Media comments on chess

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Test cricket is often the best of 5. Thus once a team has won 3-0 the last two matches are 'dead' in those terms and only played for the spectators."

I think the overall score is important for the world rankings, but I take your general point.

[Stewart Reuben]

Kevin. I didn't know that the overall world rankings were affected by the dead rubbers in cricket. Then it is not appropriate to refer to them as dead.

Returning to rub. There is a term 'the rub of the green''. This is used in golf, but probably dates back first to bowls. It is often used in snooker to refer to bad luck on the green baize cloth. And to think I played bowls on Plymouth Hoe at the 1957 British Chess Championships.

Shakespeare of course:
Lady: Madame, wee'le play at Bowles.
Queen: 'Twill make me thinke the World is full of Rubs, And that my fortune runnes against the Byas. Richard II

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come. Hamlet.

But I don't see the connection to the term 'rubber bridge'.

[John Clarke]

On the origins of "rubber" in the sense we're discussing here, OED says simply "unknown".

Mr Brewer is prepared to stick his neck out and suggest it originated in bowls, "in which the collision of two woods is a rubber, because they rub against each other". Still can't see how the leap was made from there to meaning a series of games!

BTW, special award (not sure what) to Mr Thurlow for taking this thread to 100 pages.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"BTW, special award (not sure what) to Mr Thurlow for taking this thread to 100 pages."

Not single-handedly however, I will leave that honour to others...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Why the Article 50 notification is important

On Brexit: "there is no obligation on the EU to enter into negotiations until the notification is made. There is therefore a stalemate. If this were game of chess, a draw would now be offered."

(Yes, we know, a draw can't be offered, stalemate ends the game. Silly analogy, but one worth recording here. Just.)

[Stewart Reuben]

The Times Bridge correspondent, Alex Robson, responded to me about the etymology of rubber. He pointed out

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language (1756) expresses no doubt that the term comes from the word rub:
RUBBER, s. [from rub]

One that rubs.
The instrument with which one rubs. Swift.
A coarse file. Moxon.
A game ; a contest ; two games out of three.

In the Guardian today, there is an article that suggests Boris Johnson has been check-mated by David Cameron's resignation. (The hyphen was not my idea). The author's thesis was that, by resigning, Cameron is leaving his successor in an impossible situation.

Stalemate has changed its meaning in general usage. Instead of meaning an absolute draw, it means a dynamically equal situation.

[Roger de Coverly]

The author's thesis was that, by resigning, Cameron is leaving his successor in an impossible situation.

Zugzwang is the other term, but not one in general use outside the chess world. There's also the Niemzowitsch observation that "the threat is stronger than the execution".

[Paul Habershon]

The Times Bridge correspondent, Alex Robson, responded to me about the etymology of rubber.

I thought someone by now would have corrected Alex Robson to Andrew Robson. Perhaps he is not as well known as Roy Keene from the same page of 'The Times'. Come on, Stewart, you play bridge as well!

[Stewart Reuben]

If that's my biggest typo, life would be wonderful.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Turkey plays diplomatic chess in Middle East"

Not about yesterday's events.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-36650141

[LawrenceCooper]

The inevitable comment about Germany-Italy being like a chess match as early as the 5th minute from Martin Keown.

We've also had "tactical stalemate" and "a bit of a chess match" now as extra time gets underway.

[Matt Fletcher]

The inevitable comment about Germany-Italy being like a chess match as early as the 5th minute from Martin Keown.

We've also had "tactical stalemate" and "a bit of a chess match" now as extra time gets underway.

Paddy Power tweeted during the Germany-Italy game:

Martin Keown reckons this is like a chess match, he also said that about England v Wales. Starting to suspect he doesn't know what chess is.

Made me laugh...

[JustinHorton]

James Brokenshire:

We will never treat EU citizens as pawns in some kind of cynical game of EU negotiation chess.

Uh huh

[Stewart Reuben]

Commentary on the women'a singles tennis on Tuesday about one match.
They are moving their opponent from side to side lik pieces on a chessboard.

[Geoff Chandler]

'The Death’s Head Chess Club' by John Donoghue (Many 5/5 reviews so far)"

I stated reading this a few days ago.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deaths-Head-Ch ... 1782393137

They have the players turning up in a 1962 tournament and before the game the
arbiter holds a black and white pawn behind his back to see who gets what colour.

OK a minor error but I was wondering when did knowing what colour you would be in a tournament start?

Has it always been the case you would know in at least a day in advance in a round robin
or a match what colour you would be?

Has any famous game started with pawns behind the back to see what colour you get. (maybe Morphy at the Opera for instance.)

I know in weekenders you could expect to get a white/black/white mix, though not always
and have seen controllers struggling with pairings to make it so. In such cases where both
players were due a white would it not suffice to do the pawns behind the back routine.

Been forced to watch the tennis because Mrs. C. is a fan. I totally loathe the game.
Quite a few Chess terms have been mentioned but I like the concept of 'New Balls'.
We should have a 'New Pieces.' rules in Chess.


(I wonder if Chess and Tennis sites have a thread where chess writers have used terms from
their respective sports to describe what's happened on the board. I've seen 'own goal' and
'an offside Bishop', also a player serving an ace - playing a TN.)