Media comments on chess

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Tue Oct 31, 2017 6:08 pm

Stewart Reuben wrote:
Tue Oct 31, 2017 4:09 pm
Geoff Chandler >what gets me is books, T.V. programmes and films calling Rooks, Castles.

So, I presume you use the term 'rooking' when making that rather odd move with the king and rook?
Even the staff in the ECF Office ddn't know why it is called a 'rook'.
Its from the Persian for chariot (rukh) - I thought that was fairly accepted and well known?
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:05 pm

Hi Stewart,

I don't even mind when they call a Knight the horse (usually a joke)
but saying a Rook is a Castle just bugs me.

'The Trap'. Best book I've read for a while so I've forgiven 'castles.'

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John Clarke
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by John Clarke » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:49 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:15 am
No clocks, No score sheet.
There is a clock, I think. Not easy to make out, but I seem to see a vague rectangular blur. not much darker than the background, where a clock ought to be.
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)

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John Clarke
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by John Clarke » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:55 pm

Stewart Reuben wrote:
Tue Oct 31, 2017 4:09 pm
Geoff Chandler >what gets me is books, T.V. programmes and films calling Rooks, Castles.

So, I presume you use the term 'rooking' when making that rather odd move with the king and rook?
David Pritchard made that suggestion in his humorous piece "A Match At The Club". Broadcast c1961 on the BBC's chess radio programme and reprinted in Chess Treasury Of The Air.
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)

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John Clarke
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by John Clarke » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:59 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:19 am
I'm reading an excellent book at the moment, 'The Trap' by Melanie Raabe.
A few references to chess and that has 'Knights, Bishops and Castles'.
Anthony Buckeridge committed the same sin in Jennings Follows A Clue. Someone's chess set is knocked off his head (don't ask) and " .... castles, knights and bishops flew in all directions".
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)

Richard James
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Richard James » Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:29 pm

John Clarke wrote:
Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:59 pm
Anthony Buckeridge committed the same sin in Jennings Follows A Clue. Someone's chess set is knocked off his head (don't ask) and " .... castles, knights and bishops flew in all directions".
Good to meet another Jennings fan. My favourite books as a boy.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Nov 01, 2017 12:19 pm

Hi John,

I think you are correct, there is a clock. My bad.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Nov 01, 2017 5:46 pm

In this film....

Image

...there is a picture of Paul Morphy on the wall.

https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/l ... ogpost.372

Reg Clucas
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Reg Clucas » Wed Nov 01, 2017 9:53 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Wed Nov 01, 2017 5:46 pm

...there is a picture of Paul Morphy on the wall.

https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/l ... ogpost.372
And at first glance one might think that the guy seated at the fireplace is Kasparov. (And the one standing is Richie Benaud).

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John Clarke
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by John Clarke » Thu Nov 02, 2017 3:40 am

Richard James wrote:
Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:29 pm
Good to meet another Jennings fan. My favourite books as a boy.
Good on ya, Richard. I still find some of them laugh-out-loud funny (including Clue). Actually I'm a double Jennings fan - both the fictional schoolboy, and the Oddly books by Paul Jennings. (OK Carl - there won't be any more off-topic stuff from me ....)
"The chess-board is the world ..... the player on the other side is hidden from us ..... he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance."
(He doesn't let you resign and start again, either.)

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Geoff Chandler » Thu Nov 02, 2017 10:08 am

Hi John,

You are on topic, Paul Jennings is the chairman of the River Chess Association.

http://www.riverchessassociation.co.uk/ ... tives.html

Mike Gunn
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Mike Gunn » Thu Nov 02, 2017 10:41 am

On the 10pm BBC news last night either the newsreader or the political correspondent (Laura K) said (commenting on the resignation of the Defence Secretary): " ... with the removal of this single chess piece from the board Theresa May's entire position could collapse".

Stewart Reuben
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Stewart Reuben » Thu Nov 02, 2017 1:46 pm

Matt >Its from the Persian for chariot (rukh) - I thought that was fairly accepted and well known?<

I have little doubt that most readers here knew that. The point I was making is that many people do not.
In the Jennibgs book, to use the term 'castle' may be correct in the social context of a school for pre-teenagers who do not have a deep chess education.

Mick Norris
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Mick Norris » Wed Nov 08, 2017 11:37 am

Pirlo as if Deep Blue had tired of chess :lol:
Any postings on here represent my personal views

Matt Fletcher
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Re: Media comments on chess

Post by Matt Fletcher » Fri Nov 17, 2017 10:21 pm

An odd tale in the Wall Street Journal and some seriously silly reporting - wasn't sure if it deserved its own thread:

"Obsessive learner" spends a month learning chess, develops an algorithm, takes on Magnus Carlsen. Can the novice beat the World Champion?
WSJ wrote:After eight moves, using his own limited chess ability, the unthinkable was occurring: Max was winning.
Here's the first few moves to judge for yourselves...



And White lost in 39 moves. But the novice is undeterred:
Max Deutsch wrote:I’d estimate that it would take between 200–500 hours to become a human chess computer capable of defeating the world champion.
Anyone willing to take bets on when Magnus next plays him?