What's new in English Women's Chess

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Matt Bridgeman
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:39 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:25 pm
A.Kluckova wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 1:41 pm
From my last post - Juniors under 18 with ECF 1900 + ( November 2021) - top 2 seeds A.Somton and N.Jaufarally have not more activity in the ECF records. Both girls are ECF 2000 + what says about a high talent both of them ?!
They are in their GCSE year so I don't expect either to play until the summer.
Nope, they’re at least two years older than that. Possibly sitting their A-Level exams. Although there are plenty of under 16 girls who are sitting GCSE’s in May and June.

LawrenceCooper
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by LawrenceCooper » Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:40 pm

Matt Bridgeman wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:39 pm
LawrenceCooper wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 2:25 pm
A.Kluckova wrote:
Fri Mar 11, 2022 1:41 pm
From my last post - Juniors under 18 with ECF 1900 + ( November 2021) - top 2 seeds A.Somton and N.Jaufarally have not more activity in the ECF records. Both girls are ECF 2000 + what says about a high talent both of them ?!
They are in their GCSE year so I don't expect either to play until the summer.
Nope, they’re at least two years older than that. Possibly sitting their A-Level exams. Although there are plenty of under 16 girls who are sitting GCSE’s in May and June.
Yes, sorry that's what I meant :oops: Born in 2004.

A.Kluckova
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by A.Kluckova » Tue Mar 15, 2022 7:27 pm

Hope you both will be right. But they have not had ECF game activity more than 2 years... no from Sept 2021, when Covid restrictions allowed to play.

I checked my daughter's FIDE record, no one game from February 15 till June 15 when her GSCE exams .
Last edited by A.Kluckova on Tue Mar 15, 2022 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A.Kluckova
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by A.Kluckova » Tue Mar 15, 2022 7:34 pm

Blackpool Chess 2022 - admirable result of 11 years old Alannah Ashton . 3/4 with Rp 1968 . She won - 1777, 1769 and 1815.

LawrenceCooper
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by LawrenceCooper » Tue Mar 15, 2022 8:10 pm

A.Kluckova wrote:
Tue Mar 15, 2022 7:27 pm
Hope you both will be right. But they have not had ECF game activity more than 2 years... no from Sept 2021, when Covid restrictions allowed to play.

I checked my daughter's FIDE record, no one game from February 15 till June 15 when her GSCE exams .
Ironically, one of the parents with a daughter in that age group messaged me to say that she would be playing again once her exams are over.

Matt Bridgeman
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Tue Mar 15, 2022 8:24 pm

I ordered a copy of Chess Queens for my daughter today. Jennifer Shahade’s latest. I believe there should be a chapter on Vera Menchik and many others. I found it as nearly new second hand on Amazon hardbacks for under £8, so somebody read it quick!
https://www.newinchess.com/chess-queens-hc

NickFaulks
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Mar 15, 2022 9:15 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Tue Mar 15, 2022 8:10 pm
Ironically, one of the parents with a daughter in that age group messaged me to say that she would be playing again once her exams are over.
Something has gone horribly wrong with our education system ( I know, statement of the obvious ).

Playing a bit of chess used to be considered an ideal form of relaxation before exams.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Mar 16, 2022 8:57 am

Matt Bridgeman wrote:
Tue Mar 15, 2022 8:24 pm
I ordered a copy of Chess Queens for my daughter today.
HI Matt,

A few weeks ago I picked up a copy in a Shelter Shop just off Princes St. Edinburgh (£2.00) it was in the fiction section.
This shop often has brand new books on it's shelves and I have picked up half a dozen or so of 'just out' books.

About half way through. Enjoying it and found the piece on Sonja Graf intriguing enough for me to go
over a number of her games on chessgames.com and commented on a couple.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/kibitzi ... 7&reply=11

One thing I really like is if Jennifer mentions a game then it is given in full at the end of the book.
All too often in autobiographical or historical text only chess books a game gets mentioned, occasionally
with scant details and having been told how important the game was you the reader are expected
to go and hunt online or in your library for it.
'Chess Queens' has 60+ games in the appendix and I've gone over a few of them after seeing
them mentioned in the relevant chapter.

A.Kluckova
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by A.Kluckova » Thu May 12, 2022 11:12 pm

So juniors under 20 with ECF 1900 + ( May 2022) :

All of them are 16 and under 16 (!) and the youngest one , Elis Dicen just year of birth 2010 !

1. Abigail Weersing ECF 2041 (2006)
2. Julia Volovich ECF 2017 (2006)
3. Tashika Arora ECF 1992 (2008)
4. Niamh Bridgeman ECF 1968 (2006)
5. Anum Sheikh ECF 1961 (2006)
6. Elis Dicen ECF 1957 (2010)
7. Jessica Mellor ECF 1922 (2007)
8. Nina Pert ECF 1919 (2008)

In most of ENG tournaments they could play in Open section only (Major is usually 1900 under) ! It could be an extraordinary event to see these 8 girls playing together in the same tournament in Open section in 2022 , the year of the women chess...

