Search found 1857 matches

by Joey Stewart
Sat Mar 16, 2024 12:57 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Clock Bangers
Replies: 45
Views: 3119

Re: Clock Bangers

It woke be quite cool to have a digital flag in the new clocks - loads of kids online talk about flagging their opponent and probably think it is just some sort of chess slang without actually knowing the truth of the story. I really miss the good old days of flagfall, chess has been completely ruin...
by Joey Stewart
Mon Mar 11, 2024 8:36 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Changes to FIDE ratings.
Replies: 2
Views: 267

Re: Changes to FIDE ratings.

Long and short of it is that the rating system has been broken for years at lower levels, lockdown massively inflated the problem and once it finally reached the levels of the protected bubble of super GMs and their ratings started to go down FIDE had no choice but to take their head out of the sand...
by Joey Stewart
Sun Mar 10, 2024 11:49 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)
Replies: 61
Views: 4032

Re: David Glueck (Oxfordshire team 1991-2)

Just out of interest, is there some sort of story of significance behind this particular match- a random draw in a county game from 30 years ago doesn't seem like one that most people would likely have kept in mind without a good reason?
by Joey Stewart
Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:23 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: accepting gambits
Replies: 35
Views: 2473

Re: accepting gambits

There's a few gambits black can go for in the ruy lopez but i think the marshall is perhaps the standout - really tough to defend for white, in fact I don't think many top GMs even allow the position to happen anymore.
by Joey Stewart
Wed Mar 06, 2024 1:26 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: accepting gambits
Replies: 35
Views: 2473

Re: accepting gambits

There's even a crazy, but highly unsound, Halloween gambit if you really like being material down and to be able to force the position regularly

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Nxe5 Nxe5 4.d4
by Joey Stewart
Tue Mar 05, 2024 4:47 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: accepting gambits
Replies: 35
Views: 2473

Re: accepting gambits

Queens gambit is not really a gambit, per say, pretty sure white can regain the pawn by force if he does want it back unless there is some sort of new deep engine analysis for black to dig deep and hold on but I'd be very surprised if any modern chess computer could stand to give away so much initia...
by Joey Stewart
Tue Mar 05, 2024 3:14 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: accepting gambits
Replies: 35
Views: 2473

Re: accepting gambits

I feel like gambit players are cowards, putting themselves in a position where they can't really lose any respect - if they win they are hailed as a dashing and brave attacker and if they lose they are patted on the back and told what a great attempt it was. Never take a gambit unless the refusal le...
by Joey Stewart
Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:38 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Best Game by an English Player (the vote)
Replies: 80
Views: 3872

Re: Best Game by an English Player (the vote)

Is that his famous "king walk" game?
by Joey Stewart
Tue Feb 27, 2024 3:40 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Best Game by an English Player (the vote)
Replies: 80
Views: 3872

Re: Best Game by an English Player (the vote)

I like the idea of this but 90 games to go over (plus whatever great games were not on that list, Ive seen some really nice ones in the 4ncl and British) feels like a bit of a big project that I couldn't give an objective opinion in any sort of sensible timeframe. What about breaking up the list int...
by Joey Stewart
Thu Feb 22, 2024 4:55 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Clock Bangers
Replies: 45
Views: 3119

Clock Bangers

I'm sure we all know that one (or even multiple) player who likes to treat chess clocks like punching bags at the gym, often with no real time pressure forcing their hand. I wondered though, would a captain or tournament organiser be right to eject them from the game (after a polite warning, of cour...
by Joey Stewart
Tue Feb 20, 2024 5:53 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Graded Band Tournaments
Replies: 9
Views: 804

Re: Graded Band Tournaments

You are right that ratings don't mean anything in the wider context of life but for the 99% of players who never actually make any money from chess their rating is the only thing they ever have to show for their toils so you can kind of see why that arbitrary figure can be so highly prized and peopl...
by Joey Stewart
Tue Feb 20, 2024 1:06 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Graded Band Tournaments
Replies: 9
Views: 804

Re: Graded Band Tournaments

I think this is a fantastic idea, right now the grading limit of a 2000 minimum might be just too high because somewhere like 90% of the players in the country are sub 2000 these days. after the rating fix comes and there are a few more points back in the pool i could see it being really popular and...
by Joey Stewart
Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:42 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Without thinking about it too much... are you a bishop or a knight person?
Replies: 30
Views: 4114

Re: Without thinking about it too much... are you a bishop or a knight person?

I think I'm more of a knight person, even though the bishop can overpower it in a lot of positions the knight generally creates the best tactics
by Joey Stewart
Mon Feb 12, 2024 3:19 pm
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Three Knights
Replies: 16
Views: 1874

Re: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Three Knights

I know it might be a bit of self promotion but I feel it is still worth drawing attention to what a great achievement wotton hall are accomplishing as a 4ncl team comprised entirely of local club players with no mercenaries.
by Joey Stewart
Mon Feb 12, 2024 10:20 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: The world's most handsome GM?
Replies: 27
Views: 3104

Re: The world's most handsome GM?

I seem to remember Magnus doing a short stint as a male model so presumably whoever hired hired him decided there was sufficient handsomeness for the job