Arkell's Odyssey

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Peter D Williams » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:38 pm

Paul Cooksey says-I bought it at the weekend. The text is interesting - Keith has led an unusual life and is very candid about it. I haven't looked at any of the chess in detail yet.

I buy almost all chess auto-biographies and games collections by professional players as a very minor form of sponsorship. But my first look at this book is promising, I might comment further when I have had time to play through some of the notes.Paul Cooksey end quote.

Loads of 180 plus players have lots of draws.

I would be interested to know what drives your comment "Keith has led an unusual life"?
Keith plays the Caro Kann Defense as did Mikhail Moiseevich Botvinnik.(game 3 of the Smyslov v Botvinnik Match is very interesting) but no disrespect to Keith I do not think he is in the same league as Botvinnik what do you think?

I have collected a number of first editions of chess books for many years and keep them under under lock and key in case Carol finds out the value of them :lol: I also have a number of auto-biographies and I recommend the games of Radolf Charousek I am rather lucky in that I have a first edition copy of his games.Radolf died only age 26 - a real loss to the chess world!
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Peter D Williams » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:53 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Peter D Williams wrote:I would be interested to know what drives your comment "Keith has led an unusual life"?
I recently read the book Arkell's Odyssey. Apologies if this was unclear.
Perhaps you could enlighten us all without us having to buy the book
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

Andrew Bak
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Andrew Bak » Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:02 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Peter D Williams wrote:Perhaps you could enlighten us all without us having to buy the book
I could.
Keith could also republish the contents of his book on here so cheapskates don't have to buy it :lol:

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Peter D Williams » Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:51 pm

Andrew Bak wrote:
Paul Cooksey wrote:
Peter D Williams wrote:Perhaps you could enlighten us all without us having to buy the book
I could.
Keith could also republish the contents of his book on here so cheapskates don't have to buy it :lol:
If you expect me to find that funny I don't
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:57 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:I recently read the book Arkell's Odyssey. Apologies if this was unclear.
Given the latest rant/exposure on the Streatham blog, I did wonder who was the publisher. Keverel rather than Hardinge-Simpole, but the London Chess Centre have it in stock and advertise it.

Barry Sandercock
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Barry Sandercock » Tue Sep 18, 2012 10:27 am

I bought a signed copy of Keith Arkell's new book at Paignton and consider it the best and most interesting chess book I've read in a good many years. I thoroughly recommend it .

Sean Hewitt
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Sean Hewitt » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:29 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Peter D Williams wrote:I would be interested to know what drives your comment "Keith has led an unusual life"?
I recently read the book Arkell's Odyssey. Apologies if this was unclear.
You bought the book, you read the book and only then did you comment? Honestly. :roll:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Mick Norris
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Mick Norris » Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:07 pm

Bob Clark wrote:Well Amazon are selling the book, I wonder when the kindle version will be available.

No idea about kindle - I bought the book through Amazon, arrived today with a free copy of September's edition of Chess magazine
Any postings on here represent my personal views

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Peter D Williams » Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:39 pm

Sean Hewitt wrote:
Paul Cooksey wrote:
Peter D Williams wrote:I would be interested to know what drives your comment "Keith has led an unusual life"?
I recently read the book Arkell's Odyssey. Apologies if this was unclear.
You bought the book, you read the book and only then did you comment? Honestly. :roll:

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Cant you do a better comment than that? that is a poor effort. No gold star for you today still you can always try again on here.
get over it :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

on to the serious subject are you saying you can only comment about Keith and his so called unusual life if you buy his book?
Now back to the garden this late summer is really nice my pepper plant is still growing good tip if you grow pepper plants is make sure you spray them with water on the leaves.
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:13 pm

Peter D Williams wrote: on to the serious subject are you saying you can only comment about Keith and his so called unusual life if you buy his book?
No, I think Sean suggested that you should only comment on Keith's life as portrayed by the book if you have read the book.

Richard Bates
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Richard Bates » Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:36 pm

He's been a professional chess player, mainly on the UK weekend circuit, for over 30 years and has managed to make a living out of it. How much more unusual do you want?

Jonathan Bryant
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Jonathan Bryant » Tue Sep 18, 2012 7:51 pm

Peter D Williams wrote: Perhaps you could enlighten us all without us having to buy the book
With a modicum of effort you could find a three-part interview with Keith kicking around on some chess blog somewhere. Whether it would answer your questions I don't know, but there is a rather saucy section on KRB v KR.

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Peter D Williams
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Peter D Williams » Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:17 am

Jonathan Bryant wrote:
Peter D Williams wrote: Perhaps you could enlighten us all without us having to buy the book
With a modicum of effort you could find a three-part interview with Keith kicking around on some chess blog somewhere. Whether it would answer your questions I don't know, but there is a rather saucy section on KRB v KR.
I do better than that when i next see Keith next i ask him! I do remember talking to him at Wellington college about chess and his life.He may persuade me to buy his book but only if he signs it!

I am not interested in KRB v KR my games are over long before then :lol:

Now back to the greenhouse my cucumber plant is still producing cucumbers its been a good year for them.Again one should spray the leaves with water this appears to help them fruit more.
when you are successful many losers bark at you.

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Carl Hibbard
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Carl Hibbard » Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:59 am

Ordered a copy from here on holiday!
Cheers
Carl Hibbard

Kevin Williamson
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Re: Arkell's Odyssey

Post by Kevin Williamson » Wed Sep 19, 2012 1:11 pm

Carl Hibbard wrote:Ordered a copy from here on holiday!
....and I've ordered one to take on holiday.
Sounds like a good read.