How Come This Player Has Joined English Fed?

[Matt Mackenzie]

I think the bigger issue there is whether the six-figure sum Malcolm settles on as the new International budget has a sunset clause that will return it to a normal level once Keir Starmer yoinks the grant away again. Or whether for commercial reasons to be invented later, it has to stay at £150k and the membership fees have to double to make up the shortfall.

You do know who his Chancellor is very likely to be, right?

I know she is pledging to run a tight ship and all that, but a soft spot for chess might not do our game any harm.

On the other hand she might make the game an example of how tight a ship she is running.

There are many more prominent ways she could send out such a signal.

Anyway, given the latest developments in this government's "generous offer", it does appear that they are trying to do things on the cheap again.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

What are the latest developments?

[Matt Mackenzie]

Councils (who are, of course, totally flush with money) may have to provide their own sets for these new giant boards!

[Angus French]

Councils (who are, of course, totally flush with money) may have to provide their own sets for these new giant boards!

Well, that's a bit mean... But, as it's 100 tables split among 85 local authorities (or some such) that's mostly going to be not many sets per council... Or maybe Malcolm and his chess emporium can help?

[Chris Goodall]

cricketer Jofre Archer (West Indies, then England)

Jofra Archer's case was a depressing window into cultural tribalism.

Say you start out as an unreconstructed racist, of the kind who in the 1960s objected to Basil d'Oliveira defecting to England because of the colour of his skin, so you'd rather see Archer play for the West Indies.

Then you think about it a bit, and you realise that black men can play cricket after all, so you decide you'd rather see Archer play for England.

Then you think about it a bit more: because Archer was born in Barbados to a Barbadian family and not in England, you decide you'd rather see him play for the West Indies.

Then you think about it a bit more: because Archer has been playing county cricket in England since his teenage years, that makes him an immigrant, and it's up to us to welcome immigrants, immigrants have made priceless contributions to British life etc., so you decide you'd rather see Archer play for England.

Then you think about it a bit more: all the best cricketers from the West Indies come to our County Championship to find top-level competition, so if we selfishly cherry-picked the good ones, the West Indies team would be relegated to the status of the England Rejects XI, which would be a big shame as nations are supposed to meet as equals on the cricket pitch. And with West Indian cricket in a bit of a doldrum, a star like Jofra Archer could really make a positive difference to the competitive balance of elite cricket. So you decide you'd rather see Archer play for the West Indies.

Then some unreconstructed racist from the 1960s says "yep, that's the reason I want him to play for the West Indies", so you throw all that out the window and demand he play for England immediately.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Or the ECB (English Cricket Board) selected Azeem Rafiq for England Under 19s, he became outspoken and criticised them, so ECB told Yorkshire that Azeem was Pakistani so counted as an overseas player...

The only problem I saw with Vitiugov was that he didn't live here - if he's moving to England, then he is eligible for selection, like Vera Menchik, Murray Chandler, Suba, Kottnauer, Sultan Khan...

[John Upham]

Антон Коробов resides in Crowthorne and he is quite strong.

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/14105730

No idea if anyone has suggested that he become ENG.

However, there is probably no motivation since he can play without restriction under the UKR flag.

[Paul Cooksey]

If I see him in the Coop I'll suggest it.

[Roger Lancaster]

cricketer Jofre Archer (West Indies, then England)

Jofra Archer's case was a depressing window into cultural tribalism.

Say you start out as an unreconstructed racist, of the kind who in the 1960s objected to Basil d'Oliveira defecting to England because of the colour of his skin, so you'd rather see Archer play for the West Indies.

Then you think about it a bit, and you realise that black men can play cricket after all, so you decide you'd rather see Archer play for England.

Then you think about it a bit more: because Archer was born in Barbados to a Barbadian family and not in England, you decide you'd rather see him play for the West Indies.

Then you think about it a bit more: because Archer has been playing county cricket in England since his teenage years, that makes him an immigrant, and it's up to us to welcome immigrants, immigrants have made priceless contributions to British life etc., so you decide you'd rather see Archer play for England.

Then you think about it a bit more: all the best cricketers from the West Indies come to our County Championship to find top-level competition, so if we selfishly cherry-picked the good ones, the West Indies team would be relegated to the status of the England Rejects XI, which would be a big shame as nations are supposed to meet as equals on the cricket pitch. And with West Indian cricket in a bit of a doldrum, a star like Jofra Archer could really make a positive difference to the competitive balance of elite cricket. So you decide you'd rather see Archer play for the West Indies.

Then some unreconstructed racist from the 1960s says "yep, that's the reason I want him to play for the West Indies", so you throw all that out the window and demand he play for England immediately.

Chris. This thread has somehow got drawn into the subject of racism and I really don't want to play. There are plenty of other cricketing examples, some of whom are white, but I avoided picking (say) Kevin Pietersen in the belief that that would have invited a different rant.

[Roger Lancaster]

Or the ECB (English Cricket Board) selected Azeem Rafiq for England Under 19s, he became outspoken and criticised them, so ECB told Yorkshire that Azeem was Pakistani so counted as an overseas player...

The only problem I saw with Vitiugov was that he didn't live here - if he's moving to England, then he is eligible for selection, like Vera Menchik, Murray Chandler, Suba, Kottnauer, Sultan Khan...

Well, quite, and I'd add Shohreh Bayat to that list

[IM Jack Rudd]

There is also the consideration that unless your imports are actually England team standard, they can sometimes do you more good by remaining as foreigners and playing in norm tournaments.

[Mark Howitt]

I'm limiting my chess drama time today... as I'm actually going to spend time ringing clubs up and then some time preparing for OTB chess...

Will say a few quick things on mind though... as I do even think about chess in nightclubs...

I have given a lot of FREE coaching/promo of chess to people.

My dad drove LOADS of people for FREE around Yorkshire... my whole family are much 'nicer' than me and do loads of free things... most people are not like that at all.

I have never ever not paid my fair share to a chess club I have been part of.

Yeah it was nice that Huddersfield library (not a park since some people like to be pedantic) provided a free board... I gave a FREE advert for chess many times there... because people watched me for FREE... sometimes about 30 people I reckon... if I have some spare time I may play for FREE in the new Hudds library...

(Not really free since I pay taxes).

My views on things are not going to change in some ways yet I want to spend a bit more time preparing and playing for OTB chess...

But yeah obvs you need the internet for everything these days so cost of online chess minimal but small...

[Roger Lancaster]

Well, thanks, Mark, always nice to hear what you're up to. Do, please, give us an update next year.

[Chris Goodall]

Note to self, never try to agree with Roger Lancaster, he doesn't like it

[Roger Lancaster]

Note to self, never try to agree with Roger Lancaster, he doesn't like it

Chris. It didn't particularly register with me whether you were agreeing or not - maybe it should have done - but I simply didn't want to go down that particular road.