Chess Girls

Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
She must have a bit of a chip on her shoulder, though, given that she founded a team in the national league that comprises almost entierly of women.

Or perhaps she wants to promote women in the sport?

In the 4NCL, any strong woman will have people falling over themselves trying to get her into the team - they are like gold dust - as there is a rule where you are forced to have at least one of your team to be a female.

Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
In the 4NCL, any strong woman will have people falling over themselves trying to get her into the team - they are like gold dust - as there is a rule where you are forced to have at least one of your team to be a female.

Ah, another idea (I didn't know you had to have a woman)...she is snatching up all the strong women as a tactic. Though I suspect my first guess is more accurate.

Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
In the 4NCL, any strong woman will have people falling over themselves trying to get her into the team - they are like gold dust - as there is a rule where you are forced to have at least one of your team to be a female.

Actually the rule states that you have to have at least one male and one female player (and this isn't completely true outside of div 1).

I guess this led to the situation where in a lot of matches there was a "token woman" on either side, both much weaker than the men in their teams, who played each other on bottom board.

The idea of the all woman team (except for the token man! - Claire's husband GM Aaron Summerscale) was probably to show that the women could take on the men on equal terms.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
Actually the rule states that you have to have at least one male and one female player (and this isn't completely true outside of div 1).

I guess this led to the situation where in a lot of matches there was a "token woman" on either side, both much weaker than the men in their teams, who played each other on bottom board.

The idea of the all woman te ...[text shortened]... Aaron Summerscale) was probably to show that the women could take on the men on equal terms.

Aha, now that makes sense!

In that Eastbourne tournament when I threw the dog in the swimming pool.

That day I lost to a woman, a Mrs Emms. She did her knitting at the
board whilst we played - true.
I lost 'cos I was tired 'cos I was up all night with the girl who served the coffee...

I've been asked to play in the National League - what's it like,
where do play and where do you stay?
(Start a new Thread FL, other people may be interested - call it National League).

Originally posted by Tyrannosauruschex
Does anybody else ever get this problem when you see girls at a chess tournament and they are usually so young and pretty (not too young mind you, you cant catch me out that easily) and think it would be quite cool to go up and have a talk to them but not really know any good lines to break the ice. I dont really want to just talk about chess with ...[text shortened]... e rest of yous ever been in this situation but managed to succeed with the girl and impress her?

I think most "chess girls" would be attracted to the strongest
player at the tournament. So if your not that...start studying!
I might add however that a chess tournament is not the
best spot for picking up girls, you might try dating websites.

Originally posted by bill718
... a chess tournament is not the
best spot for picking up girls, you might try dating websites.

I would recommend dancing clubs for meeting lots of friendly girls. I haven't tried this myself, but I work with two people who are obsessive dancers. One does salsa and one tango. After listening to their experiences, salsa seems the best to me because there's lots of touching involved.

Originally posted by greenpawn34

That day I lost to a woman, a Mrs Emms. She did her knitting at the
board whilst we played - true.

I don't suppose that was John Emms in drag as he would have only been about six years old at the time (old enough to beat you at chess, but probably not old enough to know how to knit). Do you think it could have been his mother?

Originally posted by Fat Lady
I would recommend dancing clubs for meeting lots of friendly girls. I haven't tried this myself, but I work with two people who are obsessive dancers. One does salsa and one tango. After listening to their experiences, salsa seems the best to me because there's lots of touching involved.

I dont know, though, when I see these dancing shows on TV the partners do some pretty sexy stuff together but always insist on it being 'just business' and never going any further.
Do you think women in real life would be a bit more relaxed about that rule?

Originally posted by bill718
I think most "chess girls" would be attracted to the strongest
player at the tournament. So if your not that...start studying!
I might add however that a chess tournament is not the
best spot for picking up girls, you might try dating websites.

I am reading Nabakov's "The Defense" now. In it, Luzhin, a grown up chess prodigy playing in a GM tournament at a resort hotel meets a not bad looking, non-chess playing, young lady who, for some reason, overlooks his social faults (dress, grooming, odor, manners, concern for others) and takes a shine to him.

I have not finished the book but I think it will end poorly for the protagonist.