Sheila Dines Goes For "Top Girl" Prize

From the Croydon Guardian

Pupil’s move to chess final
By Graham Moody

1:57pm Saturday 11th August 2007

A schoolgirl from Croydon is in with a shout of winning this year's junior UK chess challenge, after beating 74,000 rivals to reach the final.
Sheila Dines, 14, has made it to the last 65 after winning her southern final last month.

And, after finishing as joint top girl in the competition last season, it is hoped the Old Palace pupil will go one better this year.

The youngster from Sanderstead will be competing against boys and girls aged between five and 18-years-old for the £2,000 first prize at the North Leamington Arts and Community College in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

The top girl player will also receive £1,000 - which Sheila shared after winning four of her six matches last year.

Mike Basman was the British chess champion in 1973 and organises the chess challenge. He said: "The aim of the tournament is to make chess inclusive, as it is very directed to intellectual boys at the moment. We want to get all ages playing and girls playing too.

"Sheila has always been one of the most successful girls in Surrey and has been playing since she was seven or eight years old. Last year, she won £500 for coming joint top girl and is in with a definite chance of going better this year."

The tournament is not a straight knock-out but instead sees each player play six games under the Swiss system. This means they compete against other players performing the same as them. For example, a player who has won three out of three games will face-off against someone who has done the same.

"Sheila has always been one of the most successful girls in Surrey and has been playing since she was seven or eight years old. Last year, she won £500 for coming joint top girl and is in with a definite chance of going better this year."

The tournament is not a straight knock-out but instead sees each player play six games under the Swiss system. This means they compete against other players performing the same as them. For example, a player who has won three out of three games will face-off against someone who has done the same.