Law Society of Scotland

Secondary Schools Allegro Team Championships

Perth Race Course

Saturday 21 March, 2009

Official website

The second Law Society of Scotland Secondary Allegro Chess Championships will take place at the NELSON Stand of Perth racecourse on March 21, 2009.

Entry Form pdf is now available (Jan 7).

Check out the 2008 event.

 

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PREVIEW: The Law Society of Scotland is pleased to announce sponsorship of a major chess championship for Scottish secondary schools. The Law Society of Scotland Secondary Allegro Team Championship will take place in the splendid surrounds of the Nelson Stand, Perth Racecourse, in Scone Palace Park, on Saturday 21st March.

Douglas Mill, Chief Executive of the Society, is a keen player, who starred in one of Scotland 's top school teams in the 1970s.

He said: “Chess is a great game for young people. It enhances life skills, such as problem solving, critical analysis, concentration and teamwork. But, of course, fundamentally, like all great games, at its root it's just great fun.”

The main tournament organiser, university student Lynsey Shovlin (19), is one of Scotland 's top young players and organisers.

Many legal minds have turned to chess for recreation. The then Scottish Chess Association was founded at Sheriff Walter C. Spens' chambers in Glasgow in 1884. Sheriff Spens once defeated the incumbent world champion, Emanuel Lasker, in a friendly game played in the Glasgow Chess Club in 1899.

Lord Kames, pillar of the Scottish Enlightenment, is also understood to have been partial to the game in the 18th century; once he presided in a murder trial against Mathew Hay, an occasional chess opponent!

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The entry form for the Law Society of Scotland Secondary Schools Allegro Team Championships has been finalised and added to the Chess Scotland Calendar. We look forward to a great day out in the splendid Nelson Stand at Scone Race Course. The Law Society of Scotland's generous sponsorship has enabled Chess Scotland to guarantee a first-class prize fund of over £500 plus a superb new trophy. The Law Society of Scotland also sponsors the very successful annual Donald Dewar Schools Debating Championship and hopes to encourage similar participation in chess in secondary schools throughout Scotland. Chess Scotland encourages all secondary schools to consider playing in this new event. The substantial prizefund is well distributed which is hoped will act as an incentive for players of all abilities.

Chess Scotland and the Law Society announced the new Championships last year at an upbeat chess achievement presentation by Stuart Maxwell, Minister for Communities and Sport, in the Scottish Parliament - see report