Chess club hosts camp to attract more female players

A silence fills the air at the Saskatoon Bridge Club where a small group of women have gathered to play chess.

The one-year-old Saskatchewan Horizon Chess Club decided to try something new this summer and host a chess camp exclusively for women and girls in Saskatoon.

Community facilitator for the club, Taylor-Anne Yee, walks between the games and gives strategic advice to the players. Yee shared why so many women do not play chess.

“If you look at the history of chess, its a 1500 year old game, but it’s only been (since the) 1900s when women were actually allowed to go to chess clubs. So we’re 1300 years behind men in terms of developing our love for the game,” she explained.

The women and girls summer camp involved eight sessions and covers a variety of basic chess plays and strategy.

The club doesn’t have a permanent location, but players regularly meet at the bridge club or Dragon’s Den Games, both on Lousie Avenue.

The club has an active monthly calendar with regular meet-ups for members, workshops and tournaments. They also offer demonstrations for schools and organizations across the province.

Yee shared why she thinks women should learn the game.

“It opens up opportunities for women and girls. I believe that chess can bring a lot to a person’s life because you’re working on critical thinking, building your creativity and your self confidence. It is just a very complex game that is a lot of fun.”

On Saturday, I stopped by the Sk Horizon Chess Club for the kick off of their Girls/Women Chess Camp♟️

Camp organizer, Taylor-Anne Yee, wanted to introduce women to the fun and challenging world of chess.

Keep your eye out for the full story this weekend on @CKOMNews! pic.twitter.com/qjgeD5LdeD

— Payton (@paytonnnz) August 12, 2024

In one recent session, boards were set up in the room explaining what each piece means and how they move. Women were paired up against each other to play mock games. They each had notebooks to write down their ideas for moves and to take down important pointers from Yee.

On the club’s Facebook page, Yee shared that she is looking forward to “using chess and chess education to foster critical thinking, self-confidence, and leadership in girls women.”

The cost of the camp is by donation and those interested in registering for the remaining camp sessions (Aug. 17 and Aug. 31 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.) can email skhorizonchessclub@gmail.com.

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