English Chess Forum

We had our first match for eighteen months, against another local club. It's a long established pre season "friendly". One thing I forgot was that with many people relying on contactless payment for small purchases, it would be a potential problem to find someone with a coin to toss for colours.

Go old school. Pawn of opposite colours, behind the back!

That's what we did last week, although I did suggest tossing a debit card.

I believe this is what is known as a 'First World problem' (and banal even in that context). Surely people here can come up with really important things to take to matches? I have visions of team captains up and down the country carefully making notes to not forget to have a coin... (when really what they want is a full team that turns up on time)!

although a coin might be a more realistic aspiration

Yup!

Good point.

Rock, paper scissors?

Coins were a problem even when we used to have pockets full of them - people still couldn't find one. We had one venue with a wooden floor, the tossed pound coin, landed on its edge and rolled across the room, pursued as it went under a stack of redundant chairs.

Another possibility is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5ynNWwPFNQ

Pens!

(I speak from personal experience on this, for sure)

NickFaulks wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:09 am

That's what we did last week, although I did suggest tossing a debit card.

When I saw you recently, you'd forgotten to bring one of them either.

Stephen Westmoreland wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:50 pm

Go old school. Pawn of opposite colours, behind the back!

Hi Stephen,

If doing this for so called 'friendlies' do check both hands to make sure it is not two black pawns
that your opponent had hidden behind their back. Trust me on this...experience speaking.

Hu Matt,

Yes pens. When I was a captain I always brought along two or three extra pens. (and you never get them back.)

A map, coat, pen, coins, cash, card, blood sugar monitor, needles and drugs. A mask for public transport.

Nick Grey wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:43 pm

needles and drugs

Could you be more specific?

Injecting lnsulin. Cabs from Kingston hospital take cash only, When many use phones for payment toss a phone ?

Other players! Taking one or two in Monday to Halifax. Mind you that is dependent on petrol as I am taking my son to York today and the Sheffield tomorrow, to play hockey.. Damn panic buying...