(Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
NickFaulks
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by NickFaulks » Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:59 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:25 pm
JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:12 pm
Never heard a note of theirs to my knowledge
I am a bit of a fan, there are certainly worse things you could do.
Justin is too young, I'm afraid. My children are young enough to regard VDGG as "retro".

Also, it has just occurred to me that Peter Hammill's first solo album, which I owned, was entitled "Fool's Mate".
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.

Nick Grey
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Nick Grey » Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:38 pm

I wonder why. EHOs are part of Local Authority. Most children think mingling is what parents do.

Ms Patel I think the word is mangling or minging.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Tue Sep 15, 2020 8:04 pm

NickFaulks wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:59 pm
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:25 pm
JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:12 pm
Never heard a note of theirs to my knowledge
I am a bit of a fan, there are certainly worse things you could do.
Justin is too young, I'm afraid. My children are young enough to regard VDGG as "retro".

Also, it has just occurred to me that Peter Hammill's first solo album, which I owned, was entitled "Fool's Mate".
Justin is a year or two older than me, I think :)

Of course, a few years after "Fools Mate" there was "Pawn Hearts" - has Hammill ever talked about chess in interviews etc?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Simon Rogers
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Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2020 4:30 pm

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Simon Rogers » Tue Sep 15, 2020 8:15 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 8:04 pm
NickFaulks wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:59 pm
Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 6:25 pm

I am a bit of a fan, there are certainly worse things you could do.
Justin is too young, I'm afraid. My children are young enough to regard VDGG as "retro".

Also, it has just occurred to me that Peter Hammill's first solo album, which I owned, was entitled "Fool's Mate".
Justin is a year or two older than me, I think :)

Of course, a few years after "Fools Mate" there was "Pawn Hearts" - has Hammill ever talked about chess in interviews etc?
I didn't realise you and Justin were both under thirty years old.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Roger de Coverly » Tue Sep 15, 2020 8:34 pm

Returning to the subject of club evenings, I was giving some thoughts to internal club competitions.

These are what I came up with.

Attendance is limited to six, but not the same six every meeting,
Meetings less frequently than weekly
Players have to pre-announce their intention to attend, first come first served up to a point.
Play is as usual for three hour sessions, 80 minutes with 10 second increments.
If there were, say, seven sessions, winner is whoever scores the most points over the seven rounds.
When the six attendees are known, pair them using colour alternation, haven't played before and top down by rating. Current score not generally taken into account.

If the rule of six, no mingling, is set aside during the duration of the competition it's scalable to more players.

For those who want to play on-line, there's plenty of Blitz and rapid out there.

It's a benchmark that Hastings has been postponed or cancelled, I would expect tournaments normally scheduled each year in January and February to follow suit. Will normal life resume in March 2021? It's difficult to be optimistic.

J T Melsom
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by J T Melsom » Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:10 pm

Sadly I think the rule of six makes it well nigh impossible to cover the hire charges for the venue. Our club event in recent years has had more participants than there are members of half the Bucks clubs. We could hold half the fixtures in alternate weeks but I think my treasurer would say it was difficult to make the economics work. If the rule of six doesn't apply I think that those larger venues should be used for something more ambitious.
The county individual could be played at the largest venues. [ Remember not only will some club premises be difficult to open in a 'secure' way, but some officers may be reluctant to run their clubs - so it is important that those that can make an effort to host chess beyond the immediate membership]

John Sellen
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Joined: Thu May 07, 2020 4:30 pm

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by John Sellen » Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:12 pm

Fareham now cancelled

Matt Bridgeman
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Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 9:21 pm

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:41 pm

John Sellen wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 9:12 pm
Fareham now cancelled
Do just the Northumberland Chess Congress 25-27 Sept, and the Harrogate Chess Congress 23-25 Oct remain in England? Quite a big contrast in Covid approaches thus far. Northumberland has a multi-page Covid plan, signed off by the local council. Noel seems to be so far relying on 7 words - 'Please bring your own personal protection equipment.'

Simon Rogers
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Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Simon Rogers » Wed Sep 16, 2020 8:49 am

John Sellen wrote:
Tue Sep 15, 2020 3:22 pm
Its not all bad news though
The incessant posts on this topic , along the lines of :

Now 5 entries in the Minor !
A 179 from Peckham ! has entered the Open !
An obscure Australian congress has been postponed !

Seem to have stopped
I've looked at the list of entrants for Northumberland and Fareham.
In the Fareham Congress there is no one with a 179 grade from Peckham.
The Northumberland Congress Open Section has a 179 grade, but the person is from Coulsdon CF.

Matthew Turner
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Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:54 am

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matthew Turner » Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:01 am

This would seem to be relevant for the Northumberland Congress

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-51176409
(I don't understand the bizarre web address)

Seems the BBC believes there is no (legal) reason for the event not to go ahead

Mick Norris
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Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:12 am
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Mick Norris » Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:47 am

The bingo club answer is interesting
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Matt Bridgeman
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Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 9:21 pm

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:51 am

Bingo is a different game through. I'd imagine if the rules there involved sitting opposite a stranger and handing the dabber back and forth every turn the risk would be higher.

Matthew Turner
Posts: 3600
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 11:54 am

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matthew Turner » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:00 am

Mick Norris wrote:
Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:47 am
The bingo club answer is interesting
Agreed, I wondered whether it was insurance considerations that would kill off these sort of events rather than legal considerations per se.

Chris Rice
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Chris Rice » Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:46 am

Bundesliga is back in Karlsruhe and the Chess 24 show starts at 1pm today. The two top players are Caruana and Aronian and the plexiglass is in place:

Image

Matt Bridgeman
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Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 9:21 pm

Re: (Chess) Life Returning To Normal

Post by Matt Bridgeman » Wed Sep 16, 2020 12:23 pm

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. I don't think people at that point will be thinking so much about a return to over the board chess.