On Sunday 25th June, the 1st Flagship ‘She Plays To Win’ (SPTW) FREE girls’ chess tournament took place at Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls (W3 0HW). Over 100 girls from primary school to university graduates attended the tournament. 16 female chess players represented the Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in the Secondary School category. Four girls went into the third round of tie-breaks to fight for fifth place. Our local MP, Dr Rupa Huq, was impressed by how hard the girls fought in each round. She also gave an empowering and inspirational speech and handed out the prizes to the winners. Many thanks to Neville Rowden (Secretary of the Ealing Chess Club) and Mr Harry Symeonidis (Ealing Chess Club) for assisting the tournament. Without their input, the tournament could not have run so smoothly.
The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls is a state non-selective secondary girls’ school. From September 2023, it will work closely with the Chess in Schools and Communities (see https://www.chessinschools.co.uk/) to provide FREE weekly after school chess coaching sessions to students who are attending the school. It will continue to work with Mr D’Costa to host more FREE chess tournaments to encourage more girls to get involved in playing chess.
The next FREE chess tournament will be on Sunday 3rd December at the Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, and it will be a FREE Ealing secondary school chess competition. There will be an equal number of female and male chess players in the tournament. And, in the event of an over-subscription to the tournament, the priority will be given to students from state schools. All students who attend secondary schools in Ealing will be welcome to sign-up. The sign-up form (https://forms.gle/SJBKenCKd9dyhadN6 ) will open on 15th September 2023. The deadline to enter the Ealing Secondary Chess tournament (3rd December) is Friday 17th November.
In addition, on the same day there will be two simultaneous chess demonstrations against two national women’s champions. To play in this simultaneous chess event is by invitation only but spectators are allowed to watch.
She Plays To Win (see https://www.sheplaystowin.co.uk/) is a chess charity founded by Mr D’Costa (International Master and England Women’s International team coach) to promote chess among girls.