances towards them since 2011 and that the alleged behavior was an open secret.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last1=Beaton |first1=Andrew |last2=Robinson |first2=Joshua |date=March 7, 2023 |title=How Sexual Assault Allegations Against a U.S. Chess Grandmaster Went Unaddressed for Years |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/alejandro-ramirez-jennifer-shahade-chess-allegations-622263b8?reflink=integratedwebview_share |access-date=March 7, 2023}}</ref>

== Works and publications ==
*{{cite book
 | author=Shahade, Jennifer
 | title=Chess Bitch: Women in the Ultimate Intellectual Sport
 | publisher=Siles Press
 | year=2005
 | isbn=1-890085-09-X}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Shahade, Jennifer
 | title=Play Like a Girl!
 | publisher=Mongoose Press
 | year=2011
 | isbn=978-1-936277-03-2}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Shahade, Jennifer
 | title=Chess Queens: The True Story of a Chess Champion and the Greatest Female Players of All Time
 | publisher=Hodder & Stoughton
 | year=2022
 | isbn=978-1399701372}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Shahade, Jennifer
 | title=Play Like a Champion
 | publisher=Mongoose Press
 | year=2023
 | isbn=978-1936277582}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{official|http://www.jennifershahade.com}}
*{{Fide}}
*[https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=85543 Hendon Mob profile]

{{Portal bar|Biography|Chess}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shahade, Jennifer}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American chess writers]]
[[Category:American female chess players]]
[[Category:American chess players]]
[[Category:American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:American people of Lebanese descent]]
[[Category:Chess Woman Grandmasters]]
[[Category:American women non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Jewish American sportspeople]]
[[Category:Jewish chess players]]
[[Category:American female poker players]]
[[Category:American poker players]]
[[Category:Chess players from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Lebanese descent]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]