Chess on TV (Warning: X Factor)

[Sarah de Lisle]

http://xfactor.itv.com/2012/videos/live ... 200994.htm

Not sure if this is going to help our desire for publicity.

Warning - those of a sensitive disposition may wish to avoid...

[Sarah de Lisle]

PS - I don't actually WATCH the X Factor of course. Just heard about it from a friend

[David Robertson]

Completely took my breath away. And the will to live.

But at least they got the board the right way round. Whoop whoop!

I watched it with the sound OFF. Seemed sensible to me

[Sarah de Lisle]

Yes, David, I was grateful they had 64 squares...

I didn't like that song much when ABBA did it, never mind Rylan.

[Andy McCulloch]

David, are you sure the board is the right way round? All the white pieces on the kingside and the black pieces on the queenside? Very peculiar position.

[Stewart Reuben]

Since there weren't 32 pieces on the board at any stage, it would seem churlish to claim the board was round the wrong way.

Better than the very famous, 'The Seventh Seal', in that there the board was first round the right way and later wrong. It was supposed to be the same game. Also the board bcame more crowded during one phase of the game.

I am looking at the moment at a banner on my wall which has 14 kings on it, though not actually on the board; indeed there are no pieces on the board; the BHB clocks are set at 1.15 and 6.15; 12 year old Darren Lee chided me that the 64 squares board was round the wrong way.

[Andrew Zigmond]

I suppose all publicity is good publicity ...

Gary Barlow (or his scriptwriters) clearly don't know anything about chess. Checkmate makes no sense in that context - stalemate might.

Otherwise I'm incredulous that watching this is the highlight of some peoples Saturdays ...

[Simon Brown]

If you were an 11 year old girl (or had an 11 year old daughter) you would be less incredulous. That's my excuse anyway.

[Sarah de Lisle]

Well apparently he's just been voted off.

I can't work out if this is good or bad for chess.