English Chess Forum

Prof , Count , Dr Raymond Keene , Chess Grandmaster, OBE

I assume the "Prof" honorific is honorary, so to speak, but couldn't find any details online.

Thank you, Jon.

Perhaps an appropriate chess parallel for Ambitions Fulfilled would be " ... reputation is the only incentive I recognize".

Perhaps GMRDKOBE has performed several marathons in a few days all with a broken leg?

Strangely enough I note the plagiarism is a hot topic of discussion amongst the masses. Not sure why I felt this was relevant here but just to remind you:

“Presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement."

If you look up the phone number on the characteristically-sloppy contact page, you get Samara Events UK, who are organisers of the 11th Asian Food and Restaurant Awards this coming December. Their webpage records that this event is "supported by Ambitions Fulfilled", which is Ray's pop-up organisation. They share an address, hence the matching phone number. [EDIT: this guy is the common factor.]

I don't think I've seen Ray refer to himself as "Professor" before, though he had a crony pose as a Professor in this outfit (you'll probably need the Wayback Machine for most of the links there). Professor Count Doctor is a particularly impressive series of non-existent credentials.

Avicenna is a reference to the Avicenna Awards which were some Brain Trust nonsense (I don't know why Avicenna and absolutely cannot be bothered to find out) that Ray, or Ray and Tony Buzan, dreamed up years ago. I am not sure what the second medal is at the top (I thought it might be the one here, but it isn't) but the first one is obviously adapted from the royal garter (if I have the right terminology) which I am completely and absolutely sure Ray has sought permission to do.

This passage is remarkable

First of all there are titles , doctorates , accolades and awards of all sorts which lie entirely in the gift of AF working in close collaboration with our numerous supporting organisations and charities , such as the Brain Trust and the Avicenna awards.

Next there are types of award, such as the Freedom of the City of London, which we can guarantee in due course, after an application process.

Finally, our impressive team of recognised experts, led by Prof , Count , Dr Raymond Keene , Chess Grandmaster, OBE, can assist with impressively crafted letters and influence , to gain state level honours such as MBE, OBE, CBE, Knighthoods and even as high as Peerages. AF’s award events take place in prestigious venues such as the Royal Automobile Club and even the Grand Banqueting Hall of the House of Lords.

listing as it does a sizeable number of services which Ray is absolutely not able to provide and which it would surely not be legal for him to try and do so.

Click on Media Pack here and this turns out to be connected with a Gala Dinner in the House of Lords (I think this was Ray's first venture into this particular improper territory) which appears to have taken place on the advertised date in June (there are photos on the Ambitions Fullfilled Instagram account which not very remarkably has not posted since).

I very much doubt this organisation has any real substance than existing for the purpose of organising that event and whatever Ray expected to get out of it in terms of replenished funds and fresh marks. Fake awards dinners, fake titles, pop-up organisations: this has been what Ray has been doing for many years (with Tony Buzan before he died, of course) and I suppose this is just the latest variation on the theme.

And yet the title of Grandmaster was valid, because on the chessboard at least, lies and deceit do not survive long. I cannot perhaps say the same of academic baubles.

It was fully valid, but also - in true RDK fashion - involved a controversy or two along the way. If only we had been warned etc etc.

I think "Count" is a typo.

Pablo Byrne wrote: "I think "Count" is a typo."

Typo or no typo, you may find we have been referring to the Count of the Order of Torres Vedras.

Further links:

"Prof. Raymond Keene OBE": https://www.usiassociation.org/people

"Raymond Keene Chairman and Professor": https://worldbrainacademy.com/about-us

An article by Raymond Keene dated 22 July 2026 - https://x.com/GM_RayKeene/status/2080964411188027826 - has a title which is unmissable. See (near the end) "It is in that spirit, and in my capacity as ... "

Earlier articles in the series are available at https://www.labouras.com/news.

John Townsend wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 07, 2026 4:37 pm

you may find we have been referring to the Count of the Order of Torres Vedras.

Ah yes, now you mention it I recall seeing this nonsense interview:

I am His Excellency Raymond Dennis Raymond Order of the British Empire (OBE), international chess Grandmaster, and Count of the Order of Torres Vedras, Portugal.... I am the first person in the history of chess to be made a Count on account of his chess ability

Of course this turns out to be some Brain Trust idiocy

Thank you, Justin. "Count of the Order of Torres Vedras" is top vintage, matched only by the title which I referred to in my last post,which is in a cru of its own:

"It is in that spirit, and in my capacity as Bishop of the World Christianship Ministries ..."

This brought tears to my eyes:

Keene: I was six years old. My mother wanted to take a bath. I was pestering her. She said, “Here, play with these.” She gave me chess pieces.[8]I had never seen them before. I said, “I don’t know how to play with them. You tell me.” She never got to the bath. That was my association with chess. I went on to become a chess Grandmaster.

Jon D'Souza-Eva wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 06, 2026 7:38 pm

Prof , Count , Dr Raymond Keene , Chess Grandmaster, OBE

I assume the "Prof" honorific is honorary, so to speak, but couldn't find any details online.

It is honarary and he's not the only British GM to have one.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 07, 2026 7:58 pm

Jon D'Souza-Eva wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 06, 2026 7:38 pm

Prof , Count , Dr Raymond Keene , Chess Grandmaster, OBE

I assume the "Prof" honorific is honorary, so to speak, but couldn't find any details online.

It is honarary

Who awarded it