As at July 2012 there are 275 Scots with a FIDE grade, However there are a further 200+ unrated Scots with a FIDE PNUM.

Unrated players are added for all the events where we submit FIDE data. FIDE require date of birth to be given at the time new players are added. It's a useful requirement which improves player identification. However this information is not always known and a guess at birth year is given to allow the new player addition to be made.

To check your entry in the FIDE database type your name in their search box. If the year of birth is wrong (or any other details) please send an email to <!-- e --><a href="mailto:grading@chessscotland.com">grading@chessscotland.com</a><!-- e --> and the entry will be corrected.

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From this month FIDE Ratings will be published monthly and minimum ratings are set at 1000. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=8290">http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=8290</a><!-- m -->

I have just been having a look at the entries for the British & in particular the Junior Age Championships.

Scotland have 3 entries (so far). One from the North, one from the East & one from the West.

Which has lead me to post & say - : I still find it amazing that parents are willing to pay £100's & some cases £1000's of pounds for their children to go abroad to play & challenge against new opponents but so few ever play at the British. I am thinking more so of the U14's down as there are so few age group tournaments apart from this event & the Internationals. This years event in Whitley Bay is almost local as next year its back to Torquay & the swine flu zone!

Lord Kirkwood has very generously donated £250 for a best game prize at the Scottish Championship. I have been asked to select a winner. I hope to be able to post some daily comments about the games that I have enjoyed and get some feedback from other people. If you see a game that you think is particularly worthy then post a comment and I'll give it special attention. Before the Championships start I'd like to pose a question

What qualities should a best game have?

I post a link to photos of this event in Argentina

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I would like to add a link to a short film of the event.

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Hamilton Junior Chess Club “Summer Camp”

Monday 6th August – Friday 10th August (9.00-16.00)

Bothwell Community Centre, Fallside Road, Bothwell, G71 8HF

The idea is various trainers going through a coaching course, with the lessons being e-mailed to the participants.

The day would be split as follows, morning: 2 lessons followed by some fun chess doubles/must take/ 4way chess etc. Then lunch, then in the afternoon another 2 lessons followed by 2 graded games in a tournament (giving 10 rounds all in).

The cost would be £20 per day ( i.e. £100 for the week), to cover premises, coaches, trophies etc.

Summer Camp Application Form ( to be returned by Monday 23rd July)

Name__________________________________________________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________________

Parents E-Mail Address___________________________________________________________

My child will bring a Packed Lunch Yes/No

I give permission for my child to be taken along Main Street to buy hot food Yes/No

Soft drinks/sweets will be available at the venue.

I enclose a cheque for £100 for the week Yes/No

I enclose a cheque for _____ to cover days ______________________

Please make cheques payable to Hamilton Chess Club.

Preference will be given to those booking for the week, maximium numbers will be 30, number of trainers dependant on number of children attending, which is why entries need to be in by 23rd July.

Michael Hanley.

Paisley Chess Club will be open right through the summer. If players from other clubs would like some extra practice during the holiday season please feel feel to drop in. We are open Monday and Wednesday evenings as well as Thursday afternoons.

There will be a weekly Lanark Open again this year. The tournament will be run on five Monday evenings from 20 August - perfect for sharpening up your game prior to the start of the new season. Further information can be found in the upcoming tournaments section or on Lanark Chess Club's website at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.lanarkchessclub.org.uk">http://www.lanarkchessclub.org.uk</a><!-- m -->

With Olympiads (and no doubt other representaive matches) coming up it might be worth knowing that I have 12 Scottish (Saltire) table flags available for anyone who wants to use them. (It was cheaper to buy them by the dozen!)

Anyone interested in using them just say so with a note of when required.

my latest acquisition is "A Chess Primer" by JR Capablanca, 1935. A good read so far.

Under 300:
1st Daniel Chamberlain Prestwick 6/7
2nd Brodie Black Lenzie Chess Academy 5.5/7
3rd Kirsty McArthur Rockfield PS Oban 5.5/7

Medals for 50% and above:
5/7 Siddharth Berera South Morningside
Aryaman Tyahi Dunard PS Glasgow

4/7 Jude Boslem St Brides Bothwell
Jack Clelland Lenzie Chess Academy
Thomas Taylor Prestwick
Ryan Cunningham Bothwell PS

3.5/7 Joseph Peden Bishopton PS
Owen Sutherland Bishopton PS
Hannah Robertson St Marks PS Hamilton
Finn Healy St Marys PS Hamilton

Under 600:
1st Jake Sanger Prestwick 7/7
2nd Miles Davies Austin Friars Carlistle 5.5/7
3rd Luke Laverty St Marks PS Hamilton 5/7

Medals for 50% and above:
5/7 Richard Menzies Bishopton PS

4.5/7 Joe McKie St Josephs Blantyre

4/7 Rhys Skinner St Brides Bothwell
Lewis Newell St Brides Bothwell
Arran Ghosh St Peters Edinburgh
Alexander Nicolson St Peters Edinburgh
Jennifer Lowe Keir hardie Motherwell

3.5/7 Michael McGuire St Brides Bothwell
Sam Mc Crory St Josephs Blantyre
Martin Lang Hallside Cambuslang
Aiden Healy st Marys Hamilton

Over 600:
1st Holden Davis Austin Friars 6/7
2nd Samuel Kearns Glenrothes 6/7
3rd Jack Stewart Greenwood Academy Irvine 4/7

Medals for 50% and above:
3.5/7 Nadia Ameur Uddingston Grammar.