Search found 1857 matches

by Joey Stewart
Tue Feb 06, 2024 12:44 pm
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Four
Replies: 19
Views: 4638

Re: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Four

Neil Graham wrote:
Sat Feb 03, 2024 10:45 pm

I'm not surprised - I have five squad members playing there which is not helpful. Surely this clash could have been avoided.
I guess it could be avoided by only picking squad members who aren't selfish and choose to play other events over their team commitments .
by Joey Stewart
Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:38 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: New Mating Pattern
Replies: 14
Views: 1909

Re: New Mating Pattern

It might not be new (almost everything in that can happen in chess has happened at some point by now) but id certainly say it is a rare and novel way to deliver a mate which will be new to a lot of people.
by Joey Stewart
Mon Feb 05, 2024 11:55 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Recommend chess puzzles.
Replies: 12
Views: 904

Re: Recommend chess puzzles.

Nick has really hit the nail on the head with that polgar book - it is so well composed for the purposes of actually getting better as a player rather then looking for obscure zugzwang moves like you see in most of the crazy mate in two compositions (not that these are useless, as they are good for ...
by Joey Stewart
Fri Jan 26, 2024 3:20 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Dutch Defense
Replies: 17
Views: 1315

Re: Dutch Defense

You would be surprised at how often I have had transpositions into frenches from d4 systems, it's especially nice to inflict on blackmar diemer players
by Joey Stewart
Fri Jan 26, 2024 11:44 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Dutch Defense
Replies: 17
Views: 1315

Re: Dutch Defense

I don't play the Dutch exclusively but if you meet whites 1. d4 or c4 with e6 it gives the option to transpose into a stonewall Dutch if you fancy your chances - I quite like that system, it is one where white needs really good knowledge of the position to gain an advantage and without it black can ...
by Joey Stewart
Mon Jan 22, 2024 1:54 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Times cryptic chess clue
Replies: 314
Views: 44525

Re: Times cryptic chess clue

"In passing I note that UNIQUER, one of the solutions, is an acceptable word. Discuss." Totally unacceptable. Discussion ends, either it's unique or it isn't. If I may digress, the blessed Susie Dent has told us that Oxford decided monosyllabic adjectives are now automatically assumed to have compa...
by Joey Stewart
Sun Jan 21, 2024 6:03 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Bring a friend day
Replies: 18
Views: 1858

Re: Bring a friend day

It's true the forum is not run by the ECF , although I believe that once upon a time it had much closer links with them, but it is still the one and only place on the whole internet to discuss chess in the United Kingdom so wins that one by default.
by Joey Stewart
Sun Jan 21, 2024 6:01 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: The Golden Ball....(pawn?)
Replies: 7
Views: 893

Re: The Golden Ball....(pawn?)

The idea of a "golden" bonus object arbitrarily inserted into an established game is something much more like you would see in a las Vegas casino then a well thought out improvement.
by Joey Stewart
Mon Jan 15, 2024 12:24 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: FEN Code Database
Replies: 1
Views: 449

FEN Code Database

I was wondering about these new FEN codes that people use to generate positions, they look like total gibberish to me but I assume there must be some kind of logic to them? Does anyone know how they work and, more importantly, if there are any websites that allow you to generate them (or better yet,...
by Joey Stewart
Fri Jan 12, 2024 8:06 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Fujitsu as a Sponsor?
Replies: 11
Views: 1506

Re: Fujitsu as a Sponsor?

They are making a supposedly charitable gesture but in reality they are paying for it with tax offsets, I.E. the public money, and taking the credit as though they did something really generous - true charity would be to give a donation out of company profits
by Joey Stewart
Thu Jan 11, 2024 11:59 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Fujitsu as a Sponsor?
Replies: 11
Views: 1506

Re: Fujitsu as a Sponsor?

Pretty standard practise these days for evil corporations to attempt to "sports wash" away their horrible deeds with a paltry attempt to donate charitably (which in itself is a farce as they will claim it back as a tax write off, so it was money they never owned in the first place) Still, it's not l...
by Joey Stewart
Tue Jan 09, 2024 8:31 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: We should teach children darts not chess? Discuss.
Replies: 21
Views: 2170

Re: We should teach children darts not chess? Discuss.

Darts only very recently got heavily monetised, if the bookies took the same level of heavy interest in chess and started showering events with prizes there would be just as much to be made in this game as well.
by Joey Stewart
Thu Dec 28, 2023 11:51 am
Forum: Not Chess!
Topic: Ukraine
Replies: 225
Views: 35686

Re: Ukraine

To be fair, a lot of the worst atrocities that take place are driven by the "media", I'd definitely say there's a sizeable percentage of them who would not be missed - they would certainly think nothing of killing you if it means a few extra dollars in their pocket through the story.
by Joey Stewart
Mon Dec 25, 2023 5:46 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Christmas Eve incident in a rock bar
Replies: 32
Views: 3987

Re: Christmas Eve incident in a rock bar

That's a new potential idea, instead of trying to pick up women in bars try and find intelligent looking potential chess players.
by Joey Stewart
Wed Dec 20, 2023 7:11 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Jumping titles
Replies: 48
Views: 2241

Re: Jumping titles

I never thought this would happen but I do very much agree with nick here - the title is one of great prestige and should not be obtainable in underhanded ways, piggybacking off masters past their prime.