Search found 336 matches

by David Williams
Sat Oct 07, 2023 4:25 pm
Forum: Not Chess!
Topic: Pedants United
Replies: 478
Views: 50445

Re: Pedants United

I see the temperature only got to 13C in Edinburgh today, but as high as 26C in London. Rather illustrates the point that you have to be using a linear scale with a zero start-point for 'twice' to have any sensible meaning.
by David Williams
Mon Oct 02, 2023 10:37 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Chess and Pension Fraud - allegation
Replies: 218
Views: 46252

Re: Chess and Pension Fraud - allegation

For some reason I'm reminded of the episode of the Simpsons where it turns out that Mr Burns is not responsible for the dumping of nuclear waste because the power plant is owned by a canary.
by David Williams
Fri Sep 29, 2023 4:36 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Chess and Pension Fraud - allegation
Replies: 218
Views: 46252

Re: Chess and Pension Fraud - allegation

And this isn’t trolling, but back in 2019 when Simon made his statement on here, didn’t he just characterise these events as just a technical disagreement over pension tax with the HMRC? It’s odd that nobody ever challenged that one. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in 2019 the only issue seemed to be ...
by David Williams
Tue Sep 26, 2023 1:49 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Chess and Pension Fraud - allegation
Replies: 218
Views: 46252

Re: Chess and Pension Fraud - allegation

Perhaps someone could explain a little. I pretty much understand one thing here. If you have a pension fund you can't take money out until you're 55. If you do it's taxed at 55%. Certain people devised schemes intended to circumvent this. They didn't work. HMRC took their 55%. What I don't understan...
by David Williams
Sat Aug 26, 2023 8:16 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Annoying time wasting
Replies: 73
Views: 6043

Re: Annoying time wasting

I've no sympathy with time-wasting just to be awkward, but I'm not sure about some of the other instances. I've had someone offer me a draw after an hour's play in a level position. When I declined, he explained that he had to leave, and got a little shirty when I still refused. What I didn't say, b...
by David Williams
Fri Jul 21, 2023 10:56 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Should a Chess Club take out Public Liability Insurance?
Replies: 19
Views: 1231

Re: Should a Chess Club take out Public Liability Insurance?

Is it not possible, even likely, that the insurance company would state that some of the incidents here were not the responsibility of the club and therefore not covered? No. They might say the incident was not the responsibility of the club so the club was not liable. Public liability insurance wo...
by David Williams
Fri Jul 21, 2023 8:40 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Should a Chess Club take out Public Liability Insurance?
Replies: 19
Views: 1231

Re: Should a Chess Club take out Public Liability Insurance?

There seems to be a trusting faith here that taking out an insurance policy provides a complete safety net. Is it not possible, even likely, that the insurance company would state that some of the incidents here were not the responsibility of the club and therefore not covered? Indeed, could having ...
by David Williams
Sun Jul 02, 2023 3:01 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Fischer Time Controls and Venues
Replies: 17
Views: 1707

Re: Fischer Time Controls and Venues

then you could have a time control of: 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move for the first 100 moves 5 minutes extra to finish the game, with no increment, after 100 moves have been played I can see that working in a Congress, but the big problem is evening matches. There a 30 second increment is out of...
by David Williams
Sat Jul 01, 2023 11:01 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Fischer Time Controls and Venues
Replies: 17
Views: 1707

Re: Fischer Time Controls and Venues

I think Brian has answered my question, and rather as I had feared. An evening league. 1930 start, rules are 90 minutes each on the clock. Time to change to increments? 80 mins + 10 seconds say? Chucking out time is 2300 on the dot - at which time the lights go out and you are forcibly ejected if ne...
by David Williams
Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:02 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Fischer Time Controls and Venues
Replies: 17
Views: 1707

Re: Fischer Time Controls and Venues

Can I revive this thread to ask a question.

One 'solution' would be to set a finishing time and declare any game unfinished to be a draw. Would such a game be legal / gradable? It's certainly practical, if nothing else.
by David Williams
Fri Jun 23, 2023 8:37 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Times cryptic chess clue
Replies: 314
Views: 44574

Re: Times cryptic chess clue

The solution to Senior officer as well. A gasser! 6, 7. CARBON DIOXIDE. I had no idea about 67 years ago that gasser had any meaning whatsoever. I see where you're coming from, but there are 'rules' for cryptic clues. "Senior officer as well" is "CO too", but if you want to use this as a homophone ...
by David Williams
Tue May 30, 2023 10:00 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Times cryptic chess clue
Replies: 314
Views: 44574

Re: Times cryptic chess clue

Incidentally the Sunday Times cryptic clue for KING was simply I am obliged to avoid capture (4) Difficult unless you already have ?I?G. I didn't get it even though I had -I-G. I assume it works because I AM OBLIGED is TA, and CAPTURE is TAKING, and TAKING avoiding TA is KING, but it's a pretty wea...
by David Williams
Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:36 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: 23rd April - Warning
Replies: 56
Views: 6998

Re: 23rd April - Warning

I'd never heard of this. If you had delayed posting it for two days I would have been very confident it wasn't true.
by David Williams
Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:47 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Rules concerning blitz?
Replies: 39
Views: 4006

Re: Rules concerning blitz?

Do FIDE give any guidance as to how many games of blitz one arbiter should be capable of handling simultaneously?
by David Williams
Tue Jan 10, 2023 2:28 pm
Forum: Chess Questions
Topic: Out of turn draw offer
Replies: 5
Views: 1712

Out of turn draw offer

Something I feel I ought to know. Rules, not etiquette! I'm aware that a correctly timed draw offer by player A cannot be withdrawn, and remains valid until it is either rejected or player B makes his next move. But what about an incorrectly timed offer? Player A offers a draw while it is still his ...