Media comments on chess

[Matt Mackenzie]

Another Scot: Peter Doig (1911-1996), Labour MP for Dundee West 1963-1979

Hi Paul,

Indeed he was a player. It was Kevin's claim about Richard Barnett being second only to Bonar Law which prompted my post. I think Alan has a claim to have been the strongest chess playing MP.

Though not sure if he has ever beaten the best player in the world at that time (as Wyvill can fairly claim to have done)

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I am not that familiar with Alan Reid's political or chess career. To help compare with Bonar Law, could the two be compared? (e.g. the relative amount of time devoted to chess or politics and the relative levels they reached - I know it is difficult to compare across eras, but some inferences should be possible.)

[I thought there was a thread somewhere here devoted to chess-playing politicians?]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Reid_(politician)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonar_Law

Firstly, with all due respect to Alan Reid (I hope I have the right one) we can say that Bonar Law 'outshines' him in the political stakes (that isn't really contestable at all). I think it is the chess stakes we have to look at. What games are available for both to assess their relative strength?

Alan Reid's FIDE rating:

https://ratings.fide.com/profile/2400367

Presumably the results that produced a standardplay rating of 2205 were from before 2001. What is the strongest tournament he played in? I am not going to try and dig out results for someone with a widely used name. Hoepfully someone else will know of his chess history and post it here.

Would it be fair to say that if Bonar Law had devoted himself just to chess, he would have been a stronger player? Or are the examples of his play sufficient to say that he would have reached a certain rating in today's chess world?

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Oh, and as mentioned upthread, Marmaduke Wyvill (1815-1896):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmaduke ... ss_player)

So what would be the board order for the team of politicians? (If you expand it outside the UK, you get some titled male and female players cropping up who have been mentioned before.)

[Kevin Thurlow]

"It was Kevin's claim about Richard Barnett being second only to Bonar Law which prompted my post."

That was a quote from the time in question - it is difficult to assess relative abilities at different times

[Neil Graham]

There is a very long piece in the newspaper today (not about chess) but concerning our current monarch King Charles III who is to visit every Coronation Street in the United Kingdom - some 220 in total. The Buckingham Palace spokesperson, one Rapif Lolo, hopes that it will be recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. As our chess club meets at the Coronation Club, I am penning an invitation to invite HRH to include us in his tour. Anyway I need to go as I must finish the letter by midday.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Is this because he and Camilla are fans of Coronation Street? I had never connected the two before. I presume some new streets today will get named in this way as well. Quick, start a new club/organisation and call it Coronation something...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Oh, hang on... (I like the anagram of the spokesperson's name.)

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Neil,

By an odd coincidence this week I've been in contact with the Guinness Book of Records regarding a player at Red Hot Pawn who on the 22 February 2020 made his two millionth move on the site. (their first was in 2005) I sent them the details and they have said they will get back to me in two weeks.

I recall a Coronation Street episode from many years ago when the council were going to change the name of Coronation Street to something else. I forget the reason why. Ena Sharples sorted them. The name of the street stayed the same.

You will get a reply. I received a smashing letter from his secretory saying the then Prince due to other engagements in Edinburgh could not present the trophy and medals to Sandy Bells for winning the league.

[Nick Ivell]

I think the original plan was to call the soap Florizel Street, but that didn't exactly have much of a ring to it.

I imagine quite a few streets were christened Coronation after 1953.

[Mick Norris]

I looked that up Nick, and you are right, that's how it is was written originally

Interesting amount of chess in Corrie

[Stewart Reuben]

Ad for PARSLEY BOX shows two people playing chess. As usual it seemed totally irrelevant. I didn't have time to determine whether the position and moves made sense, But it keeps chess in people's minds.

[Neil Graham]

As regards my post above, I note looking back over the forum that there are also news reports by an Olaf Priol who seems to have written for both The Times and The Guardian in previous years on this date.

[Stewart Reuben]

BE GAMBLING AWARE an ad about gambling and addiction. Chess is shown twice.
I may not have the message exactly correct.
In my opinion, playing chess is NOT gambling even if being played for money. I define gambling as wagering on the result of an activity over which you do not have complete control. If I play Magnus Carlsen, I am going to lose.I have the opportuity to win, but am just not good enough.

[Peter Hornsby]

Newcastle life.png (279.91 KiB) Viewed 1725 times

Newcastle-under-Lyme Chess club featured in the Newcastle Life magazine, this forum gets a mention as well!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Chess might not (normally) count as gambling, but yes it can very much be addictive.