Claims by C.J. de Mooi

[Brian Towers]

At the Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog on 9 September Justin Horton wrote that Amazon's "Look Inside" function showed only four references to chess in C.J. de Mooi's recent autobiography.

A colleague who has the book tells me that those four mentions are indeed the only ones. The book has nothing about C.J. de Mooi's level of chess activity. The English Chess Federation is not mentioned at all; nor are any chess individuals.

A simplistic interpretation would be that chess played an insignificant part in his life.
A more realistic / cynical interpretation would be that chess doesn't sell or is perhaps even a turnoff and so he has chosen to airbrush an important part of his life.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"A more realistic / cynical interpretation would be that chess doesn't sell or is perhaps even a turnoff and so he has chosen to airbrush an important part of his life."

If you mention chess to non-players they immediately glaze over, (even if you tell them about the punch-ups) and he possibly felt that detail was unnecessary, so "turn off" is probably the reason, though I would have thought the Adventure of the T-Shirt was worth a mention. Tossing a bloke in a canal might be more exciting.

[Bill Porter]

If he gets charged with murder that should really help sales of his book.

[Mark Ashley]

"A more realistic / cynical interpretation would be that chess doesn't sell or is perhaps even a turnoff and so he has chosen to airbrush an important part of his life."

If you mention chess to non-players they immediately glaze over, (even if you tell them about the punch-ups) and he possibly felt that detail was unnecessary, so "turn off" is probably the reason, though I would have thought the Adventure of the T-Shirt was worth a mention. Tossing a bloke in a canal might be more exciting.

I would have thought much of his audience for this book will be egg head fans. If thats the case, i wouldnt have thought a short and simple overview of his interest or involvement in chess would be too onerous for the readers to bare.

[NickFaulks]

The English Chess Federation is not mentioned at all

I wonder whether those who elected him as President realised that he would regard the role as so insignificant.

[JustinHorton]

CJ arrested

[Jonathan Bryant]

CJ arrested

Hmmm.

[NickFaulks]

The Standard doesn't mention his senior role in English chess, but the Telegraph does.

"Connagh, a former president of the English Chess Federation, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court."

[Christopher Kreuzer]

"Hmmm", safest not to say any more, or "Hmmm", something else?

(I predict this thread will get locked very soon.)

[JustinHorton]

The Standard doesn't mention his senior role in English chess, but the Telegraph does.

"Connagh, a former president of the English Chess Federation, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court."

This may be because the Telegraph writer plays chess.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Was there not an editor of the book that could have told him to drop that bit? <sigh>

[NickFaulks]

The Standard doesn't mention his senior role in English chess, but the Telegraph does.

"Connagh, a former president of the English Chess Federation, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court."

I phoned them, thinking I might go along, but just got the usual message telling me how important my call was to them.

[Carl Hibbard]

"Hmmm", safest not to say any more, or "Hmmm", something else?

(I predict this thread will get locked very soon.)

It would seem this thread may go south yes.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

It's on the BBC now, it flashed up on the 'breaking news' alert...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37437498

[Roger de Coverly]

It's on the BBC now

Pure speculation, but is his defence going to be that he made it all up to improve the sensation value of his book?