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The World Youth Chess Championships and Women’s Chess.
The following article was recently posted on the Facebook page of the Cooperative Chess Coalition (CCC) - and is somewhat provocative:
WYCC/WYCC Qualifiers
In the Judeo-Christian context, God rested on the 7th day of the week. However, CCC has chosen the 7th day of the month to work - to explore “moderate chess reform”!!
CCC presents another of its “ 7th day chess reform issues “! (Of course, real life may intervene to push our post a bit before or after the 7th). Here we investigate “ possible “ moderate chess reform actions – these may be at the international/FIDE level, or at the national federation level, or at the local level (re chess clubs, tournament organization, etc.). Whether they are to be pursued by CCC is dependent on the general response to the “ reform posts “. Have your say!! Post a comment!
(If you have an issue you’d like debated, send us an e-mail ( cooperativechesscoalition@gmail.com ) and if possible, insert a summary of your arguments. We’ll use them, alone, or in the context of one of our own posts. )
Girls’ Chess & the WYCC
Currently, FIDE runs the World Youth Chess Championships in two parallel tournaments: the “open” tournament; the “girls’” tournament. And because they do this, many national federations choose their top three representatives to all the age/gender sections in the very same, parallel tournaments, way.
Is there a problem with this??
I think so. And it goes directly to the issue of “women’s chess”. FIDE, and national federations, all mouth the goal of increasing the no. of women in chess, both internationally and nationally. And they claim to hope to develop “female role models” who will promote the game to women, and attract more women to take up the game.
Is the parallel and separate Girls’ WYCC helpful in this cause?? I say “NO”.
Why not?? Well the problem is the dilemma this system puts all junior girls in. What is the dilemma? The dilemma is that they must choose between two competing systems. They may be good enough to challenge boys for first place in the “open” sections. But they may have greater odds of winning in the weaker “girls’ section”. Which do they choose? Statistics show that overwhelmingly, even the good girl players choose the “girls’ section”. Though there is definitely more status in winning an “open section world championship”, if the odds are better in the “girls’ section”, there is a tremendous pressure on them, and often from their parents, to not enter the “open” section.
And how does this play out in the national WYCC Qualifier tournaments. Well, in Canada, the problem is mainly the bursaries. Girls may need the financial assistance to go to the WYCC of winning a national title. And so the pressure is on to go into the weaker “girls’ section”, where the chances of winning are much higher.
Why is this a problem? The answer is progress in women’s chess. And the need for “girls’ role models”. What is needed most is girls’ winning “open section titles”. This is the best proof of women’s progress in chess at the junior girl level. And the girl winner will be celebrated for winning the “difficult” title. But sadly this is not happening, nor is it going to happen, given the FIDE system. The strong girls in their age categories are NOT PLAYING in the “open” section. As the slogan for lotteries goes: “You can’t win, if you don’t play!” So how then, are we going to develop a presentation to the public of girls’ progress in chess…in competition with boys?? None are winning, because none are playing. So we have no good, positive role models to present to the public. And no one can blame the girls for their choice – when the whole attractiveness is with the “girls’ system”, it is pretty irresistible.
So what is the solution? I propose that FIDE eliminate the junior girls’ age section separate tournaments, but not the titles. Let all girls play in the “open” section. Suddenly the odds of girls winning world championships skyrockets. And the top finishing girl in each section, can still be awarded the title of U xx Girls’ World Champion. And if they won the “open” title, they win both titles!!
If FIDE did this, the national federations would follow suit with their WYCC qualifiers. And women’s chess around the world would progress, and their would be good girl champion role models to present to the world mainstream media.
An idea worth debate at the highest levels of FIDE, I believe.
If you have opinions, one way or the other, on this chess reform proposal, come post a “comment” and state your position and reasons. Let’s have a debate first here within CCC – Chess Posts of Interest. Then “Likes” can spread the debate into their own countries. Can we start a world debate on this??
