Media comments on chess

[Stewart Reuben]

But, Jonathan,
remember chess requires no equipment - just a brain and preferably a means of communication - perhaps a voice.

[John Upham]

BBC reports on an unusually timed Honours List, one recipient being

"Knight Bachelor
• Dr Demis Hassabis CBE FRS FREng FRSA; CEO and Co-Founder of
DeepMind. For Services to Artificial Intelligence."

This entry has been added to

https://britishchessnews.com/honours-for-chess/

Thanks!

[Stewart Reuben]

Mario Garcia, BEM, 2014, NYH, Vice president, Gibraltar Chess Association. “For services to promoting chess in Gibraltar”
Larry Ebbin, MBE, 2016, NYH, “For services to the community”

I don't remember Mario Garcia and know nothing of Larry Ebin.

Alexander and Sir Stuart Milner-Barry had higher status than mentioned in the list.

[John Upham]

Alexander and Sir Stuart Milner-Barry had higher status than mentioned in the list.

I know I am going to regret asking but I'll go through the motions anyway:

Stewart,
Precise detail of what you mean by "higher status" would be welcome.

[Stewart Reuben]

He became Sir Stuart. Possibly an inherited title later on than shown in that list.
Alexander was CBE I believe. That list showed him OBE.

While on the subject, Leonard Barden made it clear in advance he did NOT want an honour.

[John Upham]

He became Sir Stuart. Possibly an inherited title later on than shown in that list.

Added: thanks

Alexander was CBE I believe. That list showed him OBE.

Corrected: thanks

While on the subject, Leonard Barden made it clear in advance he did NOT want an honour.

Yes, I believe that is well known.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

He became Sir Stuart. Possibly an inherited title later on than shown in that list.

Repeating here what I said over here:

Milner-Barry received three distinct awards (OBE, CB, KCVO) and the gazetting of each will tell you what for.

The order goes:

(1) 1946 New Year Honours - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - Civil Division - "employed in a Department of the Foreign Office".

(2) 1962 Birthday Honours - Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) - Civil Division - "Under-Secretary, HM Treasury".

(3) 1975 New Year Honours - Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO).

Technically, the Royal Victorian Order ranks lower in the chivalric orders than the Order of the Bath, but Milner-Barry was appointed to the lowest rank of the latter, and then to a higher rank in the former.

It is interesting to note the same euphemism ("employed in a Department of the Foreign Office" - presumably referring to those who worked at Bletchley Park) used for the following in addition to Milner-Barry:

John Kyme Cordeaux
Edward George Godolphin Hastings
Eric Malcolm Jones
Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander
Kathleen Maria Margaret Archer
Paul Leonardo de Laszlo
Edward Rolf Frederick Hok
Leonard St. Clair Ingrams
Gildart Edgar Pemberton Jackson
Frank Laurence Lucas
George Cunliffe McVittie
Herbert Stanley Marchant
Harold Adrian Russell Philby
Richard Holliday Pott

It is possible that "employed in a Department of the Foreign Office" also refers to MI5 and MI6 service, as I don't think all the above worked at Bletchley Park, though some did.

I am not aware of any inherited title for Milner-Barry (he became "Sir" when made KCVO, as those made CB do not gain the honorific, only the upper two classes of that order are knighthoods).

[Reg Clucas]

Variation on a common theme - Ally McCoist during yesterday's Newcastle v Tottenham match - "...it's a wee game of chess".

[Matt Mackenzie]

Variation on a common theme - Ally McCoist during yesterday's Newcastle v Tottenham match - "...it's a wee game of chess".

Certainly wee in the sense of one side getting a decisive advantage relatively early.

[Stewart Reuben]

Working at Bletchley Park was very hush hush even until the early 1970s.
Harry Golombek, Dr Aitken and N A Perkins were all chess players I knew who worked there during the war.
Harry old me this story i 1972, which is quoted in the book David Levy and I wrote, 'The Chess Scene'.
Without chess I would almost certainly be dead, My artillery battery was about to leave for Singapore during World War II. My CO arranged for me to be transferred to Intelligence a week before they left because he knew I must be suitable due to my chess playing. Only 6 survived out of 300.

Harry also told me later that Alan Turover was a queen odds player.

[Matt Mackenzie]

You mean Turing, presumably.

[Stewart Reuben]

Thank you Matt. You are correct, it is Turing.

[James Pratt]

Shaun Taulbut's mum was there too ..

[Geoff Chandler]

Milton Jones mentions that his grandfather was at Bletchley Park and he broke the Enigma...(pause)...Machine! adding they could not fix it.

And speaking of comedians; Kevin James Doyle will be at The Fringe this year;

"Doyle has a wealth of experience teaching over 6500 chess lessons in New York City. In this captivating hour filled with drama and intrigue, Doyle takes the audience on a journey across the world: flown to the vibrant city of Singapore at the behest of a mysterious investor, Doyle found himself imparting chess wisdom to some of the world's wealthiest individuals. The tension rises as Kevin navigates these high-stakes players, both on and off the chessboard."

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/k ... er-endgame

[Tim Spanton]

Private Eye has a cartoon of a chess queen holding a passport with a photo of a pawn, and explaining: "It's an old picture. "