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Queen's File

Queen's File is the magazine of the British Women's Chess Association, and is produced four times a year. It covers an average of 12-20 A5 pages, and contains a mixture of national and international news, articles, annotated games, photographs and reviews.

Sample Articles

The following are articles from previous editions of "Queen's File".

BWCA Girls National Championships 2001

by Evelyn Flint

The championships were held on 17 and 18 February at the Elmbank Hotel in York. Built in 1878 in art deco style, the hotel provided a comfortable venue, just a short walk from York City centre. The event coincided with a Viking weekend and those brave enough to venture out frequently found themselves face to face with a Viking or two in traditional dress!

The Mayor opened the event by welcoming everyone to York; the local paper sent a photographer who tried to get everyone to watch IM Harriet Hunt and the Mayor "play" a game.

A total of 24 girls in York and one girl in hospital in Southend took part in this annual two-day event. Players came from almost all parts of the country plus two girls from Ireland. We were fortunate in obtaining sponsorship from the Elmbank Hotel and Peter Cloudsdale donated cups for each of the prizewinners.

The weekend was great fun for all concerned. There was lots of good quality chess played and as usual the girls displayed excellent sportsmanship. IM Harriet Hunt provided training between rounds and also helped judge the entries for the best game prize. The U8, U9 and U10 groups played in a merged section, the U11 group and the U12 - U14 group both played in all play all sections. Details of the prizewinners are below.

Mums, dads and brothers were able to play in a time handicap "friendly" tournament on Saturday.

Lara Barnes was the arbiter. She was good-humoured throughout despite having various time controls running simultaneously and overseeing the telephone game from Southend hospital! Thank you Lara.

On Saturday, Bill Pettigrew, a magician and a chess player (no one asked if he practised magic at the chessboard) entertained the girls and other members of their families during the evening meal and for several hours afterwards. Mr Pettigrew generously donated several videos as prizes.

The results of the various sections are as follows: 


U8      1st     Bethany Halpin
        2nd     Stephanie Hale

U9      1st     Katie Hale
        2nd     Alexandra Lillie

U10     1st     Victoria Crompton
        2nd     Sarah Robinson

U11     1st     Naomi Miller
        2nd=    Stephanie Barraclough
        2nd=    Maria Walker

U12     1st     Sarah Hegarty
        2nd     Colleen Halpin

U14     1st     Karen Bradley
        2nd     Claire Morris
The winner of the best game prize, judged and annotated by Harriet Hunt :

Abigail Flint - Naomi Miller
BWCA U11, 2001

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 Be6 9.0-0 b5

  • This is a little ambitious. 9...0-0 would be a safer course.

10.a3 Nbd7 11.f4 Nb6 12.f5 Bc4 13.Qe1?
  • This move wastes time. Better would be 13.Na5 Bxe2 14.Qxe2 threatening to bring the knight in to c6.

13...Bxe2 14.Qxe2 Nc4 15.Nd1? Nxe4 16.c3 d5?
  • Objectively this move is fine but Black is a pawn up with better placed pieces so there is no need to do anything clever! Simply castling and completing development would prevent White getting any counterplay.

17.Nf2 Ned6 18.Nd3 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Nc4 20.Qe2 e4?!
  • Black should play 20...Bf6, keeping control of all the central squares.

21.Nf4 Bg5 22.Rad1 Qb6+ 23.Nd4 Qd6 24.g3 h5!?
  • Imaginative play by Black, though again I would prefer castling.

25.b3 Nb6 26.Nxh5 Qh6 27.Nf4 Rc8 28.Rc1 Bf6!
  • Threatening ...Rxc3.

29.Rfd1 Be5! 30.Rf1 Rxc3 31.Rcd1

31... Rxg3+! 32.hxg3 Qh1+ 33.Kf2 Rh2+ 34.Ke3 Rxe2+ 35.Nfxe2 Bxd4+?

  • After a series of excellent moves Naomi falters, giving away her important marshal of the dark squares for one of White's clumsy knights. Better was 35...Qh6+ followed by bringing the knight back into the game.

36.Kxd4 Qg2 37.Nc3 Qxg3 38.Nxd5 Qd6?
  • Although the white king is out in the open, Black has too few attackers left to hope to give checkmate. The best plan was 38...Nxd5 39.Kxd5 Qxb3+ 40.Kxe4 Qxa3 and the connected passed pawns give good chances to win.

39.Kxe4 Qc6 40.Rfe1 f6 41.Kf4+ Kf8 42.Nxb6 Qxb6 43.Re3 Qc5 44.Rd8+ Kf7 45.Rd7+ Kg8 ½-½
  • The rooks have come into their own on the centre files and it is perpetual check.


The Lord Mayor with the trophies.

BWCA Women’s Rapidplay Championship (incorporating U16 Title)

On Sunday 18 February, six women took part in an all play all for the women’s title, a cheque for £100 and a rose bowl trophy. The players were from many different parts of the country and the outcome was not clear until the latter part of the day. The winner overall was Patricia Thackeray. Laura Baker won the U16 title.

This event has not been held for several years. We hope to be able to hold it again next year with a larger entry. In the past it has been held in London. This is the first time our events have been held so far north, we were delighted to attract several local players, new to our tournament.

We hope to hold the tournaments at the Elmbank next year on 16 and 17 February and look forward to seeing you there! Mark it in your diary it really is an excellent chess playing weekend and a comfortable venue for the rest of the family!

This article first appeared in the May 2001 issue of Queen's File, where it was accompanied by a large number of photographs.