Search found 232 matches

by IanCalvert
Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:11 am
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: Chair of the Governance Committee 2021
Replies: 86
Views: 17931

Re: Chair of the Governance Committee 2021

Given the current voting figures above, it looks like Chris will finish second to Robert Stern, the lawyer,

However maybe Chris on the Governance Committee would be a "good thing" for the ECF ?!
by IanCalvert
Fri Nov 06, 2020 5:06 pm
Forum: Book Reviews
Topic: The Chess Endgame Exercise Book, John Nunn, Gambit, 2020
Replies: 3
Views: 873

Re: The Chess Endgame Exercise Book, John Nunn, Gambit, 2020

MjMcCready,


There often are some nuanced (sometimes useful rules of thumb) explanations about what is understood about a specific position through calculations and theory : not just that the best moves work but also why others don't .

Regards
by IanCalvert
Fri Nov 06, 2020 3:05 pm
Forum: Book Reviews
Topic: The Chess Endgame Exercise Book, John Nunn, Gambit, 2020
Replies: 3
Views: 873

The Chess Endgame Exercise Book, John Nunn, Gambit, 2020

This is a genuinely great book. John Nunn “ I hope that this book of endgame exercises will encourage readers to put their brains in high gear to test themselves and to learn about the ending”. The exercises are graded 1 star (easiest ) to five stars (hardest) . As a c2000 player I didn’t get beyond...
by IanCalvert
Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:55 pm
Forum: County Championships
Topic: ECF Online County Championship
Replies: 175
Views: 28684

Re: ECF Online County Championship

NIck,

CU = Chess Union. You may find it hard to believe but Surrey and Middlesex are SCCU neighbours.
by IanCalvert
Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:32 am
Forum: County Championships
Topic: ECF Online County Championship
Replies: 175
Views: 28684

Re: ECF Online County Championship

Thanks to all who made this possible. I enjoyed playing in spite of awful results but no disconnects. Whatever the situation with OTB chess in 20-21 season , I hope there will be online championships structured on European football lines in 20-21 rather than CU lines . Have there been any announceme...
by IanCalvert
Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:25 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Books and openings
Replies: 32
Views: 3949

Re: Books and openings

"How much impact can a well-written book on a poor choice of opening have? " IMHO I am aware of very little chess literature on avoiding or mitigating a poor choice of opening: for those players with specific opponents which mean choices are practical/sensible. Simon Webb's comments in the "How to t...
by IanCalvert
Mon Aug 03, 2020 7:29 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Cheating; Holowczak's Chess Article
Replies: 17
Views: 2365

Re: Cheating; Holowczak's Chess Article

Justin,

Thanks very much for the link to your criticisms and to the 4NCL Online posts on this topic. The Holowczak article in "Chess" was posted on the 4NCL website and provoked much interesting discussion there over recent weeks .

D'oh! seems an appropriate final word from me.
by IanCalvert
Mon Aug 03, 2020 1:15 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Cheating; Holowczak's Chess Article
Replies: 17
Views: 2365

Cheating; Holowczak's Chess Article

I have just read Alex Holowczak's "Anti-Cheating in Online Chess" . Broadly I think it is a good read and a praiseworthy contribution to an important issue. However my worldview is that of only a player not an arbiter or official in addition. Among many other matters of interest to others, It raises...
by IanCalvert
Fri Jul 24, 2020 9:20 pm
Forum: Rating Debate
Topic: July 2020 grades
Replies: 73
Views: 39538

Re: July 2020 grades

D'oh! July grades are out!
by IanCalvert
Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:43 pm
Forum: Rating Debate
Topic: July 2020 grades
Replies: 73
Views: 39538

Re: July 2020 grades

Given that grading is arguably the most valued ECF service to ordinary club members , the lack of ECF communication is very strange. Will there be a July list around the end of next week? What are the current plans for monthly 4 digit grades? I trust Brian Valentine and others are well even with fac...
by IanCalvert
Mon Jun 01, 2020 4:25 pm
Forum: County Championships
Topic: ECF Online County Championship
Replies: 175
Views: 28684

Re: ECF Online County Championship

I do wish this initiative well : online chess may well be a great opportunity for chess. Indeed I hoped to play for a Middlesex team. My recent internet chess experience of losing repeatedly and quickly in the opening (after 1. b3 which I have been playing for 40 years) is that the "live" use of eng...
by IanCalvert
Tue Apr 28, 2020 4:44 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: Posthumous GM FIDE Title For Sultan Khan
Replies: 12
Views: 2656

Posthumous GM FIDE Title For Sultan Khan

I am slowly reading Danny King's excellent new NIC book On Sultan Khan. I understand from page 367 that Vishy Anand has a similar book project nearing completion. I gather Danny King has raised the question of a Fide posthumous GM title for Sultan Khan. Maybe the good and the great such as ECF offic...
by IanCalvert
Sun Oct 27, 2019 4:38 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Sportsmanship in Chess
Replies: 5
Views: 1394

Re: Sportsmanship in Chess

Thanks David ( and Roger). On , Surrey born, Napier Wiki says "Napier called a game he lost to reigning World Champion Emanuel Lasker at Cambridge Springs 1904 the best of his career. The game showed great tactical skill by both players. Napier was particularly impressed by how Lasker kept his compo...
by IanCalvert
Sun Oct 27, 2019 12:29 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Sportsmanship in Chess
Replies: 5
Views: 1394

Sportsmanship in Chess

Capablanca v Yates, Barcelona 1929, is the only loss included the collection of Yates' best games. The much maligned Reinfeld described this, inclusion of a loss in a best games collection, as an unusual example. I guess such games are of exceptionally high quality. Hence are their other such exampl...
by IanCalvert
Sun Jul 28, 2019 1:03 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
Replies: 27
Views: 7585

Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society

"Bill", W.T.Tutte of Bletchley Park and University of Ontario, the great graph theorist and code-braker, gives Bletchley Park at least 2.

Historically has any other organisation done better?