Female players in SNCL

[robin moore]

Andy,

Yes, we had similar problems with boys but as you suggested, with the pool of players being much bigger we were able to select players who subsequently proved they were able to be competitive at that level.

[David G Congalton]

Females Total % Females to Total
Dundee 9 151 5.96%
Lady Bow 2 22 9.09%
Lanark 1 17 5.88%
Lothians 7 126 5.56%
Marymass 9 111 8.11%
Oban 4 111 3.60%
Wolf 0 11 0.00%
Total 32 549 5.83%

Prestwick 2012 - Prize on offer for best female performance across the sections. Won by Ali Roy, if I remember right.

Females Total % Females to Total
Open 3 36 8.33%
Major 2 41 4.88%
Minor 6 46 13.04%
Junior 3 16 18.75%
Total 14 139 10.07%

Prestwick 2013 will continue the award for best female. WFM's and other titled players will again have the opportunity to take free entry. Last year WFM Elaine Bamber was entitled to and granted free entry but kindly paid full entry fee anyway, which was most appreciated.

The Iain Fraser Junior Trophy will also be up for grabs again. Previous winners include a girl.

For those who are critical of preferential treatment for particular sections, I take the view that offering incentives to increase numbers in under-represented areas in the short term, will benefit both the under-represented areas and the overall picture in the long term.

The root problem though lies in the number of secondary schools particpating in chess and also the opportunities missed by clubs, who have no junior section of their own or interest in one and little or no ties to any junior chess clubs in their area.

[HLang]

Some tournaments have female prizes. I can't recall a tournament advertising a male prize.

As I understand it, the British age-group championships do if a girl wins, e.g. the U8s in 2007:

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[HLang]

And the U11s in 2006.

[Alex McFarlane]

The British (and the Scottish) advertise a junior prize and an opposite sex prize. That is not the same thing as a prize which would go to a female in addition to a main prize.

I don't mind prizes/ideas that encourage a greater participation.

Many years ago I did object to a motion that a junior team event had to have a girl player. My reasons were simple. The one girl who would not have been on bottom board was already competing and the others would have effectively been playing each other. But the main reaason was that it would almost certainly have meant a reduction in the number of teams competing.

[Andrew McHarg]

Forcing teams to field a female is missing the point anyway. Better to introduce new ways of making girls want to stick to the game beyond primary school, rather than ways of punishing clubs for this gender imbalance.

[Glynis Grant]

One of the things that attract me to Chess is the fact that (grading permitting) I am treated as an equal to any man. I do not need anyone to condescendingly state - yes Glynis you are the only female in our club so you are guaranteed a place on our team. How dare you?? I'll get my own place because I deserve it not because I am the 'token minority group' At the risk of offending anyone, what comes next - the token disabled person, the token ethnic group.

Once I played an elderly gentleman who stated 'I've never played a woman before' My answer was ' I hope you enjoy the experience but you won't mind if I hope you come second' I then beat him in 15 moves, he stood up, slammed his chair back in towards the table and walked out. I've never seen him since. Should we have a place for the token ' Male chauvinist Pig'

SNCL is doing very nicely the way it is thankyou. The friendly, all inclusive, cheerful tournament that everyone enjoys.

GG

[amuir]

Why doesn't a female club enter the SNCL ? e.g. Glasgow Ladies or Scottish Ladies.
Then 5 females can play

[Patrick McGovern]

SNCL is doing very nicely the way it is thankyou. The friendly, all inclusive, cheerful tournament that everyone enjoys.

well said =)