11-09-2013, 12:14 AM
The rewards for girls who do play chess are pretty generous, it seems to me (as a major exploiter of the opportunities, over the years). I was always a couple of hundred points weaker than the boys/men my age and yet got the opportunity to go to various junior (girls) events, European Women's team events, Olympiads, women's norm events... not to mention being allowed to play in events such as the British Championship, purely on the basis of being female (I've never been strong enough to qualify as a male). I've also been able to take advantage of reduced or zero entry fees in tournaments, based on my purely female wfm title (I am also a CM but that doesn't get you a lot!). I'm all for women's equality but I'd be a hypocrite to claim I've lived my chess life by that rule. Even now I get to play in Women's Senior events. Special treatment? Indeed. And if that doesn't persuade girls to play then I don't know what will. Women are capable of being equal at chess. I don't have, or need, a wBSc and a wPhD (such things were on offer about 150 years ago...).