Checkmate Betul Makes Its First Move
During a recent visit to her hometown in India, Avika Shukla noticed how few girls played chess, despite the game’s many benefits, such as improving problem-solving skills, concentration, and academic success. Motivated by this gender gap, she launched Checkmate Betul to bring chess opportunities directly to girls in rural areas with support from Satpuda Valley Public School and Little Flower Sr. Sec. School in Betul.
Avika's hometown of Betul, India.
Checkmate Betul is a grassroots initiative launched to bring the game of chess to girls in rural India, where opportunities to learn and play have historically been scarce. Through a partnership with ChessKid, we are equipping 75 students in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, with Gold memberships, structured lessons, and a safe online community, all designed to spark confidence, critical thinking, and academic engagement.
Chess is a proven tool for boosting cognitive skills: the American Chess Foundation reports that students who play chess score up to 17% higher on math and logic tests. Yet in India’s competitive chess scene, only 15–20% of players are female, and in rural areas like Betul, that number falls below 5%. At the same time, UNICEF data shows that 72% of rural girls drop out before Grade 10; by offering a supportive, structured chess program, Checkmate Betul not only introduces valuable mental skills but also encourages these girls to stay in school.
Avika learned at a young age that chess teaches critical thinking and math skills.
The project is founded by Avika and backed by a dedicated global team of young female chess leaders who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the project:
- Zara Majid, Woman Candidate Master (WCM) from the Cayman Islands
- Iris Mou, Woman International Master (WIM) from New York City
- Christina Aziz, certified FIDE Arbiter and Senior Lead Chess Instructor and Lecturer
- Eesha Gorantla, an avid chess competitor from New Jersey
- Claire Cheng, an active scholastic chess player and advocate from New Jersey
- Audrey Smith, a passionate community chess leader from California (not pictured below)
The Checkmate Betul global team maps out their strategy at a virtual meeting.
Together, this youth-led international team is committed to mentorship, leadership development, and breaking barriers for girls in chess.
Checkmate Betul places ChessKid at the heart of its learning journey. With full access to ChessKid’s Gold features, students, many of whom have never played chess before, can explore the game through engaging tutorials, level-based challenges, unlimited puzzles, and safe online play.
ChessKid’s step-by-step learning paths guide students from the basics of piece movement to advanced tactics like forks, pins, and checkmate patterns. The platform also provides a secure environment for live games, enabling the girls to build friendships, healthy competition, and resilience skills that go far beyond the chessboard.
Students and instructors exploring the basics using ChessKid lessons!
Avika reflected on the importance of ChessKid’s support:
“Without ChessKid’s resources and tools, empowering these girls to learn and enjoy chess would simply not be possible. The platform’s comprehensive lessons and safe, interactive environment are essential for helping them develop confidence and a love for the game.”
Avika competes at an all-girls tournament.
At CheckMate Betul, we’re proud to help remove barriers and provide a complete digital chess classroom using ChessKid that opens doors for these girls, showing them that they belong in every space where strategy, leadership, and critical thinking matter.
We look forward to sharing updates as this exciting project unfolds, including photos, tournament highlights, interviews with prominent chess figures, and stories from the girls whose lives are being transformed by chess.
Avika was the July Girls Club special guest, and hosted a Chesskid AMA, Hour of Chess Challenge, and Puzzle of the Week. Join the Girls Club to get involved!
