English Chess Forum

Matthew Turner wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:18 am

Let me take this analogy a bit further. The Maths behind the Regan tests and vaccine trials is essentially the same. So there is roughly a 50% chance that a normal chess player (playing without assistance) will play the computer move.

Come again?

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 02, 2021 4:09 pm

Well yes, can't see how a mere 51% probability would stand up to any legal scrutiny for a start.

What does the term "on the balance of probabilities" mean?

I note Ali Mortazavi has tweeted yesterday about cheating in chess, if anyone is interested.

So, a couple of things that are irritating me: 1 - the action of people starting every other sentence with "so". (It seems to have become particularly prevalent on "Pointless".) Possibly it demonstrates a subconscious desire to conform. I've even started doing it myself. (Also, answering "I'm good",...

The Edinburgh Congress used to offer some sort of prize – I think it might have been best game rather than brilliancy. I think they got someone from one of the nearest pubs to judge it… :wink: One year, whist I was in the midst of succumbing to a rather obvious king-side hack (obvious to everyone ex...

If you look at the 70s most Div 1 winners lost or drew about one third of their games Between 1969/70 and 1980/81 (12 seasons) the Football League Champions averaged 25.3 wins a season, which is about 60% but when it changed they were picking up about 8 wins a season more on average. Between 1981/8...

[snip] Nevertheless, it was clear that some considerable effort to make the chess as realistic as possible, and that I applaud. Particularly how the actors, none of whom are known chess players as far as I know, were able to memorise long sequences of realistic moves and even give simultaneous and ...

Jack was a clubmate of mine and almost certainly a team-mate at some point. However I remember him more for his production of the Stepps Chess Club magazine, which I think was something of a labour of love – it was of a high quality, containing games by the masters, games by club members, puzzles an...

I believe Keti Arakhamia-Grant was on BBC Breakfast last week sometime. Don't think this is still available.

She was also on BBC Radio Scotland's "Drivetime" show yesterday I think, being interviewed by John Beattie for about 2 minutes before he segues neatly into a discussion on table dimensions.

Simon Rogers wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 25, 2020 1:20 am

I'm surprised Jim Sillars of the SNP wasn't an option.

I'm intrigued by this thought...

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 25, 2020 1:16 pm

Poll closed already?

I don't think so - I just voted (you can probably work out who for). (I would have voted for Jim had he been a candidate - I think he would make a good dinner guest.)

The home page just has room to describe this thread as "Alex McFarlane is on the ..."

My mind reeled with all the possibilities for ending that sentence.

I guess "mend" may be the best of them. Please convey my best wishes, Geoff.

Probably MacLeod. (Admins - feel free to move to the Pedants' thread). Since I'm here I should perhaps contribute my own tuppence worth with something I watched back at the beginning of lockdown, but which I can't trace. I think it was an episode of "Coast", set on the south coast somewhere, where N...

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 07, 2020 2:38 am

Do you remember any other chess related cryptic clues Paul?

One piece on board that is for a raw recruit (6)

Neil Graham wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 18, 2020 8:41 am

Kevin Thurlow wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 17, 2020 6:42 pm

"Who did Virgil Tracy commemorate ?"

Gus Grissom?

That's correct. All the Tracy brothers (Scott, Virgil, John,
Gordon and Alan) were named after U.S. astronauts.

The Mercury Seven. They featured heavily in the 1983 movie "The Right Stuff" and more tangentially in "Apollo 13"

Another quibble - the difference between "league" and "division", particularly with regard to sporting competitions. As far as I am concerned, a league is made up of divisions. These divisions may be based on merit or geography (and possibly other criteria that I can't think of). I was comfortable w...