Noblewomen included board game in membership fees (9)

I believe the answer is:

duchesses

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'noblewomen' is the definition.
(duchess is a kind of noblewoman)

'game in membership fees' is the wordplay.
'game' becomes 'chess' (chess is a kind of game).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'membership fees' becomes 'dues' (I've seen this before).
'chess' going inside 'dues' is 'DUCHESSES'.

'included board' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for duchesses that I've seen before include "aristocrats" , "ladies" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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