(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

[NickFaulks]

Best of luck for Pardubice Nick. When is your first game?

Thanks, Simon. Monday.

By the way, I feel nothing but goodwill toward the Northumberland event and hope it is very successful. I really look forward to watching the naysayers here eat their words - they won't, of course, but we will sense their bitterness. However, I really look forward to a week away from this demented country and cannot face wearing a mask for most of the day.

[Paul Cooksey]

Are there naysayers?

I, for example, would not want to play over the board at the moment. Maybe I'm too cautious. Dunno. But why would I wish Northumberland Congress ill? They seem to be doing an excellent job.

[Tim Spanton]

I think the debate has been very polarised here.
Some want chess to go on what-the-heck; others want chess shut down for months to come.
People with in-between views are either very few or don't feel motivated to get involved.

[J T Melsom]

I don't think anybody other than Nick Faulks has described conditions at the Northumberland event as 'disgusting'. Nor do I sense people wanting the event to fail. There is interest in how it will work and there are reasonable concerns about personal safety. But these are strange times and I may be wrong. I hope you have a safe trip to Pardubice.

[Matt Bridgeman]

Just to clarify, there would appear to temporary restrictions being announced by Matt Hancock tomorrow at 11am, which are likely to mean that in the Council area where the Northumberland Chess Congress is being held, that people won’t be able to meet with people from outside their households from this Friday.

[NickFaulks]

I don't think anybody other than Nick Faulks has described conditions at the Northumberland event as 'disgusting'.

As you know perfectly well, I was referring to the wearing of masks. I consider them insanitary as well as uncomfortable and generally offensive. I realise that chess events held in this country may consider them obligatory, but unfortunately that does preclude my entry. If others don't mind, that's fine with me.

[Mick Norris]

The bottom line is if we are on the same path as Spain and France, probably in 3 weeks time we'll be on 8 to 9,000 cases being recorded a day.

Unlike April and May, when monitoring the weekly total of deaths from all causes, there's nothing special being observed. if that's still the case in two to three weeks time, something is different from earlier in the year.

Here in Bolton, now over 200 per 100,000 population (up in the last week from 437 people to 587), we have 30 Covid cases in hospital, 5 in the high-dependency unit; yesterday there were 1,639 tests yet 100 people have turned up at A&E wanting a test as they haven't been able to book online

Overall, though, I agree the picture is much fewer hospitalisations than you'd expect, and the treatment appears to be keeping more people off ventilators, so we hope to see fewer deaths

[J T Melsom]

Tim Spanton
I hope you also have a good trip to Pardubice. Does it not occur to you that part of the reason people haven't posted is the way that you have conducted the debate? There has been far too much 'chess must go on' and dismissing those who urge caution including criticising their mental health. If you want a better debate then choose your words more carefully. I welcome the efforts of organisers to try and keep chess going even though I don't personally feel able to participate.

[Ian Thompson]

That just leaves Noel's, Harrogate Chess Congress 23-25 Oct.

... but only for those graded no more than 170. Is there really nothing at all for those over 170?

[J T Melsom]

I don't think anybody other than Nick Faulks has described conditions at the Northumberland event as 'disgusting'.

As you know perfectly well, I was referring to the wearing of masks. I consider them insanitary as well as uncomfortable and generally offensive. I realise that chess events held in this country may consider them obligatory, but unfortunately that does preclude my entry. If others don't mind, that's fine with me.

The original post described conditions as disgusting. Most people would have stopped at personally unacceptable. But a certain degree of provocation is your stock in trade.

[Matt Bridgeman]

That just leaves Noel's, Harrogate Chess Congress 23-25 Oct.

... but only for those graded no more than 170. Is there really nothing at all for those over 170?

If there is, Simon will find it!

[Tim Spanton]

Tim Spanton
I hope you also have a good trip to Pardubice. Does it not occur to you that part of the reason people haven't posted is the way that you have conducted the debate? There has been far too much 'chess must go on' and dismissing those who urge caution including criticising their mental health. If you want a better debate then choose your words more carefully. I welcome the efforts of organisers to try and keep chess going even though I don't personally feel able to participate.

Oh for the days when I was on your ignore-by-default list

[J T Melsom]

Oh for the days when I was on your ignore-by-default list

You still are... I do check the posts sometimes in case there is something of value. Still waiting.

[Matt Bridgeman]

Oh for the days when I was on your ignore-by-default list

You still are... I do check the posts sometimes in case there is something of value. Still waiting.

Sick burns!

[NickFaulks]

Sick burns!

A delightful analogy I'm sure, but what point is being made?