Media comments on chess

[JustinHorton]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/a ... -surprises

Slightly obscure to cite a regular chess column in this thread....

[Phil Neatherway]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28736058

[John Upham]

http://westnottinghamchess.org/club-new ... gress.html

[John Upham]

http://www.kingpinchess.net/2014/08/bre ... in-norway/

[Ihor Lewyk]

Radio 4 this morning on the today programme.
Apparently the Eagle sisters, Angela and Maria, both MPs were on the today programme being interviewed about chess. It sounds as if they were complimentary about chess and claim that one of them was misquoted earlier in the week. Although chess is very much male dominated they don't think it is sexist.
I was told this by a work colleague who heard the interview and thought I would be interested.
Anyway I will try to find the interview on bbc i-player later this evening. Can anyone shed any more on this.
I also think I need to invite the ladies to attend the Bradford Chesstival in September.

[Roger de Coverly]

Anyway I will try to find the interview on bbc i-player later this evening.

It's been mentioned on twitter under "marktwic" or "telegraphchess". It may have been right at the end of the Today program if the timing of the twitter material is to be trusted and also features the announcement of an all party "chess" group. So that's presumably the Eagles, Rachel Reeves, the one who hosted Malcolm's junior team event and others.

The hook is presumably the announcement in "The Times" of the retirement of Judit Polgar from top class play.

[Mike Gunn]

I heard this. Malcoln Pein was interviewed along with Angela Eagle. A parliamentary group for chess is being set up to promote chess. Points made included: the UK is out of line with other countries in not recognising chess as a sport; chess teaches you thinking skills which are useful in other areas of life, including politics; chess doesn't necessarily teach you social skills/ how to get on with other people.

[Jonathan Bryant]

... chess doesn't necessarily teach you social skills/ how to get on with other people.

A lot of what chess does or doesn’t teach you depends on how it is taught, I suspect.

As for MPs on the chessgroup, I don’t know but I would imagine Tower Hamlets MP Rushanara Ali could be involved.

I am delighted to see young people building important skills through playing chess. I was delighted to attend Bonner school in my constituency and see the children learn how to play chess as part of their enrichment activities. It was fantastic to see young people develop their skills.

The Rt Hon Rushanara Ali MP, Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow

http://www.chessinschools.co.uk/project ... amlets.htm

[Mike Gunn]

" chess doesn't necessarily teach you social skills/ how to get on with other people" emerged from the discussion rather than being a point injected by Malcolm/ Angela. Arguably respect for one's opponent and appropriate behaviour (how to handle both defeat and victory in a pleasant manner) are an important part of the game and should be passed on to younger players. I have witnessed only a small number of cases of bad behaviour over the years.

[Lewis Martin]

" chess doesn't necessarily teach you social skills/ how to get on with other people"

In that regard, neither does football, which you could argue is a bad example for "social skills/how to get on with other people" at youth matches with regards to 'vocal' parents shall we say. It is one of the things we are well known for in English football. Do I need to mention referee abuse and the "hooliganism" at matches?

There may be a few 'characters', but in my experience parents in general are very supportive of their children with regards to chess.

I rarely come across a difficult player with regards to social skills in chess compared to life in general particularly, in my example, if someone had not seen a deaf person before.

\edit

At least when I played football when I was younger, although generally you had respect for your opposite team, there have been cases of fights, arguments and even tantrums. Just going to a football match can be quite abusive. I don't attend many matches, but once, Swindon managed to get to the league play-off final at Wembley to go to the Championship. I went there with my dad, and as we got off the train, we walked towards the stadium, with a few other Swindon fans who had come the same way.

Apologies to the moderators:
There were hordes of Millwall fans shouting at us, swearing: "F*** off back to Swindon" and "Haha, your team is s***" and these were generally from middle-aged, fat, half-drunk, balding men with a pint in their hand, before the match even started. I'd hate to imagine if it was West Ham...

The police presence at matches that should be celebrated give you the idea of what it is like.

Yes, social skills alright! I am trying to imagine the likes of this happening in the 4NCL Division 1.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

I heard this. Malcoln Pein was interviewed along with Angela Eagle. A parliamentary group for chess is being set up to promote chess. Points made included: the UK is out of line with other countries in not recognising chess as a sport; chess teaches you thinking skills which are useful in other areas of life, including politics; chess doesn't necessarily teach you social skills/ how to get on with other people.

Maria, not Angela, Eagle. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04d4nk6 right at end of recording, starts at about 2 hrs 54 secs. Link good for next seven days. Yasmin Qureshi MP will chair the new All Party Group.

[Jonathan Bryant]

" chess doesn't necessarily teach you social skills/ how to get on with other people" emerged from the discussion rather than being a point injected by Malcolm/ Angela. Arguably respect for one's opponent and appropriate behaviour (how to handle both defeat and victory in a pleasant manner) are an important part of the game and should be passed on to younger players. I have witnessed only a small number of cases of bad behaviour over the years.

Totally agree. I can think of just three particularly poor reactions from chessers losing to me over 25+ years. That they stand out in the memory demonstrates how rare they are. Low-level dickery is perhaps more common, though still not the norm.


For the youngest newcomers to the game, simply learning to wait to take you turn is quite a step forward.

[Paolo Casaschi]

Points made included: the UK is out of line with other countries in not recognising chess as a sport;

Good to hear that not everybody has given up on this one.

[John Upham]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28804881

[Jonathan Bryant]

Chess in the mainstream media? Careful what you wish for.

"While the causes of the two men's deaths are still unknown, they will raise questions about the mental and physical stress that tournaments place on players."


http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/a ... iad-norway