She Plays To Win

Aim: She Plays To Win (SPTW) is a non-profit organisation whose aim is to encourage more girls to learn, play and benefit from chess.

• Fact 1: Girls constitute only ~7.5% of English and European Chess Union and English Chess Federation members!
• Fact 2: The stark gender (and age) gap in participation and lack of visible representation of female chess players, often leads to loss of confidence and interest over time.
•  Fact 3: Girls who persist and continue to play chess, are more likely to take up STEM subjects, and eventually embark on careers in Technology, Engineering and Finance!

She Plays To Win is focused on girls’ chess in the UK:

• Primary School (Under 11) 
• Secondary School (Under 18) 
• University (Under 28)

These aims are in line with the ECF ‘Development of Women’s Chess Progress Plan’ (June 2019) 

• Encouraging and facilitating chess as a social and competitive activity 
• Encouraging juniors to continue to play chess as they move into adulthood
• Increase female membership of the ECF (English Chess Federation) 
• Encouraging and developing social chess

With funding we plan to:

• Introduce starter girls tournaments across the UK to offer opportunities for girls to get their first chess tournament experience. 
• Grow girls chess in secondary schools and universities to encourage continued participation in chess activities and events for life.
• Support all-girl SPTW teams competing against (mostly) male teams in the national chess league.
• Run special chess events like chess simultaneous displays to promote girls chess.
• Increase the percentage of female chess players in the UK (and beyond) to diversify chess.
• Grow the number of girls in secondary school and university to continue to play chess 

See https://www.sheplaystowin.co.uk/ for further information.

She Plays To Win is run by the current England International Women’s Chess Coach Lorin D’Costa who has successfully been coaching girls’ chess nationally and internationally for over 15 years.