League debuts ‘Girls’ Chess Night’ at Taziki’s on June 16

These Madison girls competed at the 2015 Elementary National Chess Championship in Nashville in May. Taziki’s will host Girls’ Chess Night on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in June and July. CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Madison City Chess League will debut a new venture on June 16 with Girls’ Chess Night, sponsored by Taziki’s at 105 Brookridge Drive, Suite A near Madison Hospital.

“We welcome all Madison area girls to bring their chess boards to play,” league executive director Ranae Bartlett said. The sessions from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays during June and July are designed for girls who already can play chess.

Taziki’s owners Rodrigo and Blanca Torres will offer free appetizers to the girls playing chess. Occasionally, guest instructors will visit to give brief lessons.

One priority during these casual sessions is for the girls to have fun.

Beena Chopade is serving as the league’s Girls Chess Coordinator. Her twin girls play chess at Columbia Elementary School. Chopade and Bartlett will supervise the girls’ nights. Families are welcome to eat dinner while the girls play chess.

“But parents can make arrangements to drop their daughters off and pick them up later,” Bartlett said.

The United States Chess Federation (USCF) reports that the largest demographic of female players are younger than 12 years old. (uschess.org/content/view/12764/783)

In that Under-12 group, females comprise 20 percent nationwide, comparable to girls in Madison’s league. USCF President Ruth Haring stated USCF’s goal is 50 percent females. Haring believes by increasing that number that the girls who emerge among top contenders also will increase.

Bartlett concurs. In 2014, “Rainbow saw its first female win the most competitive section of the Queen’s Quest Tournament. Fourth-grader Constance Wang won first place (and) set a local record of over 150 competitors. Constance was also on the national winning team,” Bartlett said.

At tournaments, other coaches and parents approach Bartlett and comment on the large participation among girls. “Last year, we had more than 40 percent girls on our competition teams. What is even more remarkable is this year’s four-person team from Rainbow won our first National Elementary Chess Championship; three of the four members were girls,” Bartlett said.

For more information, visit madisonchess.com/girls-chess-night or email to mccl.director@gmail.com.