Monday, April 11, 2005

Positive Discrimination ?

Hurray, I got a prize!
Hurray?
Last saturday I got a prize.
We play every year a tournament with all the members in our area. Nine games, on different saturdays. Each player got two hours. So it was a hard tournament.
Saturday was the last day, and totally unexpected I was given a medal.
Because ???:
First you must know that the chess game is not so populair amongst women. So when you are female, the chess clubs give you an overextended heartly welcome when you visit a chessclub. They do everything to keep this lady, and on tournaments there are often extra prizes for female players.
They call it positive discrimination.
This I like.
In my cupboard I have more bocals and plaquettes than Tempo.
So to visitors I can prove that I play better. (they don't know the difference between ratings and different groups!)
I have allso a prize for the nicest game of the day (King's gambit ofcourse).
I'm proud of it.
Now about last saturday.
Here you see that I have mixed feelings about it:
I got a medal, yes.
But..........
I got a prize for being the best of the older woman playing this tournament.
Best woman?
Hurray!
Best older woman?
Hurray?..............
Sigh.

6 comments:

David Glickman said...

I'm sure they just meant older than 21. That ought to give you a lot of space to shape a good story when you are asked about it by your non-chess playing friends.

Pale Morning Dun - Errant Knight de la Maza said...

I wish I had a medal! Congratulations despite the questionable designation of the title.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on winning the medal.

Unknown said...

I saw your comment on my blog where you asked what do I do apart from collecting chessblogs. I am not clear what you had in mind, but anyway here goes - I am a software consultant and in my spare time play Chess and recently started my Chess Blog at http://satishtalim.blogspot.com
Married, 50 with wife, son 16 and married daughter 24. I am based in Pune, India. Take care.

admin said...

Hi! I am impressed! Not only do you like chess, you have a good taste on films but you meditate as well? I would love to know more. And congratulations for the Prize!

Phil Willis said...

Congratulations on the medal - although I'm not sure how the designation of "older woman" went down.

Sounds so "grown up". ;)

Cheers