All you guys that like chess playing babes can check out the August
2003 Smithsonian article that features Jennifer Shahade in a favorable
article.

Here's a sample quote with my comments in [brackets]:

"the game of kings has unmistakably surged in popularity. Writer
Martin Amis [he as a good book on Stalin out], comedian Stephen Fry
[who?], model Carmen Kass [from
http://www.askmen.com/women/models_6...rmen_kass.html "why we like
her? She's a supermodel that plays chess"] pugilists Lennox Lewis and
Wladimir Klitschko [they dueled recently and black won ;-)], actors
Will Smith, Woody Harrelson and Sting, are all 'woodpushers'." "It's
cool to play chess" says Jennifer Shahade. "The game is finally
shedding its image as a magnet for geeks. Shahade herself is a model
of cool. [goes on to explain trendy things Jen does]"

My question for the group:

reading Usenet/Google, I was under the impression that the US Chess
Federation (USCF) was dying, yet the article states in a caption
"Chess's popularity is at an all-time high; membership in the U.S.
Chess Federation is a record 98,700" (!)

...test..
"raylopez99" wrote in message
om...
All you guys that like chess playing babes can check out the August
2003 Smithsonian article that features Jennifer Shahade in a favorable
article.

Here's a sample quote with my comments in [brackets]:

"the game of kings has unmistakably surged in popularity. Writer
Martin Amis [he as a good book on Stalin out], comedian Stephen Fry
[who?], model Carmen Kass [from
http://www.askmen.com/women/models_6...rmen_kass.html "why we like
her? She's a supermodel that plays chess"] pugilists Lennox Lewis and
Wladimir Klitschko [they dueled recently and black won ;-)], actors
Will Smith, Woody Harrelson and Sting, are all 'woodpushers'." "It's
cool to play chess" says Jennifer Shahade. "The game is finally
shedding its image as a magnet for geeks. Shahade herself is a model
of cool. [goes on to explain trendy things Jen does]"

My question for the group:

reading Usenet/Google, I was under the impression that the US Chess
Federation (USCF) was dying, yet the article states in a caption
"Chess's popularity is at an all-time high; membership in the U.S.
Chess Federation is a record 98,700" (!)

"raylopez99" wrote in message
om...
snip

My question for the group:

reading Usenet/Google, I was under the impression that the US Chess
Federation (USCF) was dying, yet the article states in a caption
"Chess's popularity is at an all-time high; membership in the U.S.
Chess Federation is a record 98,700" (!)

USCF has long had this very short-sighted policy of selling scholastic
memberships at below the cost of servicing them, with the idea that this
loss-leader would provide a massive influx of young players into the ranks
of adult players. The policy has never worked -- the renewal rates of young
players are abysmal -- but political considerations keep it in place.
Scholastic players are the single largest membership category.