Re: End of an era
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:04 pm
Are we sure this announcement is genuine, and hasn't been cribbed from somewhere else?
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Ha ha! Yes, I have a copy of the paper and I think Ian Thompson has also. "Panthalassic tsunami of pawns" is indeed in the article.David Robertson wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:04 pmAre we sure this announcement is genuine, and hasn't been cribbed from somewhere else?
Hmm... There's no attribution in Keene's piece and I reckon there are similarities with the annotations in Kasparov's My Great Predecessors Part 1 where the McDonnell - La Bourdonnais game is game 1.
MGP:A bad mistake. It was a serious error of judgement to provoke Black's foot soldiery into becoming passed pawns, as it proves absolutely impossible to blockade them on the light squares. After 14 Nd2 a4 15 Bc4 a3 16 b3 Bb7 White would have stood worse, but he could still have fought on.
Apparently the decisive mistake: it was wrong to allow Black's pawns to become passed, since it does not prove possible to blockade them on the light squares. After 14 Nd2 a4 15 Bc4 a3 16 b3 Bb7 White would simply have stood worse (the opponent has the two bishops, the centre and so on), but he could still have held on.
Keene-Ligterink, London Lloyds Bank 1981.
Obviously the money involved may be more important, but I can’t imagine writing a (good) daily column would be particularly compatible with continuing as a full time playing professional. Very different to a weekly or bi-weekly publication.Stewart Reuben wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:04 pmA small plug, Raymond Keene vs Gert Ligterink 5th Lloyds Bank Masters Open (1981), London ENG, rd 8, Sep-01, for one of our most important former sponsors.
I am puzzled nobody has commented on Ray's likely successor. I haven't discussed the matter with either Ray or Gawain, but would probably favour Gawain Jones as he is our leading player without a column. I believe it should be an English player of considerable status.
The decision may have already been made. But a letter to the editor of The Times, marked not for publication, may carry some weight.
Not sure this makes sense - the column just lagged behind in reporting the games.Paul Habershon wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2019 4:34 pmRay was hamstrung in reporting, e.g. on British and even the World Championship, because Times 2 does not carry yesterday's news.
I suspect that Times 2 requires chess column copy well in advance. It's on a games and puzzles page which is not time sensitive.JustinHorton wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2019 5:16 pmNot sure this makes sense - the column just lagged behind in reporting the games.Paul Habershon wrote: ↑Sat Nov 02, 2019 4:34 pmRay was hamstrung in reporting, e.g. on British and even the World Championship, because Times 2 does not carry yesterday's news.