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Joey Stewart
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Joey Stewart » Fri May 13, 2022 1:10 am

I played elis dicen a few weeks ago and was very impressed, she seemed good enough to not just play in an open but stand a decent chance of winning one !
Lose one queen and it is a disaster, Lose 1000 queens and it is just a statistic.

Matt Bridgeman
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Fri May 13, 2022 8:37 am

Zoe Varney probably more than deserves a shout out. I think she gave herself a goal of achieving a WFM title a couple of years ago, and seems well on track to achieve that this year. Finishing her final year at Durham Uni I think, she’s a bit of a model example for playing the right type of competitions, being unafraid to change up openings, while having excellent coaching from Danny Gormally and pushing her Twitch channel. I’d think she’s solidly secured a regular Woman’s Olympiad spot.

Paul Bloom
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Paul Bloom » Fri May 13, 2022 9:04 pm

HI Everyone haven't been on here for a while but when I saw the topic about women's chess I wanted to share something with the group and need some help . One of our Junior girls has been playing chess for only around 8/9 months and is 8 years old she has just returned from the European schools tournament where she won a gold medal scoring 8 1/2 out of 9 . In my opinion I think we could have a real super star in the making here to add to the list published earlier in this topic . she is holding her own against 1600 ECF adult opposition and playing to that strength . I have been tasked by her mum to try to find a Chess coach around the Cheam/Worcester park area of surrey or someone willing to travel probably 2100 plus strength but higher considered . Zoe is a real talent that needs to be nurtured and looked after . any thoughts anyone

Paul

Matt Bridgeman
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Fri May 13, 2022 10:41 pm

Paul Bloom wrote:
Fri May 13, 2022 9:04 pm
HI Everyone haven't been on here for a while but when I saw the topic about women's chess I wanted to share something with the group and need some help . One of our Junior girls has been playing chess for only around 8/9 months and is 8 years old she has just returned from the European schools tournament where she won a gold medal scoring 8 1/2 out of 9 . In my opinion I think we could have a real super star in the making here to add to the list published earlier in this topic . she is holding her own against 1600 ECF adult opposition and playing to that strength . I have been tasked by her mum to try to find a Chess coach around the Cheam/Worcester park area of surrey or someone willing to travel probably 2100 plus strength but higher considered . Zoe is a real talent that needs to be nurtured and looked after . any thoughts anyone

Paul
I don't think you are limited to face to face these days. We use FM/Wales international, Jonathan Blackburn on a Skype and Lichess interface, although he's about to move across to Chess.com - very reasonable at £30/hour and highly recommended. Although I imagine some parents go as high as £100/hr for GM Jonathan Hawkins and the like.

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Sat May 14, 2022 12:12 am

"I have been tasked by her mum to try to find a Chess coach around the Cheam/Worcester park area of surrey or someone willing to travel probably 2100 plus strength but higher considered ."

I would have thought Graeme Buckley or Susan Lalic would be worth a try? They know what they are talking about...

Lorin D'Costa
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Re: What's new in English Women's Chess

Post by Lorin D'Costa » Sat May 14, 2022 10:39 am

Matt Bridgeman wrote:
Tue Mar 15, 2022 8:24 pm
I ordered a copy of Chess Queens for my daughter today. Jennifer Shahade’s latest. I believe there should be a chapter on Vera Menchik and many others. I found it as nearly new second hand on Amazon hardbacks for under £8, so somebody read it quick!
https://www.newinchess.com/chess-queens-hc

There is new book out by me since last month, including Vera Menchik as well as a number of UK female players such as Jovanka, Natasha, Susan etc.

https://chess.co.uk/products/she-plays- ... rin-dcosta

10% of royalties go to SPTW, I personally will not take a penny.

Some people asking about coaching, however if there are parents of girls in the UK looking for chess you can join my She Plays To Win UK girls chess project.

Just sign up here:

https://www.sheplaystowin.co.uk/join-sptw

We already have over 500 UK girls in our lichess team, and do weekly girls only tournaments as well as other events. I often give FREE zoom training to girls signed up to SPTW.

Last Sunday 8th May I brought over 2004 women's World Champion, Antoaneta Stefanova to London for a simul with 29 SPTW girls.

https://www.sheplaystowin.co.uk/news/wo ... -in-london

Whatever your daughters level, girls in primary, secondary and uni aged 28 and below can join. All the above events are free-no one is priced out and opportunities will continue to be given to girls in chess as we grow.

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