Trivia Question

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John Upham
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Trivia Question

Post by John Upham » Thu May 06, 2021 12:59 pm

Question:

Which chess player's obituary includes the following sentence?

"Jones where Brown had had had had had had had had had had had the master’s approval" :D
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MJMcCready
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by MJMcCready » Thu May 06, 2021 1:14 pm

oh boy that's a tough one. Can't even guess. Is that sentence grammatically correct?

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Thu May 06, 2021 2:03 pm

I think the point of its inclusion is that it actually *is*?
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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Thu May 06, 2021 3:54 pm

It's not grammatically correct as written, because it needs punctuation. There is at least one way to punctuate it to make a grammatically correct sentence:

""Jones, where Brown had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the master’s approval."

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John Upham
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by John Upham » Thu May 06, 2021 6:00 pm

IM Jack Rudd wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 3:54 pm
It's not grammatically correct as written, because it needs punctuation. There is at least one way to punctuate it to make a grammatically correct sentence:

""Jones, where Brown had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the master’s approval."
Having punctuated the sentence correctly what would be your interpretation of its intended meaning?
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Thu May 06, 2021 6:28 pm

Anyway, any ideas about the player?
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Paul Habershon
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by Paul Habershon » Thu May 06, 2021 8:28 pm

John Upham wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 6:00 pm
IM Jack Rudd wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 3:54 pm
It's not grammatically correct as written, because it needs punctuation. There is at least one way to punctuate it to make a grammatically correct sentence:

""Jones, where Brown had had 'had', had had 'had had'; 'had had' had had the master’s approval."
Having punctuated the sentence correctly what would be your interpretation of its intended meaning?
I thought someone would have answered this by now. The had x11 sentence was doing the rounds when I was a schoolboy in the 1950s, except I remember it had 'examiner's' instead of 'master's'.

My interpretation is that Jones and Brown were examinees who had different answers to some sort of English grammar test.

I have no idea why this sentence was dragged into a chess player's obituary, let alone the identity of the player.

Nick Grey
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by Nick Grey » Thu May 06, 2021 10:47 pm

I have no idea why this sentence was dragged into a chess player's obituary, let alone the identity of the player. SEEMS poor taste. may come up at an AGM if this year.

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John Upham
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by John Upham » Fri May 07, 2021 9:20 am

I suspect it is time to reveal a clue...

The writer of the obituary was EGR Cordingley.

If that does not help I will reveal the year in 24 hours time.

I very much hope that this grave matter will be brought up an an AGM this year. NG does not specify which AGM merely "an AGM".
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John Upham
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by John Upham » Fri May 07, 2021 9:58 am

Paul Habershon wrote:
Thu May 06, 2021 8:28 pm


I thought someone would have answered this by now. The had x11 sentence was doing the rounds when I was a schoolboy in the 1950s, except I remember it had 'examiner's' instead of 'master's'.

My interpretation is that Jones and Brown were examinees who had different answers to some sort of English grammar test.

I have no idea why this sentence was dragged into a chess player's obituary, let alone the identity of the player.
More detail for those who need it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_whi ... he_teacher
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Mick Norris
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by Mick Norris » Fri May 07, 2021 9:59 am

Vera Menchik
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John Upham
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by John Upham » Fri May 07, 2021 10:09 am

Mick Norris wrote:
Fri May 07, 2021 9:59 am
Vera Menchik

Very good Mick!

May I ask how you got to that answer?
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Roland Kensdale
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by Roland Kensdale » Sun May 16, 2021 10:41 pm

Why Vera Menchik?

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John Upham
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by John Upham » Mon May 17, 2021 9:21 am

accidental duplication
Last edited by John Upham on Mon May 17, 2021 10:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
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John Upham
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Re: Trivia Question

Post by John Upham » Mon May 17, 2021 9:23 am

Roland Kensdale wrote:
Sun May 16, 2021 10:41 pm
Why Vera Menchik?
If you visit https://britishchessnews.com/2020/06/27 ... niversary/

you'll find an obituary from EGR Cordingley (amongst others). EGRC used this phrase about VM.


I'm assuming that is where Mick found the reference? Maybe he could confirm?
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