An Open Letter To Steve Giddins

[PeterTurland]

But if you did not attend Eton, it is automatic that you are talking crap.

[AustinElliott]

But if you did not attend Eton, it is automatic that you are talking crap.

...whereas if you attended Eton you will be talking erudite and polished crap.

[John Upham]

I hope that Steve will continue his blog focusing on the materials and subjects he does best. Despite being a target ("camera wielding oaf") I rate SGs writing highly and have missed his contributions to BCM. I travelled to Sunningdale (during a 4NCL weekend) to meet Steve when I first became involved with BCM and enjoyed that evening thoroughly.

I recently attended the BCPS event at Eton College and enjoyed the exposure to the unfamiliar (for myself, at least) world of chess problems and composing but once again we did not speak although we probably both spoke to many of those gathered. I bear no malice over the comments made and hope a line can be drawn. Life is too short and the chess world too small...

[AustinElliott]

Cutting through the waffle if Steve Giddins is reading this I'll happily say that - in the main - I enjoyed your blog and will miss future installments.

Me too. I only looked in occasionally, but his "on topic" blog posts (for want of a better phrase) were excellent. Which is not to say I will miss the "other" posts he made (the humour was at times funny, but often crossed a line, as he seems to have realised).

Yes, what Andrew said in his earlier post (brief excerpt above). I have enjoyed reading Steve G's blog, including some of the (less personally directed and hurtful) satirical stuff.

Anyway, I shall miss the blog if it goes dark.

[Carl Hibbard]

He needs to keep going despite the old mother jibes

[Ernie Lazenby]

I think we humans are all flawed one way or another, non more so than me. I have been a regular recipient of Steves acerbic pen for reasons that were never clear to me however during the periods when I was quite well and thinking clearly I brushed his comments off; on other occasions I have taken them to heart and it added to my problem. He could be very hurtfull. I always found it difficult to understand why he attacked me so much given we have never met.
The other side is I have found his comments that related entirely to our game to be very interesting and well presented. He has a talent in that respect many of us dont have.

I think he should continue with his chess blog whilst refraining from all the personal and hurtfull stuff.

His public apology has to be repected equally has the undertone of his comments which clearly indicate remorse for his behaviour.

[IanDavis]

.

[Roger de Coverly]

The other side is I have found his comments that related entirely to our game to be very interesting and well presented. He has a talent in that respect many of us dont have.

The problem is that by mocking this forum he is asserting that issues should not be highlighted and debated and that those attempting to do so should be silenced. A case in point is FIDE Licensing of players. There's a cartoon in the March 2013 "Chess" by "BackRankTristan" which lampoons FIDE's idea of a chess licence. It struck me that was rather hanging in the air if you only read "official" media, since the magazine itself, the ECF website and ChessMoves had not mentioned the proposal. It would have been an ideal topic for the blog writer, but he was silent as well.

[Roger de Coverly]

Phil, if this source things YOU are that.........

I thought Phil had retired from playing in the 4NCL. He's not listed in the Anarchy squad for the current season and his ECF grading record shows that he last played a weekend over a year ago.

[Ernie Lazenby]

The other side is I have found his comments that related entirely to our game to be very interesting and well presented. He has a talent in that respect many of us dont have.

The problem is that by mocking this forum he is asserting that issues should not be highlighted and debated and that those attempting to do so should be silenced. A case in point is FIDE Licensing of players. There's a cartoon in the March 2013 "Chess" by "BackRankTristan" which lampoons FIDE's idea of a chess licence. It struck me that was rather hanging in the air if you only read "official" media, since the magazine itself, the ECF website and ChessMoves had not mentioned the proposal. It would have been an ideal topic for the blog writer, but he was silent as well.

Roger whatever the reasons for Steves apology, and we can perhaps speculate on them, I think of a line from one of my favourite films; I think it goes like this- Lord forgiveth the man who comes to his understanding.

I have reasons for saying life is to short and I am not going to spoil it by continued battles over matters which really are not that important in the general scheme of things. Peraps its not a good idea to rake up what has past- its gone we cannot change it. Holding grudges and having lingering bad feelings about someone really is energy wasted.

[Andrew Zigmond]

I must admit I'm itching to know what Steve Giddins makes of this thread and some of the individuals who are expressing regret that his blogging days may be over. I've said before that I found some of his comments about people he clearly hasn't met unnecessarily personal (there's at least one example of somebody who I know comes over much better in the flesh than he does on this forum) and perhaps he's realised that.

However for me his best articles were the ones where he cut to the heart of the issues holding back English chess - which include the bickering and infighting on forums like this and I would love such articles to continue. Perhaps (just a thought) he could be persuaded to write a monthly overview of developments and reactions in the English chess scene for one of the major publications where any major objections or `setting the record straight` could be raised through letters to the editor.

[Tristan Clayton]

The problem is that by mocking this forum he is asserting that issues should not be highlighted and debated and that those attempting to do so should be silenced. A case in point is FIDE Licensing of players. There's a cartoon in the March 2013 "Chess" by "BackRankTristan" which lampoons FIDE's idea of a chess licence. It struck me that was rather hanging in the air if you only read "official" media, since the magazine itself, the ECF website and ChessMoves had not mentioned the proposal. It would have been an ideal topic for the blog writer, but he was silent as well.

Without wishing to derail this thread, I had a lot of fun with this month's cartoon, and am curious at the lack of 'official' comment on the topic of player licensing. Maybe FIDE's change of mind, though not exactly quick, limited this? Whatever the reason, we probably don't have long to wait before their next clever idea.

Back on topic, I will miss Steve Giddins' blog if we have seen his last posting. Like others, I found it interesting and entertaining - one of the few blogs I have bookmarked - though I can see that some of his writing divides opinion.

[Paul Buswell]

I think Steve Giddins' blog was fatally flawed by his occasional vicious attacks on individuals. His apology to Phil Makepeace was a handsome one but I would not welcome the return of his blog: I think he has made the right decision.

PB