English Chess Forum

1st Medway Rapidplay, Saturday 24th May, 10.30am start.

5 rounds of 25+5

Three sections; Open, U1850, U1450

£750 prize fund.

Full details at www.invictachess.co.uk/medway

Three new people turned up at our club this evening; all of them as a direct result of having watched Chess Masters. One had only played online, one was primary school teacher who had played years ago but now wants to start a club at his school, one said he was a complete novice (although he was act...

If you can show me where I ever bemoaned the lack of TV coverage of chess, then I will stand corrected. I didn't say that you had, and I wasn't referring solely to you. I agree that chess works well on the internet, but people viewing it on the internet are already seeking it out, and are not viewi...

I had been spammed by the producer before the show was broadcast, in an attempt to get me to publicise the show. I sent him my reply today, which was to tell him that it was the worst television I have ever seen, and I asked him never to repeat it. I'm not quite sure if you're being serious, but if...

...what we got was one player who lost a piece after 7 moves, someone else who got mated in 15 moves, and commentators speculating on whether the players would spot mates in one.... I don't think it needs to be grandmasters playing. Good club level players would be sufficient, with ratings of say 1...

Ah a chess forum full of strong chess players criticising the first chess on primetime television for 30 years. Exactly. I would have thought the programme would have been universally lauded by chess players. It clearly isn't intended to appeal to existing strong players and, if it was, it would ge...

The nicknames are a bit silly, but I thought the programme was great. A sort of "bake off" vibe, and exactly the sort of thing that will attract new players to the game.

I am very sad to report that well-known Kent chess player and organiser Tyrone Jefferies passed away this week after suffering a heart attack.

It's Christmas time and Karpov and Kasparov are talking together in a hotel lobby. Karpov says "I was world champion for 10 years!", Kasparov replies "That's nothing, I was the highest rated player in history, and the youngest champion ever!". Two hotel guests overhear the argument and one says "Wha...

Well, most likely chess in England won't be affected greatly by having to choose venues that aren't quite as nice as the ones they chose before. I think that attendance numbers at chess events are greatly affected by whether the venue is 'nice' or not. However, more to the point is whether organise...

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 19, 2025 10:52 am

Botwinnik will be turning in his grave - you always arrive a few days in advance to acclimatise.

I understand that he couldn't leave earlier because he was at a ceremony to receive India's highest sporting honour, the Khel Ratna Award, from the President of India.

This is a really great resource, thank you!

Sad to hear that Barry Barnes, IM for Chess Compositions has died aged 87.

He was a specialist in composing "two-movers", and also the author of a book about Comins Mansfield, as well as a contributor to many publications over the years.

Impressive. He has the middle name 'Penrose' too

The great-great grandson of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, according to Wikipedia

Stephen Westmoreland wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 12, 2025 3:01 pm

I was floor walking at a junior tournament when a player put an upside down room on the board.

That's exactly what happened in Lionel Richie's 'Dancing On The Ceiling'.