06-10-2018, 09:47 AM
It is a completely different landscape in a single generation.
Between 1980-2000 Scotland got 10 new IMs. Between 2000-2018 only one.
Between 1980-1990 Scotland always performed above ratings. Since 1990 this has been a rare occurrence.
The Scottish rating system used to underrate our players internationally, now it overrates them.
However our team was the best that was available and the players gamely tried their best whilst having to spend a lot of their energies away from chess making a living and having a normal life. With the loss of the Scottish government grant, lack of chess on tv , the concept of making a living from chess and getting decent chess opposition in Scotland is very difficult.
Between 1980-2000 Scotland got 10 new IMs. Between 2000-2018 only one.
Between 1980-1990 Scotland always performed above ratings. Since 1990 this has been a rare occurrence.
The Scottish rating system used to underrate our players internationally, now it overrates them.
However our team was the best that was available and the players gamely tried their best whilst having to spend a lot of their energies away from chess making a living and having a normal life. With the loss of the Scottish government grant, lack of chess on tv , the concept of making a living from chess and getting decent chess opposition in Scotland is very difficult.