Chess and sexual harassment

Discuss anything you like about women's chess at home and abroad.
Kevin Thurlow
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Chess and sexual harassment

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:37 am

"Will Nigel make himself available for selection again"

Was he unavailable, or not selected?

LawrenceCooper
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by LawrenceCooper » Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:46 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:37 am
"Will Nigel make himself available for selection again"

Was he unavailable, or not selected?
This Twitter exchange touches on that question: https://twitter.com/nigelshortchess/sta ... 7017638912

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:52 am

LawrenceCooper wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:46 am
Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:37 am
"Will Nigel make himself available for selection again"

Was he unavailable, or not selected?
This Twitter exchange touches on that question: https://twitter.com/nigelshortchess/sta ... 7017638912
Ah, I see:
Nigel Short on Twitter wrote:However, It would have been nice to have been asked if I was available.

Nick Burrows
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Nick Burrows » Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:16 pm

Matt Bridgeman wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:08 pm
get to the bottom
Nice :lol:

NickFaulks
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:16 pm

Matt Bridgeman wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:08 pm
and get to the bottom of this?
It sounds as though there may have been enough of that already.

edit : of course someone beat me to that one.
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Matt Bridgeman
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:20 pm

Nick Burrows wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:16 pm
Matt Bridgeman wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:08 pm
get to the bottom
Nice :lol:
Not as good as Sean Bean’s criticism of intimacy consultants on movie and tv sets, ‘I should imagine it slows down the thrust of it.’ 😀

Ian Thompson
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Ian Thompson » Tue Aug 09, 2022 6:49 pm

Matt Bridgeman wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 12:08 pm
And a lady called Amanda Ross states ‘several woman made plausible allegations to me of sexual harassment by Nigel Short. Backed up by screenshot shots and in one case a naked selfie.’ She states she made the ECF aware and received no reply. Perhaps the ECF may wish to contact Mrs Ross and get to the bottom of this?
For those who don't know who Amanda Ross is:
Amanda Ross – professional “shrill feminist” has been running a chess cafe offering free women’s chess lessons, aiming to bring more women into chess and fighting sexism in the chess world, for the past six years, in central London and online. She is available for television, radio or written interview or comment on anything related to chess, women in chess, feminism, sexism in chess, bringing women into chess, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ Netflix show, etc. Snappy, controversial soundbites a speciality.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:10 pm

Ian Thompson wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 6:49 pm
For those who don't know who Amanda Ross is:
The name may also seem familiar to attendees of ECF Council meetings as she made an attempt or two to get money from the ECF. Council's view was even if the ECF had available discrepionary spending, there would be other priorities.

I notice the website offering a course
The Queen's Gambit Chess Course for Women Beginners: Black Opening Repertoire
The question that springs to mind is as to why a suggested Opening Repertoire would differ between men and women?

David Sedgwick
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by David Sedgwick » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:19 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:10 pm
Ian Thompson wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 6:49 pm
For those who don't know who Amanda Ross is:
The name may also seem familiar to attendees of ECF Council meetings as she made an attempt or two to get money from the ECF. Council's view was even if the ECF had available discretionary spending, there would be other priorities.
I think that there was only one such attempt, in April 2018. Council was singularly unimpressed with Ms Ross.

J T Melsom
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by J T Melsom » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:21 pm

I am reading these posts relating to the serious allegations made by Amanda Ross on Facebook having in recent months read the thread here relating to serious allegations made about the late Brian Eley. I wish I could say with confidence that these contemporary allegations are being treated in the proper way, but the evidence is inconclusive. There is however an awful lot of talking about the bearer of the news rather than the news or allegations themselves.

[ I note Justin made a similar point on the Brian Eley thread a couple of hours ago].

J T Melsom
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by J T Melsom » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:43 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:10 pm

I notice the website offering a course
The Queen's Gambit Chess Course for Women Beginners: Black Opening Repertoire
The question that springs to mind is as to why a suggested Opening Repertoire would differ between men and women?
There is no suggestion that the Opening Repertoire differs at all but Ms Ross seeks to promote chess to women in part in response to the historic failings of other chess administrators and organisers to do so. The reference to women is partly a marketing device in that it re-inforces the underlying principle that chess is very much for women. It is also conceivable that the presentation of the material is modified to suit the audience but that would be idle speculation. The only question that we need to ask and ask repeatedly is why such measures to support chess for women are necessary in the third decade of the twenty first century and may continue to be necessary for some time.

Mick Norris
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Mick Norris » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:58 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:21 pm
I am reading these posts relating to the serious allegations made by Amanda Ross on Facebook having in recent months read the thread here relating to serious allegations made about the late Brian Eley. I wish I could say with confidence that these contemporary allegations are being treated in the proper way, but the evidence is inconclusive. There is however an awful lot of talking about the bearer of the news rather than the news or allegations themselves.

[ I note Justin made a similar point on the Brian Eley thread a couple of hours ago].
Indeed, although I would say the allegations deserve their own thread rather than being part of this one
Any postings on here represent my personal views

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JustinHorton
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:13 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:19 pm
. Council was singularly unimpressed with Ms Ross.
So what?
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"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

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Nick Burrows
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Nick Burrows » Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:52 pm

Of course such accusations should be seriously investigated, however I think it's worth noting that the accuser has a history of clashes with Nigel Short dating to 2015 when Nigel wrote his controversial article about women in chess and she accused him of being sexist.

Angus French
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Re: 44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

Post by Angus French » Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:59 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:13 pm
David Sedgwick wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:19 pm
. Council was singularly unimpressed with Ms Ross.
So what?
What David says is incorrect anyway.

In my view - and I was a Council member at the time - the ECF Board failed to engage with Amanda who had made huge efforts to promote female participation in chess. If the ECF is serious about its target of 15% female membership then Amanda is someone they should be talking to.
Last edited by Angus French on Tue Aug 09, 2022 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.