English Chess Forum

Daily Telegraph 7 December 2012
Article page 28 by Fraser Nelson.
'Osborne often behaves as if he is playing a game of chess with Ed Balls rather than trying to save a country.'
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George is, of course a chessplayer. If only most politicians just played chess rather than meddling.

I suggest other people add to this string as, and when, they observe a mention.

This morning on Test Match Special, Boycott said the current Test match was like a game of chess. He said preserving your wicket was like guarding your king.

Unfortunately I can't remember the exact words he used.

On Radio Tircoed this morning, Danny King likened the LCC commentary to Test Match Special. Perhaps we should exchange him for Geoff Boycott.

Ian Kingston wrote:On Radio Tircoed this morning, Danny King likened the LCC commentary to Test Match Special. Perhaps we should exchange him for Geoff Boycott.

Isn't Geoff Boycott from Yorkshire - if so is he an ECF member? (with not many apologies to SG who no doubt will feature this in his blog with the usual photograph)

While we are on the subject of cricket/chess analogies - I heard an amusing arguement in favour of adjournments saying that they were "like a cricket test match, where the game is played without pressure to the best of the players abilities" but I could resist pointing out that, with the ability to access computers, it is more like a test match where the players eat steroids for tea and come back 10 times stronger and faster then they were when they started the game.

He said you have to protect your King and your most valuable piece your Queen before you launch a attack on your opponent.

18.20 Sunday 9th Dec Skysports 2
"American football is like a very violent game of chess"

Not quite 'on topic'. But topical nevertheless.

Sir Patrick Moore (RIP) passes a happy hour or two with Carl Portman (ECF, 170)

Times 12 December 2013 Page 22.

GAME THAT OCCUPIED CHARLES 1 ON HIS WAY TO HIS DEATH

London. A chessboard that may have been carried by Charles 1 to the scaffold has been sold for £500,000. The king, a chess enthusiast, is believed to have been engrossed in a game on 30 January 1649, when a messenger arrived to tell him that he was to be executed. He took two precious possessions with him to the scaffold, a Bible and an amber games board - thought to the the one sold at Sotheby's to a private collector.
The board is illustrated in the story and can also be used to play backgammon and nine men's morris.

http://www.chesscafe.com/video/video425.htm

Not to be missed if promoting the game

Jon Stewart made some chess-related comments on the January 10 edition of The Daily Show. Opening with a gag about his guest, a bishop, only being able to move diagonally, he then made various comparisons to chess in a piece about the Senate's debate on the 'fiscal cliff'. At one point he described a part of the discussion as a 'classic Sokolsky Opening' - definitely a step up from the usual 'stalemate' or 'checkmate' reference.

Ian Kingston wrote:.... definitely a step up from the usual 'stalemate' or 'checkmate' reference.

Another media favourite when reporting on a debate is to describe a speaker's first statement as their 'opening gambit'.

It very quickly becomes apparent that they have absolutely no idea what a 'gambit' is!

Today, horse racing, 2.45 3 mile Chase at Ludlow - "looks like they're having a game of chess .... !!!".

Peter Turner wrote:Today, horse racing, 2.45 3 mile Chase at Ludlow - "looks like they're having a game of chess .... !!!".

Were the horses perhaps taking two steps forward and then one to the side?

Stewart Reuben wrote:y.'
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George is, of course a chessplayer. If only most politicians just played chess rather than meddling.

Could one not say the same for ECF officials?

Not me of course, I wouldn't dream of saying such a thing.