Search found 962 matches

by David Gilbert
Mon Mar 18, 2024 12:04 am
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Bletchley Park female codebreakers
Replies: 11
Views: 693

Re: Bletchley Park female codebreakers

I don't suppose anyone has noticed but I've been wearing the yellow, black and maroon scarf of Newnham College every winter for the last twenty-odd years. It's an enigma but it keeps me warm.
by David Gilbert
Wed Mar 13, 2024 7:28 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: Inaugural Wells Chess Congress 8th - 10th March 2024
Replies: 16
Views: 1653

Re: Inaugural Wells Chess Congress 8th - 10th March 2024

It certainly helped that there are plenty of places to get food and drink within 5 minutes walk. Apart from the chess congress, the excellent venue and really nice people, the cheap tea & coffee (with free biscuits), amazing cafes & restaurants, great places to stay, a bustling street market with d...
by David Gilbert
Tue Mar 12, 2024 8:34 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3555

Re: Counties and clubs


Lewisham to Folkestone (both Kent) is 63 miles, but I think the Kent competitions are regionalised.
Lewisham play in the Kent League, but Folkestone play in the Thanet & East Kent League. That a different party altogether.
by David Gilbert
Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:19 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3555

Re: Counties and clubs

MJMcCready wrote:
Mon Mar 11, 2024 8:19 am
So its quite common nationwide then?
Indeed. Hastings play in the Kent League.

All sorts of teams play in the busy Croydon League - some are even based in Croydon!
by David Gilbert
Thu Feb 29, 2024 3:05 pm
Forum: Rating Debate
Topic: Rapid events with over rated players.
Replies: 20
Views: 2969

Re: Rapid events with over rated players.

Ealing use FIDE ratings for eligibility. So his entry was perfectly legitimate. Thing is tomorrow we’re supposed to see the FIDE uplift and he’ll be elevated above 1800. Trouble is so will you!
by David Gilbert
Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:09 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: SCCU/LONDON CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024
Replies: 0
Views: 140

SCCU/LONDON CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024

The 3rd SCCU/London Club Championships are booked for on Saturday, 22 June 2024 at St Luke’s Church, Kidderpore Avenue, London NW3 7SU. It’s a six-round team rapid play for Clubs in the SCCU/London area. Teams are formed of four players playing in three sections with Average Ratings of no more than ...
by David Gilbert
Thu Feb 22, 2024 9:21 am
Forum: Not Chess!
Topic: Channel Tunnel Shares in 1942
Replies: 9
Views: 932

Re: Channel Tunnel Shares in 1942

Monday, 12 November 1928 Mr. THURTLE Asked the Prime Minister whether the signature of the Kellogg Peace Pact has made any difference in the attitude of the Government towards the construction of a Channel tunnel? The PRIME MINISTER I am not prepared to re-open this question at the present time. Mr....
by David Gilbert
Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:24 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: 2nd Cambridge International Open
Replies: 109
Views: 13363

Re: 2nd Cambridge International Open

There's presently dancing in the streets around Tothill Street and Millman Street. Well done Rafe! And in Cambridge too - almost forgot Cambridge!
by David Gilbert
Sun Jan 28, 2024 7:03 pm
Forum: County Championships
Topic: Home Advantage
Replies: 9
Views: 1405

Re: Home Advantage

Two close matches at Wanstead. 9-7 to Essex in the U-2050 and 8.5-7.5 to Surrey. Further to the comment by Kevin, I had 5 u-14s in my Surrey U-2050 side While at Childs Hill Middlesex won the battle of the 2050s 9-7 and Kent finished on top in the 1650s 9½-6½. Some big clashes next week. The unbeat...
by David Gilbert
Sat Jan 27, 2024 12:08 am
Forum: County Championships
Topic: Home Advantage
Replies: 9
Views: 1405

Home Advantage

Another round of SCCU County matches tomorrow. The Kent 2050s and 1650s travel to Childs Hill to play Middlesex, while Essex host Surrey at Wanstead House in the same sections. So far this season things have gone largely in favour of the home teams. Of 36 matches played 19 have gone to the home coun...
by David Gilbert
Thu Jan 25, 2024 4:47 pm
Forum: Rating Debate
Topic: FIDE ratings revaluation
Replies: 14
Views: 2325

Re: FIDE ratings revaluation

Are players and organisers of FIDE-rated events ready for this? Almost all (not quite all) FIDE-rated events in England presently use the higher of FIDE or ECF ratings to determine eligibility for rated sections. That seems fair. The vast majority of players have an ECF rating and these are generall...
by David Gilbert
Mon Jan 08, 2024 12:42 pm
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: Caplin Hastings 2023-24
Replies: 107
Views: 12029

Re: Caplin Hastings 2023-24

So top board in the final round was contested by two players whose last recorded ECF standard play grades were 208 and 165 in an under 1600 (nee120). Hmmmm.
by David Gilbert
Tue Dec 19, 2023 2:35 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Is Chess shortening your life?
Replies: 18
Views: 1713

Re: Is Chess shortening your life?

There have been many warnings that sitting especially, and lack of exercise are bad for us. Studying and playing Chess are almost invariably sedentary activities. Whoa! While that statement might sound right, and it’s the obvious conclusion that most people will draw, associating sitting with incre...
by David Gilbert
Mon Nov 27, 2023 8:21 am
Forum: Congress Diary
Topic: The ACO is back!
Replies: 125
Views: 22247

Re: The ACO is back!

It’s coming. The ACO tournaments are back on the beautiful Greek island of Kos and the amazing Belvedere-Atlantica resort. The over-65s Super-Seniors runs 1-10 May 2024 with the Amateur Championships following immediately afterwards 11-20 May 2024. If you haven’t seen the video - the star performer ...
by David Gilbert
Thu Oct 12, 2023 4:53 pm
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: National Club
Replies: 16
Views: 1832

Re: National Club

Nineteen teams now. That figure includes three from the London League, which is a pretty good turn out, isn’t it? The split goes five teams in each of the Open and the Average 2000 groups, while there’s nine in the Average 1700 section. Let’s hope for a few more if only to even out the odds and avo...