In March I featured the ground-breaking Pride and Prejudice team who were competing in the 4th Division of the 4 Nations Chess League. 4NCL rules state that teams must contain players of both sexes. In practice this has nearly always led to teams including a ‘token’ female player but Pride & Prejudice has turned this on its head and are made up of female players, with a ‘token’ male player.

The team has just taken the Division 4 title and will play in Division 3 next season after winning ten and drawing one of their matches. Cheddleton, Brown Jack and Guildford ADC 4 were also promoted.

The team is captained by Claire Summerscale the English Chess Federation’s Director of Women’s Chess who plays on bottom board. The other team members include:

• Dr. Harriet Hunt – An International Master and England’s top female player, currently ranked in the world’s top 50 female players.
• Ruth Sheldon – A former World Champion at under 12 and under 18.
• Cathy Warwick – Three times British Women’s Champion.
• Dr. Heather Lang – A Member of both the Scottish Chess and Scottish Cricket teams.
• Rosalind Kieran – A former women’s amateur chess champion and member of the Cambridge University team.

A devastating game by Harriet Hunt who was sorely missed from the Olympiad team this year. Black’s pawn grab is suicidal but retribution is swift.

If you thought that was a bit drastic, Pride and Prejudice board one Aaron Summerscale won even quicker in the following game.