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Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 9:10 am
by John Upham
You are warmly invited to attend the launch of Chess Through the Looking Glass — a striking new collaboration between Chess Grandmaster Raymond Keene OBE and acclaimed artist Barry Martin.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, 13th May
Venue: The Snail Club at L’Escargot, 48 Greek Street, Soho, London W1D 4EF
Time: Champagne Reception at 18:00 | Q&A at 18:30 | Dinner at 19:30
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Tickets: £75 (includes Champagne reception, three-course dinner, coffee, and a signed copy of the book)
Booking Link:
https://square.link/u/dy4dCjbO
This is not just a book launch, but an evening where strategy, satire, and artistic imagination meet. Chess Through the Looking Glass explores the game not as a series of moves, but as a metaphor for politics, society, and human behaviour. Co-authors Raymond Keene and Barry Martin bring a lifetime of intellectual and creative insight to the board.
This is Raymond Keene’s 208th book on chess — a world record in chess publishing — and a feat unmatched by any other author. Raymond was also a roommate of HM The King Charles III at Trinity College, Cambridge.
The evening will open with a Champagne reception and an informal Q&A with the authors. For those who wish to stay, a specially curated three-course dinner will follow, playfully themed around the game of chess.
Press Access & Interview Opportunities
Accredited members of the press will have access to a dedicated space for interviews with both authors during the evening. If you would like to request an exclusive interview slot, please indicate this when you RSVP.
Please note that places are limited and early confirmation is encouraged.
For press bookings, interview requests or further information, contact:
Ima von Wenden
Secretary, The Snail Club
Email:
[email protected]
Press Release and images:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BVVbfq ... sp=sharing
We hope you’ll join us for this unique cultural evening in Soho.
Warm regards,
Ima von Wenden
Secretary
The Snail Club
Slow and Sure
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 9:12 am
by John Upham
I like the
Raymond was also a roommate of HM The King Charles III at Trinity College, Cambridge.
throwaway line.
I wonder if Charles noticed GMRDKOBE was his room mate? Your thoughts and opinions are welcome.
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 9:44 am
by Ian Thompson
John Upham wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 9:12 am
I like the
Raymond was also a roommate of HM The King Charles III at Trinity College, Cambridge.
throwaway line.
I wonder if Charles noticed GMRDKOBE was his room mate? Your thoughts and opinions are welcome.
I suspect he would have noticed someone squatting in his room. I think previous claims from Keene relating to this have been that they attended the same college and were in the same hall of residence.
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 9:55 am
by John Upham
Ian Thompson wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 9:44 am
I suspect he would have noticed someone squatting in his room. I think previous claims from Keene relating to this have been that they attended the same college and were in the same hall of residence.
As we all know GMRDKOBE likes to push the reality boat out and rather like Corporal Jones he tends to enter the realms of fantasy.
Presumably suggesting he was a room mate of Prince Charles and hoping that PC would not notice is yet another example.
I will contact PCs biographer(s) and ask for their comment.
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 9:57 am
by John Upham
I shall start with
Anthony Holden and Sally Bedell Smith
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 10:27 am
by Geoff Chandler
"Raymond was also a roommate of HM King Charles III at Trinity College."
Well if Ray can get away with that...I've just updated my chessgames.com profile;
"Me and Karpov went to different schools together."
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 10:31 am
by Roger de Coverly
Ian Thompson wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 9:44 am
I suspect he would have noticed someone squatting in his room. I think previous claims from Keene relating to this have been that they attended the same college and were in the same hall of residence.
It did go a little beyond that. In traditional Cambridge colleges such as Trinity which RDK attended, the residential accommodation was arranged in the form of vertical staircases rather than horizontal corridors. He was on the same staircase as HRH and I think the door to his room was opposite.
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 10:37 am
by John Upham
Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 10:31 am
It did go a little beyond that. In traditional Cambridge colleges such as Trinity which RDK attended, the residential accommodation was arranged in the form of vertical staircases rather than horizontal corridors. He was on the same staircase as HRH and I think the door to his room was opposite.
Would you say that sharing a staircase could also be considered as being room mates?
In Park Village at The University of Sussex I shared the same staircase as a dozen or so other students. I would consider none of them to be room mates.
Some of them found "cow tipping" whilst smoking recreational substances to be a past time.
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 10:49 am
by Roger de Coverly
John Upham wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 10:37 am
Would you say that sharing a staircase could also be considered as being room mates?
No, there were some rooms known as sets which had two residents and more than one room. That's the only ones considered room mates. At that time most Cambiridge colleges provoded all the meals, so there was no real kitchen on a staircase.
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 11:04 am
by John Upham
Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 10:49 am
John Upham wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 10:37 am
Would you say that sharing a staircase could also be considered as being room mates?
No, there were some rooms known as sets which had two residents and more than one room. That's the only ones considered room mates. At that time most Cambiridge colleges provoded all the meals, so there was no real kitchen on a staircase.
Of course, as we all know, Lord Byron had an interesting room mate which once featured in a Hoffmeister adverting campaign.
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 2:49 pm
by James Pratt
Keene once stole a sausage roll from HRH as readers of 'A Life in the Day of ..' know well, a Sunday Times colour supplement feature of long ago. I am not sure that this isn't a Grace and Favour Flat or Goddamn nearly and he may soon be declared Defender of the Faith. (In Welsh, of course.)
James
Re: Chess Through the Looking Glass
Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 3:07 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
James Pratt wrote: ↑Tue May 13, 2025 2:49 pm
Keene once stole a sausage roll from HRH as readers of 'A Life in the Day of ..' know well, a Sunday Times colour supplement feature of long ago. I am not sure that this isn't a Grace and Favour Flat or Goddamn nearly and he may soon be declared Defender of the Faith. (In Welsh, of course.)
James
One of the first subjects of that feature (maybe *the* first, actually) was a very young Nigel Short.