Is There An Increase In Women Playing Chess
To shed light on this matter we need to consult with the records of the international body coordinating all the other chess organizations in the world
. This is the Federacion Internationale des Echecs (World Chess Organization) nicknamed FIDE.
In the records of this organization may be seen figures relating to the top chess players in the world and the countries predominating the game. Also reflected in their charts are statistics for total male and female aficionados and top rated male and female players. The FIDE uses a special ratings scheme known as the Harkness ratings chart to designate the skill level of chess players worldwide. To have some kind of status with the FIDE a player should have scored at least 22.7% against an opponent with an average rating of 1,850 in an eleven round tournament. This gives the player the minimum C rating of 1,600.
In brief, the number of women listed by FIDE who have qualified themselves into the ratings chart was 3,592 in 2004. the number more than doubled in 2008 with 7,826 female players making into the ratings chart.
To view the matter from another standpoint, we can take a look at the average ratings per N female chess players compiled every trimester from July, 2000 to the present. The statistics start out with samplings of 50 top women players. In July, 2000 until April, 2008. However, the following trimester, in July, 2008, the number of samplings was increased for some reason to 100 players. Is this an indication that the number of women who made it to the Harkness ratings chart has increased by double the original value? Probably.
The ranking in the Harkness scale of female players has also been steadily on the rise. However, it has never gone beyond the level of Senior Master. In July, 2000 the average figure was 2,444 increasing by 33 points in April, 2008 at 2,477.
When the number of players included in each sample was doubled, a dramatic decrease in the average, as expected, was seen. Specifically the average rating went down by 44 units. Subsequently, this number has again, been steadily if slowly increasing.
The last entry for May, 2010 is smaller by one point (2,442) than the previous 2,443 average of March, 2010. This may be due to the fact that all the figures for May, 2010 have not been brought in.
In a period of 30 months (10 trimesters), when and if the May, 2010 calculations are finished, we might expect to see the average rating for 100 players at 2444. this is the exact same average for the top 50 women players in July, 2000.
If the facts imply anything, it will be the fact that not only is the population of female chess players on the rise but also that the skill of women in playing chess is improving. .
The question why the female players tend to stop at the level of Senior Master is something else that would be interesting to tackle. Does this reflect lack of motivation on the part of women or a deliberate manipulation of game results and records? There seems to be no evidence pointing to the latter being possible. Perhaps the only thing needed will be to motivate women to play the game even better than they are doing at present.
by: John Skelly
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