Female players in SNCL

[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.