ECF Silver members.

[Michael Farthing]

Being a glutton for punishment I shall also be at the Bolton Easter Congress this weekend (though not the Busy People event) and will be interested to hear the views and concerns of silver members. As the finance meeting now looms I'm particularly interested in views on membership fees.

[If you've come in late to the thread the reason for my interest is that I a silver members' representative on the ECF Council].

[Mick Norris]

Michael how did you enjoy Bolton?

[Michael Farthing]

Michael how did you enjoy Bolton?

Well I did actually enjoy (most) of it.

I did appallingly badly: all my games were against opponents way below my grade and I lost three games. An increasingly common occurrence I'm afraid and the occasional successful congress is beginning to make me look like a shark: not the case I hasten to add!

My silver representation efforts were not very successful either. One round was against a shy nineish year old whose views I decided not to solicit. With another I had an 80 move game and he expressed himself far too tired to talk to me and in a third my opponent resigned by throwing his king at the board, screwing up and throwing down his scoresheet and storming from the room. I thought on the whole he probably wouldn't want to talk about the ECF! The other two made some useful points.

The absolute disaster was at then end. Foolishly I had left my laptop in my (son's) car covered with an old cagoule. The cagoule was clearly not old enough and it, and the laptop, were stolen - achieved by pulling the front passenger door out of shape, thereby smashing the window. Cold drive home with my argonaut friend mentioned earlier in the thread. He was huddled into a hoody and complaining of the cold. Did him good really - he'd won the section and first prize and made a new friend at the congress: he needed bringing back down to Earth.

And a side issue - I normally log on here automatically on the errant laptop and so of course had no idea what my password was - hence a delay in getting back here and answering your enquiry.

My son is still speaking to me I'm glad to say. He has made it clear who pays for the damage.

[Adam Raoof]

Please can you write more tournament reports Michael? This is by far the most entertaining I have read for years!

Michael how did you enjoy Bolton?

Well I did actually enjoy (most) of it.

I did appallingly badly: all my games were against opponents way below my grade and I lost three games. An increasingly common occurrence I'm afraid and the occasional successful congress is beginning to make me look like a shark: not the case I hasten to add!

My silver representation efforts were not very successful either. One round was against a shy nineish year old whose views I decided not to solicit. With another I had an 80 move game and he expressed himself far too tired to talk to me and in a third my opponent resigned by throwing his king at the board, screwing up and throwing down his scoresheet and storming from the room. I thought on the whole he probably wouldn't want to talk about the ECF! The other two made some useful points.

The absolute disaster was at then end. Foolishly I had left my laptop in my (son's) car covered with an old cagoule. The cagoule was clearly not old enough and it, and the laptop, were stolen - achieved by pulling the front passenger door out of shape, thereby smashing the window. Cold drive home with my argonaut friend mentioned earlier in the thread. He was huddled into a hoody and complaining of the cold. Did him good really - he'd won the section and first prize and made a new friend at the congress: he needed bringing back down to Earth.

And a side issue - I normally log on here automatically on the errant laptop and so of course had no idea what my password was - hence a delay in getting back here and answering your enquiry.

My son is still speaking to me I'm glad to say. He has made it clear who pays for the damage.

[Mick Norris]

Well I did actually enjoy (most) of it.

I did appallingly badly: all my games were against opponents way below my grade and I lost three games. An increasingly common occurrence I'm afraid and the occasional successful congress is beginning to make me look like a shark: not the case I hasten to add!

My silver representation efforts were not very successful either. One round was against a shy nineish year old whose views I decided not to solicit. With another I had an 80 move game and he expressed himself far too tired to talk to me and in a third my opponent resigned by throwing his king at the board, screwing up and throwing down his scoresheet and storming from the room. I thought on the whole he probably wouldn't want to talk about the ECF! The other two made some useful points.

The absolute disaster was at then end. Foolishly I had left my laptop in my (son's) car covered with an old cagoule. The cagoule was clearly not old enough and it, and the laptop, were stolen - achieved by pulling the front passenger door out of shape, thereby smashing the window. Cold drive home with my argonaut friend mentioned earlier in the thread. He was huddled into a hoody and complaining of the cold. Did him good really - he'd won the section and first prize and made a new friend at the congress: he needed bringing back down to Earth.

And a side issue - I normally log on here automatically on the errant laptop and so of course had no idea what my password was - hence a delay in getting back here and answering your enquiry.

My son is still speaking to me I'm glad to say. He has made it clear who pays for the damage.

Michael

I only had chance to call in Friday about an hour before kickoff, so there weren't any players there

Sorry about the car and laptop, not an uncommon occurrence unfortunately (Bolton used to be the car crime capital in the 1980s, about 24 a day being stolen), hope it doesn't put you off returning

I rarely leave my laptop in the car, though I did yesterday at Preston Hospital when visiting my Dad, I had it locked out of sight in the boot

[Michael Farthing]

It was my fourth appearance at Bolton, Mick. Fear not!

[Mick Norris]

Glad to hear it