English Chess Forum

Chris Rice wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:14 am

Athletics using chess to decide an Olympic title? It would appear that the offer of a draw from Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar) to Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy) in the High Jump so that they could share the Olympic title will be one of the sporting highlights of the Tokyo Olympics. However, it did occur to me that if you're thinking of offering a daw in an OTB chess and you suspect that your opponent will react like Tamberi you might think twice about offering it in the first place. Seriously, though that was a really great moment in the Olympics.

There was another chess reference earlier in the high jump. I think it was when Tamberi failed his first attempt at 2.39m. Steve Cram and Steve Backley was commentating for the BBC.
When Tamberi failed Steve Cram said "Now we are into the Chess".
Not sure his grammar was correct.

Wednesday 28th July
ITV 8pm until 8.30pm
Craig And Bruno's Great British Road Trips
Last week's episode was a road trip between Harlech and Anglesey in North Wales.
On the way there was a visit to Portmeirion.
Craig Revel Horwood looked at the giant chess set and said to Bruno Tonioli "Looks wonderful. It's amazing, darling."
There followed a brief clip of a chess game with human chess pieces.

BBC1 Olympics Live
Open Water Swimming Marathon
Commentary by Andy Jamison and Adrian Moorhouse.
After an hour of swimming, the commentators were discussing the tactics of the athletes. Adrian said there would be "chess speak".

Simon Rogers wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 04, 2021 11:45 pm

BBC1 Olympics Live
Open Water Swimming Marathon
Commentary by Andy Jamison and Adrian Moorhouse.
After an hour of swimming, the commentators were discussing the tactics of the athletes. Adrian said there would be "chess speak".

Another comment made by Adrian Moorhouse. With the German Florian Wellbrock leading after 1 hour 40 mins of swimming.
Adrian said "This has been the best game of chess in water."

The Chase, today at 5 pm on ITV, in the last set of questions where all remaining contestants are playing together trying to answer as many questions as they can in 2 minutes.

"The Lemming Defence is an opening in which board game?"

Not sure if this counts - I think it's an attempt at a chess-related comment. In today's "i", there is a review of a history book (The Invention of Sicily by Jamie Mackay), headed "Sicilian Opening".

Even I had never heard of the Lemming Defence (1.e4 Na6). My database gives 14 examples out of about 13.5 million games, so I guess it's uncommon...

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 06, 2021 1:26 pm

Not sure if this counts - I think it's an attempt at a chess-related comment. In today's "i", there is a review of a history book (The Invention of Sicily by Jamie Mackay), headed "Sicilian Opening".

Even I had never heard of the Lemming Defence (1.e4 Na6). My database gives 14 examples out of about 13.5 million games, so I guess it's uncommon...

You need to get a better database - there are 84 examples in Mega

"You need to get a better database - there are 84 examples in Mega"

I actually had 16, but 3 were duplicates - you may have more!

I think it is a bit of a chess game of what happens in this market and it goes on the red list, or what have you, and there’s a domino effect.

Do what?

I attended the Edinburgh Book Festival this morning. No chess books but I did spot the comedian Henning Wehn.

Amongst the other non-chess books featured was; 'The Chessmen Thief' by Barbara Henderson.

The blurb; "12-year-old Kylan is a Viking slave; when he gets the chance to return to the
Hebrides, the Lewis Chessmen he helped carve become his only hope of escape and survival."

A Radio 5 Live summariser reported at Half-Time (with the score 0-0) that Birmingham City v Stoke City "started like a rock concert and finished like a chess match."

Daily Mail article reports that Chelsea's Christian Pulisic has a queen chess piece tattoo and plays with team mate Kante.

Dragoljub Sudar wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 14, 2021 11:13 pm

Daily Mail article reports that Chelsea's Christian Pulisic has a queen chess piece tattoo and plays with team mate Kante.

Think this is the article being referred to. Interesting piece, the relevant passage runs:

‘We always have good battles. He was much stronger than me when I started, always the No 1, but I made it my goal to beat him so I had to work hard.

‘I used to see him playing Olivier Giroud on the plane and we’d talk about it. It’s an incredible game that can help you with a lot of things like problem-solving or seeing different patterns. I’m not saying it directly correlates to me being a better footballer but it’s certainly better than staring at a screen, gaming.’

On closer inspection, the tattoo bears the name ‘Mate’. It is Pulisic’s middle name and that of his beloved late grandfather.

‘I had it done after the Champions League final. There’s no great significance to the queen, though it’s a cool piece — versatile, powerful and can move anywhere.

‘It was my grandpa who taught me how to play when I was younger. I was nowhere near his level and I wish we’d played more but I’m glad we shared that. It’s a memory I hold close to my heart. That’s why the tattoo is so special to me.’

"Chess tournament players burn up to 6,000 calories a day"

JustinHorton wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 20, 2021 5:12 pm

"Chess tournament players burn up to 6,000 calories a day"

For amateurs, tournaments could well be fattening on balance. All that eating (and drinking) out.