English Chess Forum

On BBC Breakfast sport, Mike Bushell did a short article on chessboxing this morning. He said that he used to play chess for his county. Does anyone have any idea how good he was and which county he played for?

Is this Mike who use to play for Henley on Thames?

If so I know him

when i drew with him, he was 186 and i was 92

In maidenhead V henley , along time ago.

Is this the same person? The name is spelt differently.

David

They're definitely two different persons.

Mike Bushill joined Hammersmith Chess Club the same season as me and left a few years later when he got married and moved to Oxfordshire.

Hands up anyone who thinks BBCs Mike Bushell was born in 1951?

Bob Clark wrote:The report itself was quite interesting.
He began by saying that chess was being revitalised by this link with boxing!!
and ended by saying that there were many good boxers who played chess, but now good chess players were training to become boxers.

... and he provided all sorts of evidence to support these two statements no doubt.

News Organisation in Spouting Sh*te Shocker. Who'd have thought it?

Bob Clark wrote:The report itself was quite interesting.
He began by saying that chess was being revitalised by this link with boxing!!
and ended by saying that there were many good boxers who played chess, but now good chess players were training to become boxers.
Anyone know who these good players are?

Damn, I missed this. It's a bit late to ask, but does anybody know exactly what he said? Mr Bushell has a BBC email address so I'm proposing to ask him if he can name any names...

(Note: he doesn't say this here at all, but the report is possibly incomplete.)

Well, I've received a reply from Mr Bushell and he does indeed seem to think that there are chessplayers who are training as boxers in order to compete.

OK, I've received some replies and we have:

a) Caius Turner. Does anybody know whether he is actually involved and how heavily?

b) Lorin D'Costa has apparently promised to come along and try it, something I may ask him about.

c) Iwan Lont (Dutch, no apparent rating ).

d) Rajko Vujatovic, rated 2222, but who although a member of the chessboxing club hasn't actually fought and by his own account may not do so.

Matt "Crazy Arms" Read, who is about 130 and only plays 1.b4 fought in the last Chess Boxing night in London. And won.