British Chess Magazine

[James Toon]

I thought British Chess Magazine had ceased publication, but my memory might be playing tricks. Anyway it's still going and my attention was drawn to it recently. The BCM website home page includes three testimonials, two of which I reproduce below (omitting the contributors' names):
"As a new subscriber, I'm delighted with the first issues that I have received. It is brilliant to be reading Ray Keene still!"
"Ray Keene's column 'Following Your Heroes' is just great and I loved it! Excellent highlights of Hastings."

The current issue (December 2022) includes an article by GM Raymond Keene OBE entitled "The Wisdom of Harry Golombek OBE Grandmaster Emeritus". Most of this 3-page article consists of two games by Raymondo, against Karl Robatsch in 1971, and P L Roe in 1967. There is a brief introduction, which name-checks Golombek four times.

I found the magazine an interesting read. But I'm left with a lingering suspicion that it might represent an alternative reality or else it might be an elaborate send-up.

[John Upham]

In 2016 all past BCM editors had their gratis subscriptions terminated in the "Night of the Long Keyboards" meaning new issues were no longer arriving.

GMRDKOBE larging himself up by shunting out past glories of himself at the expense of others is something we are well used to.

Sticking to the subject is therefore far too challenging and it s therefore much easier to commandeer an article and talk about himself as usual.

This is what we have come to expect and nobody should be surprised.

[Joey Stewart]

I know from talking to non chess players that Keene is relatively well regarded as a chess journalist (at least by those who read his times articles) and his misdemeanors pretty well forgotten by those without long memories. However, it has now reached a point where any new reader of keen articles is going to start questioning why his knowledge of current affairs seems to end 40+ years ago and whether he really is as clued up as he claims to be after all.