Supporting girls in chess and math through a network of youth-led local programs and events, all free of cost
Women Only make up:
22%
of competition math participants
11%
of full-time math professors
10%
of all rated chess players
2%
of Grandmasters
Here at Rooks and Roots, we believe that this gender gap must be addressed. By creating a fun and welcoming space for girls to learn chess and math, we hope to confront the often-toxic environment perpetuated by the male-dominated nature of these subjects, doing our part to support girls who wish to freely pursue these passions.
Announcements: September 2026
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Save the date for Rooks and Roots’ 2nd Girls Chess Festival on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM at Hunter College Campus Schools (71 E 94th St)! This free, beginner-friendly event is open to all local NYC girls aged 7-12. Sponsored by US Chess Women, ChessKid, and Hunter, the evening will feature chess lessons, puzzle competitions, open game playing, a raffle, prizes, and complimentary dinner. Every participant will also receive a free 1-month ChessKid Gold membership and a custom scorebook. Share with friends and family, and sign up today!
Interested volunteers aged 13+ are also welcome to help! Reach out to contact@rooks-and-roots.org for further details.
Register here: https://forms.gle/FynYXBH4qChNTzAZ6
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Are you a female-identifying middle or high schooler passionate about bridging the gender gap in chess and/or math? Join our tight-knit team today!
Our core mission is to create programs by girls, for girls, supporting all of us in the process. Volunteering with Rooks and Roots is a wonderful opportunity to develop leadership skills and create real change in your community. Visit our volunteering page to learn more!
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This May (2026), we partnered with the Unruly Queens, the Dalton School, and US Chess Women to celebrate girl’s chess through our first Inaugural Girl’s Chess Festival!
A few months after the festival’s conclusion, organizers Iris Mou, Kelsey Liu, and Lisa Sun reflected on the event and this experience in the following US Chess Article: https://new.uschess.org/news/free-inaugural-girls-chess-festival-brings-young-players-together! Feel free give the article a read and share it with anyone who may be interested!
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From August 24-26, 2026, we ran our first inaugural Girls Chess and Math Summer Camp Series! Featuring six hours of fun chess and math activities and instruction over three days, the event brought 22 wonderful girls together from 16 schools around New York City. Read more about it here: https://www.chess.com/club/rooks-and-roots/announcements
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Join us at the Bloomingdale Library from 4:00-6:00 PM Weekly on Mondays for open workshops starting on August 10, 2026! We will be set up in the children's area on the 2nd floor; come and go at any time!
We will be going over content day by day. For chess, this may include skittling games, learning new openings, or even just learning how to move the pieces! For math, we're just as flexible: we'll be available for homework review, test prep, enrichment problems, and more. We will give out small goodies for all participants!
Drop-off and pick-up is expected, but we encourage parents/guardians to stay! Walk-ins are welcome, but do try to RSVP early so we can be better prepared to tailor our lessons to your child.
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This July 20th was our two year anniversary! Thank you for your gracious support to our programs during these two years, and we will continue working passionately to bridge the gender gap in chess and math.
The best way you can help us grow is simply by sharing our website, events, and cause with interested students or volunteers!
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Introducing: the new training page! Your kids can submit answers to our quarterly puzzles. All participants will get an entry with a chance to win a small raffle prize at the next month’s workshops by just giving it their best guess - those who get it right win additional entries!
Over two years after Iris Mou and Lisa Sun co-founded Rooks and Roots, we are incredibly proud of the impact we have created in and beyond our community!
Statistics
60
Weekly Workshops Held
445+
Students Taught
245+
Hours of Direct Service
530+
Hours Dedicated by the Team to our Mission
9
Special Events Hosted
28+
Schools Represented
OUR PARTNERS
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OUR PARTNERS 〰️
OUR PARTNERS
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OUR PARTNERS 〰️
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accessible to all
We offer both in-person and online classes. We also support all levels, so whether you’re completely new or have years of experience under your belt, we can help! And of course, all of our programs are 100% free of cost.
Run BY GIRLS FOR GIRLS
As high-schoolers who were K-6 girls not long ago, we have our own fair share of negative experiences with the lack of gender diversity in chess and math. Run by girls, for girls, we founded Rooks and Roots to help train and support the future generation of girls in male-dominated subjects.
Tailored to you
Our workshops are split by age/skill level, so each lesson offers the appropriate level of challenge for your children. By applying your feedback and individual requests, we are always actively improving our service!
open to all levels!
In all of our programs, our lessons are accommodating to each and every one of your children. In our starting level for aspiring chess players, we teach the basic rules and notation of the game, while preparing them for their first tournaments. For more experienced players, we offer three more levels, up to private/small group lessons for experts and masters! In math, we cover elementary school math all the way up to advanced Middle School competitions, and provide homework help in all sections.
Developing a love for learning
By creating a comfortable, fun, and supportive atmosphere, we help grow your children into confident and engaged learners. Through our workshops, both in-person and online, we hope to create an active community, always cheering them on!
Join the Team!
Are you a female-identifying student passionate about bridging the gender gap in chess and/or math? Join our team now!
We have positions available in social media, marketing, communications, poster design, website design, teaching, logistics, organization, mentorship, management, and more. If your values align with our cause, there is a place for you on our team!