Chess Scotland Noticeboard

DGCongalton · Queen Joined: 07 Nov 2010 Posts: 113

Thoughts please on a 2012 West of Scotland female championships.

DGCongalton · Queen Joined: 07 Nov 2010 Posts: 113

Nobody has any thoughts?

My thoughts at the moment run along the lines set out below.

The 2012 West of Scotland Women’s Chess Championships

Saturday 16th June and Sunday 17th June, 2012

Venue – To be announced

OPEN TO ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS BORN OR RESIDING IN THE WEST OF SCOTLAND OR PLAYING FOR A WEST OF SCOTLAND CHESS CLUB

NO AGE OR GRADE RESTRICTIONS

DEPENDING ON NUMBERS, PLAYERS MAY BE SPLIT INTO SECTIONS BY GRADE, WITH EACH SECTION PRODUCING A WEST OF SCOTLAND CHAMPION

Five round Swiss tournament played under the rules of Chess Scotland

FREE ENTRY

MAIN EVENT PRIZES

1st - £100, Trophy & Gold Medal
2nd - £60 & Silver Medal
3rd - £40 & Bronze Medal

Rate of play: 30 moves in 60 minutes + 15 minutes each quickplay.

PLAYING SESSIONS

Round 1 - Saturday 10:00 to 12:30
Round 2 - Saturday 13:30 to 16:00
Round 3 – Saturday 16:30 to 19:00
Round 4 – Sunday 10:00 to 12:30
Round 5 – Sunday 13:30 to 16:00

Daniel Rocks · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 9:05 am Post subject:

I ran the ED Congress last week and we had 30 players. 0 of those were female. Some important questions, the prizes you say amount to £200. I'm assuming by the free entry that you have acquired a potential sponsor? What about venue costs, grading fees etc?

The sceptic would say it would be very difficult to find players in the double figures. There are at most 4 or 5 adult women who regularly participate on the Scottish circuit. Yes, there are lots of younger girls coming through which is great to see, but would they really want to be thrown in at the deep-end playing against the regulars? Add to this the fact that this is "WEST of Scotland", the numbers would shrink further.

Personally, I think there is a better alternative:

Re-brand it "Scottish Women's Championship" - We don't currently have one and such an event would not only allow for a greater number of players but would also add more prestige.
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Daniel Rocks

Jacqui Thomas · King Joined: 01 May 2007 Posts: 340

There is an annual Girls championships which over the last 3 years has not been well attended apart from P5 & unders. Part of the reason for this is the ratio of girls that are actively playing. However, it is the stronger juniors that don't take part & therefore to have a 'Women's' event it would give them stronger opposition.

I personally do not think FREE entry is good - it seems to undermine the event & people are less inclined to commit themselves (I speak from experience). By having an entry fee more prizes could be offered so that there can be grading prizes or age group prizes for the younger ones to encourage their participation.

In principal the proposal sounds really good but for the sake of numbers & opposition I agree with Daniel that a National event would be better rather restricting to the West only.

Mike Scott · King Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 676 Location: Edinburgh

Would totally agree with Jacqui on the free entry - got that lesson as a social sec. : handed out loads of tickets but only a relatively small % turnout. Free entry can also be an indicator of a cheap/low quality event.

Free entry might be applicable if the event was a final after a series of qualifiers. These qualifiers could be perhaps not new events rather existing congresses and you can donate free entry to the final as prizes for the best placed girls in different sections....?