Bob Armstrong, CCC Member (Canada)
The following article was recently posted on the Facebook page of the Cooperative Chess Coalition (CCC) - and is somewhat provocative:
WYCC/WYCC Qualifiers
In the Judeo-Christian context, God rested on the 7th day of the week. However, CCC has chosen the 7th day of the month to work - to explore “moderate chess reform”!!
CCC presents another of its “ 7th day chess reform issues “! (Of course, real life may intervene to push our post a bit before or after the 7th). Here we investigate “ possible “ moderate chess reform actions – these may be at the international/FIDE level, or at the national federation level, or at the local level (re chess clubs, tournament organization, etc.). Whether they are to be pursued by CCC is dependent on the general response to the “ reform posts “. Have your say!! Post a comment!
(If you have an issue you’d like debated, send us an e-mail ( cooperativechesscoalition@gmail.com ) and if possible, insert a summary of your arguments. We’ll use them, alone, or in the context of one of our own posts. )
Girls’ Chess & the WYCC
Currently, FIDE runs the World Youth Chess Championships in two parallel tournaments: the “open” tournament; the “girls’” tournament. And because they do this, many national federations choose their top three representatives to all the age/gender sections in the very same, parallel tournaments, way.
Is there a problem with this??
I think so. And it goes directly to the issue of “women’s chess”. FIDE, and national federations, all mouth the goal of increasing the no. of women in chess, both internationally and nationally. And they claim to hope to develop “female role models” who will promote the game to women, and attract more women to take up the game.
Is the parallel and separate Girls’ WYCC helpful in this cause?? I say “NO”.
Why not?? Well the problem is the dilemma this system puts all junior girls in. What is the dilemma? The dilemma is that they must choose between two competing systems. They may be good enough to challenge boys for first place in the “open” sections. But they may have greater odds of winning in the weaker “girls’ section”. Which do they choose? Statistics show that overwhelmingly, even the good girl players choose the “girls’ section”. Though there is definitely more status in winning an “open section world championship”, if the odds are better in the “girls’ section”, there is a tremendous pressure on them, and often from their parents, to not enter the “open” section.
And how does this play out in the national WYCC Qualifier tournaments. Well, in Canada, the problem is mainly the bursaries. Girls may need the financial assistance to go to the WYCC of winning a national title. And so the pressure is on to go into the weaker “girls’ section”, where the chances of winning are much higher.
Why is this a problem? The answer is progress in women’s chess. And the need for “girls’ role models”. What is needed most is girls’ winning “open section titles”. This is the best proof of women’s progress in chess at the junior girl level. And the girl winner will be celebrated for winning the “difficult” title. But sadly this is not happening, nor is it going to happen, given the FIDE system. The strong girls in their age categories are NOT PLAYING in the “open” section. As the slogan for lotteries goes: “You can’t win, if you don’t play!” So how then, are we going to develop a presentation to the public of girls’ progress in chess…in competition with boys?? None are winning, because none are playing. So we have no good, positive role models to present to the public. And no one can blame the girls for their choice – when the whole attractiveness is with the “girls’ system”, it is pretty irresistible.
So what is the solution? I propose that FIDE eliminate the junior girls’ age section separate tournaments, but not the titles. Let all girls play in the “open” section. Suddenly the odds of girls winning world championships skyrockets. And the top finishing girl in each section, can still be awarded the title of U xx Girls’ World Champion. And if they won the “open” title, they win both titles!!
If FIDE did this, the national federations would follow suit with their WYCC qualifiers. And women’s chess around the world would progress, and their would be good girl champion role models to present to the world mainstream media.
An idea worth debate at the highest levels of FIDE, I believe.
If you have opinions, one way or the other, on this chess reform proposal, come post a “comment” and state your position and reasons. Let’s have a debate first here within CCC – Chess Posts of Interest. Then “Likes” can spread the debate into their own countries. Can we start a world debate on this??
Bob Armstrong, CCC Member (Canada)
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