Media comments on chess

[Geoff Chandler]

CHESS August 1985 showing how PUNCH viewed the end of the Moscow Marathon.


(I enlarged the caption to make it easier to read.)

[Matt Mackenzie]

Which merely shows how silly it is to compare tennis to chess, really.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Matt,

I agree there is no comparison between the two sports. However CHESS magazine also mentions just before the cartoon:

'Kapsarov's desperate resistance after falling 5-0 behind has been compared to defending a match point at tennis for 2½ months.'

But it does not say who made the comparison, it is more of joke (and it's not too bad) than a genuine claim.

[Simon Rogers]

Last night final of Celebrity University Challenge on BBC2.
There was a Chess Question involving Phiona Mutesi

The answer was Queen of Katwe.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Hi Matt,

I agree there is no comparison between the two sports. However CHESS magazine also mentions just before the cartoon:

'Kapsarov's desperate resistance after falling 5-0 behind has been compared to defending a match point at tennis for 2½ months.'

But it does not say who made the comparison, it is more of joke (and it's not too bad) than a genuine claim.

I recall that and a few other similar claims.

Generally the coverage by the Western chess press of the whole business was both highly simplistic and more than a little biased.

(of course, a certain person with the initials RDK played a major role in this)

[JustinHorton]

Although, you know, in the absence of coherent explanation, speculation is always likely to fill the gap to some extent.

I was reflecting not long ago that we're never really likely to know the truth of what happened given that Campomanes is dead. Unless there's correspondence somewhere that would establish the truth, and for some reason we haven't seen it yet.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Justin,

We do not want the truth, murky and grey areas give free rein to the imagination.

The three K's Karpov, Kasparov and Keene agreed to draw the match beforehand so the rematch could be staged in London.
Karpov for a jolly good laugh, took a 5-0 lead against Kasparov's (who thought every games was meant to be a draw) insipid play.
(Fischer claimed all these game were rigged but left out Karpov's amazing sense of humour.)

[Stewart Reuben]

Geoff, there is small fly in your ointment.
The rematch was not staged in London. That in 1986 was the match AFTER Kasparov had beaten Karpov. Moreover we only had half the 1986 match; we shared it with Leningrad.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Stewart,

I know that bit about London and Leningrad, but it was all my script writers had to get RDK involved in the wee 3 K's gag.

Script Writers?

Of course, Roger D, J.R. and MJM. They PM me all the time with an endless supply of jokes.
I've nick-named them the 'Terrible Trio' and they sometimes get paid £1.00 per punch line.

J.R. (Jackie Rudd) sent me this earlier today. It's a freebie.

Q. Why does a chess player keep an empty milk bottle in their fridge?
A. Just in case someone likes black coffee!

(I have a fridge magnet, so far it has attracted 5 fridges...I have just paid myself £1.00)

[JustinHorton]

The TCM channel here is running a season called Midnight Madness in whichon a Friday night the director Nacho Vigalondo does an interview and discusses a film which they then show, you know the sort of thing. Anyway here's the trailer for the series.

[Simon Rogers]

Tonight's episode of Beat the Chasers on ITV, 9pm to 10pm.
A contestant called Zeus, for £2000, was asked the following question:
" In 2019, Fallon Sherrock became the first woman to beat a man at the World Championships of which Sport?"
A Darts
B Snooker
C Chess
He answered correctly:
A Darts.

[Roland Kensdale]

University Challenge Xmas 2020 series episode 4. No-one could identify the word in chess for the the same piece attacking 2 or more enemy pieces at once.

[NickFaulks]

University Challenge Xmas 2020 series episode 4. No-one could identify the word in chess for the the same piece attacking 2 or more enemy pieces at once.

No Oxbridge representation I hope.

[Simon Rogers]

During tonight's episode of Beat the Chasers, there was a trailer for a new series called:
The Chasers' Road Trip: Trains, Brains and Automobiles.
3 part, one episode features UK ' Child Geniuses against Mark Labbatt (The Beast).
There was a clip featuring Mark playing a game of Chess against one of them.
The series starts on ITV Thursday 21st January 9pm until 10pm.

[Wadih Khoury]

Article on adult beginners in the Guardian, heavily focused on chess:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... r-for-life