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Origin of a cliche
Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 10:18 pm
by Reg Clucas
I think I've found the origin of that well known sports commentators' cliche "it's a game of chess out there!"
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Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:28 pm
by John Townsend
Ah, yes, Reg, very tempting to sit down and play a game. More outdoors chess would be a good move - in summer, of course. Seriously, I think we all want to see chess played by the wider population again. I recall an outdoor set a few decades ago at the end of Bournemouth pier, and more recently - only about 20 years ago - in a street in Hastings. More strength to their arm!
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 6:19 pm
by Matt Mackenzie
Given the location, must be a good chance our own Mr Chandler has played on that board.
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 6:26 pm
by J T Melsom
Murray (field) Chandler as well perhaps?
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2022 12:33 pm
by Geoff Chandler
I never knew there was one outside Murrayfield but now I do I'll pop along and take a picture of it with my blue and red chess set (Scotland v Wales). Only been to Murrayfield twice, once to watch American football, the Scottish Claymores (boring) and the other time was to see Barcelona beat Hibs 6-0. When I worked at the taxi's I was often given two free tickets for the internationals but gave them away in Sandy Bells for a couple of pints.
I picked up these different coloured chess sets (red,blue, green, yellow, black,white) for £1.00 each. The are really nice chunky and solid, felted and weighted.
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2022 5:23 pm
by Geoff Chandler
I went there today. The board is not in the Murrayfield ground but in a park right next to the stadium.
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2022 1:05 pm
by David York
The table is supplied by Concrete Sports Ltd. It is not going anywhere fast as it weighs 600kg! You can use the supplier's website map to see if there is one near you, but you have to wade through table tennis tables to find them. I have also been warned that it needs updating. For example for three recently installed on Streatham Common are not yet listed - see the Friends of Streatham Common Facebook for some more info (9 December posting)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/streathamcommon/
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2022 2:54 pm
by Geoff Chandler
Hi David.
There are four in Edinburgh (just enter your postcode/town in the link below)
https://concretesports.co.uk/find-a-table/
I'm going to picture bag them all. (watch this space)
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:44 pm
by Geoff Chandler
'Watch This Space." (part 2)
Yesterday I went to the Edinburgh Steiner School. They do not have a chess table, instead they have two concrete ping-pong tables. From the Steiner School I took a bus to Leith Primary School but they have a concrete soccer table. Onto King George V Park only to discover another ping pong table. So my new quest, bagging (a pic of me sitting at the board) all the concrete chess tables in Edinburgh has come to a grinding halt.
All was not lost. Leith has a fair collection of charity shops and amongst other things I picked up yet another brand new copy of Fischer's 60 (algebraic) for £1.99. That is three I've picked up recently. All brand spanking new...where are they coming from?
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2023 4:29 pm
by NickFaulks
Geoff Chandler wrote: ↑Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:44 pm
I picked up yet another brand new copy of Fischer's 60 (algebraic) for £1.99. That is three I've picked up recently.
So far so good, but what is your exit strategy?
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 10:08 pm
by David York
Geoff Chandler wrote: ↑Wed Jan 11, 2023 1:44 pm
'Watch This Space." (part 2)
Yesterday I went to the Edinburgh Steiner School. They do not have a chess table, instead they have two concrete ping-pong tables. From the Steiner School I took a bus to Leith Primary School but they have a concrete soccer table. Onto King George V Park only to discover another ping pong table. So my new quest, bagging (a pic of me sitting at the board) all the concrete chess tables in Edinburgh has come to a grinding halt.
All was not lost. Leith has a fair collection of charity shops and amongst other things I picked up yet another brand new copy of Fischer's 60 (algebraic) for £1.99. That is three I've picked up recently. All brand spanking new...where are they coming from?
Well, I did warn you that you might have to wade through non-chess tables. I made a trip to see the Streatham Common tables (and play social chess in London that weekend) and while I had to wade through mud to get to them, they are quite impressive - plenty of space for clocks etc.
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I'm trying to get public tables in Colchester, hence all the research.
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:23 am
by Geoff Chandler
David York wrote: ↑Thu Jan 26, 2023 10:08 pm
I'm trying to get public tables in Colchester, hence all the research.
Hi David,
I phoned the company using the number on the web site and actually spoke to the man who runs things there. He was very polite and helpful. I was trying to find out where all the chess tables in Scotland are. Good Luck in getting one in Colchester. (I might pop down to bag that one as well. )
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 6:49 pm
by Steven DuCharme
I see a reverse T.A.R.D.I.S. seating only one.
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 1:09 pm
by David York
Geoff Chandler wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 12:23 am
David York wrote: ↑Thu Jan 26, 2023 10:08 pm
I'm trying to get public tables in Colchester, hence all the research.
Hi David,
I phoned the company using the number on the web site and actually spoke to the man who runs things there. He was very polite and helpful. I was trying to find out where all the chess tables in Scotland are. Good Luck in getting one in Colchester. (I might pop down to bag that one as well. )
Geoff
Ten out of ten for persistence! I think we need a map of tables. I have a local one on my ColCHESSter website but so far, only one table (though two boards). I have looked at an open source map
https://priceless.zottelig.ch/ that shows community assets including (under community sports) street chess but found I could not update. Probably more universal is the tagging facility of openstreetmap and you can see the global distribution here
https://taginfo.openstreetmap.org/tags/ ... Dchess#map I think my to-do list might accept a general mapping project but it would be easier with a little help
Re: Origin of a cliche
Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2023 4:16 pm
by Geoff Chandler
Hi David,
The problem with the main sites location map is they do not say if it is a chess table or table tennis/table football. Do not want to go all that way to play ping pong.
My next non-chess quest, after seeing 'Local Hero' on T.V. is the phone box in Pennan, Aberdeenshire. I've checked the bus times tables. I can do Edinburgh-Aberdeen-Pennan and back again in a day on my bus pass. (and I'll post myself a letter at the wee box next to the phone.) I'll take a picture of a chess set as well if that table is still next to the phone booth.
