Netflix drama 'The Queen's Gambit' has helped a surge of interest in chess in Scotland, the Provost of Falkirk was told as he opened a national championship locally.
Provost Robert Bissett was invited to make the first move at the Chess Scotland National Team Finals 2023, which were being held on Saturday for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic put tournaments on hold.
Provost Bissett said he was delighted to see the return of the finals to Grangemouth - and to learn that the game has flourished in the meantime.
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He said: "We have a long standing relationship with Chess Scotland which has seen these finals hosted in Grangemouth many times over the years, most recently in 2019.
"The COVID pandemic prevented the finals taking place since then so we are very pleased to be hosting them once again in 2023."
But while the players may not have been able to meet, the game has continued to flourish, partly as a result of being able to move online and partly thanks to the success during lockdown of the Netlix smash 'The Queen's Gambit'.
The Provost noted: “The local club in Grangemouth tells me there has been a significant increase in membership this year, mainly juniors ranging from eight years old and up but also, and perhaps more surprisingly, the club has seen a few elderly women join as well.
"Clearly chess lends itself to a diversity in players.”
Around 50 contestants attended the event, which is one of the most prestigious in the chess calendar.
Provost Bissett made the first move on the top board game between Grandmaster Keti Arakhamia-Grant, one of the leading women players in the world, and Freddie Waldhausen Gordon, who at just 12 years old has just become Scotland’s newest titled player.
The event was dominated by Edinburgh based clubs with Edinburgh Chess Club, the oldest club in the UK and the second-oldest club in the world, winning the Richardson Cup by a comfortable 6 – 2 margin over rivals Edinburgh West.
