English Chess Forum

It sounds to me as if the ECF may be technically insolvent now, without the grant, though I haven't seen the figures, clearly. I suggest the directors of ECF find out very quickly if it is true, because the consequences of trading while insolvent are unpleasant.

Stewart, I wasn't happy with your 0 move draw then and I'm still not. I don't have an issue with playing a few moves and then drawing, we've all done it. A few years ago, I was leading a tounament with a friend. We agreed to draw. It went, me white, 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Nf6 3 Bb5+ Bd7 4 Bc4 and assuming I...

Thanks Andrew, that brings back some fond memories. The soul of Centymca ended after the move from Endell Street. Remember the Cambridge match? My mother does, and she still doesn't like you!

All the best to all the Endell Street regulars

Simon

John, I don't recall any Cheetahs - as if - but we had Lions, Wolves and Dragons. I was in the Dragons in my first season, with Nick Benjamin, Nicky Andrews, Clive Hill and others. God knows what league - when you are 14 you just turn up and play. Seem to recall my Dad driving to some far flung part...

And it was Leonard who recommended to my father I join Centymca. One of many fine ideas.

Leonard, you are right - my first win against Vaganian was of course at the London prizegiving, before Centymca.

Simon

Companies limited by guarantee can have paid directors, so this must be something the ECF has chosen to do. Which means it can presumably unchoose.

Hi John I remember that day well (1974?) and I too have the report. I played a Benoni. Funny thing was I played him again in a simul, about a week later, and beat him again. He found it very amusing, such a nice guy, unlike some of the simuls I played at the YMCA. His result in that simul was terrib...

Quite right. Any thoughts, Stewart?

Hi Daryl, great to hear from you. It may be over 30 years ago, but I remember the Endell Street years with an affection unrivalled in my chess career. I also, quite inexplicably, remember an unnaturally large part of that poem. Was he really "born in Teheran, 1943" or was that for the benefit of sca...

John, thanks for the link to the plan. I have had a 5 minute read - it doesn't require much more - and have concluded that, as it was when I resigned from the Board in the early nineties for exactly this reason, it is hopeless. The goals are admirable, but the strategy doesn't show how they will be ...

Don't you have to have plans before you have contingency plans?

Alex Holowczak wrote:Why are the prizes shown here given in Euros and not Pounds sterling?

I would guess because the sponsor has his/its main funds in € and doesn't want exposure to the exchange rate in the intervening months.

I was going to say I was a Chartered Accountant, but I won't bother now....

Yes, Happy Birthday Leonard. If anyone claims to have made a bigger contribution to British chess over so many years, I wouldn't believe them.

Simon

Come on now. Whatever you may think about Ray personally, he has done infinitely more good than harm. I endorse Nigel's feelings.

Simon