WORLD CUP!!!

[Eoin Devane]

I have split the section off - please highlight to me anything that now belongs in the "Not Chess" section - even older threads please

Good decision - it's good to be able to discuss non-chess stuff with other chess people. You can get to know the perspectives of your fellow players beyond the board. I know a lot of other forums have similar sections.

[Eoin Devane]

Anyway, to give my contribution to the sporting discussion, I'm a Seattle (Seahawks and Mariners) fan - not much to cheer about there since '06, unfortunately.

As for the World Cup, I'd love to see Holland or Spain win it, but I wonder if the pressure will once again get to them. The safe bet would have to be Brazil. Anyone but France, after what they did to Ireland.

[Matthew Turner]

As a general rule, I suggest you lay European teams and bet on South American ones. The odds are partially based on form. European team have to perform well in order to qualify but because of the structure of qualifying the best South American teams can 'drift' through and save their best play for the Finals. The outstanding bet seems to me to be Brazil, I don't really understand why they would be longer odds than Spain.
I genuinely think that England have a chance, the key is probably John Terry playing better than he did at the end of the English season. However, 9-1 would seem to be more realistic odds.
In terms of American Sport it is the Chicago Bears for me. I am going to watch them at the Vikings in December - any advice of warm clothing?

[Alex Holowczak]

As a general rule, I suggest you lay European teams and bet on South American ones. The odds are partially based on form. European team have to perform well in order to qualify but because of the structure of qualifying the best South American teams can 'drift' through and save their best play for the Finals. The outstanding bet seems to me to be Brazil, I don't really understand why they would be longer odds than Spain.
I genuinely think that England have a chance, the key is probably John Terry playing better than he did at the end of the English season. However, 9-1 would seem to be more realistic odds.
In terms of American Sport it is the Chicago Bears for me. I am going to watch them at the Vikings in December - any advice of warm clothing?

Brazil have some surprising omissions from their squad; Ronaldinho and Adriano spring to mind. What's more, Spain have lost once in the last 44 games they've played, in which time they've avoided defeat against France, Italy, Germany, England (often on more than one occasion), and Brazil has not done as well against weaker opposition.

Minnesota play in a dome, so you can at least watch the game in warmth. As a Packers fan though, I hope you return to England disappointed.

[Ben Purton]

I always wear therma-skins when i go to Boston to watch the Patriots. They are really cool and change when it gets hotter or colder.

Ben

[Matt Mackenzie]

On this point, at least England have won the world cup.

And would have won in '86 as well -- but for the hand of God.

Quite a bold claim there

Who is to say we would have won in the SF or Final - there were a *lot* of good teams that year........

And regardless of HoG, Argentina were the better team on the day anyhow

[Eoin Devane]

Brazil have some surprising omissions from their squad; Ronaldinho and Adriano spring to mind. What's more, Spain have lost once in the last 44 games they've played, in which time they've avoided defeat against France, Italy, Germany, England (often on more than one occasion), and Brazil has not done as well against weaker opposition.

I think Dunga's made a good decision by leaving them behind. They are not exactly the model professionals, and have such big egos that they probably wouldn't take too kindly to sitting on the bench. Great players, yes, but I think for your last few picks in a squad you want to choose people who'll fit in well with the group and contribute positively to the overall team atmosphere, which I don't think Ronaldinho and Adriano (in particular) would do.

Spain's one defeat was against the USA - watch out England!

[Arshad Ali]

Quite a bold claim there

Who is to say we would have won in the SF or Final - there were a *lot* of good teams that year........

And regardless of HoG, Argentina were the better team on the day anyhow

Just kidding. Maradona traumatised the English nation that year. For years afterwards, if memory serves, English commentators would make sporadic references to the "hand of God incident."

Having been to Argentina a couple of times, I can attest that the Argentinians take football very seriously indeed. On a flight from Atlanta to Buenos Aires at the end of June in 2006, the passengers were decidedly subdued: Argentina had just been knocked out. As one Argentinian explained to me, the only thing Argentina can do well is play football -- and if they can't even get that right ...

Incidentally, in a public park not far from La Boca (Maradona's home ground), they have some stone tables laid out, where people play chess. I've been trounced there a couple of times myself.

[Alex Holowczak]

As one Argentinian explained to me, the only thing Argentina can do well is play football -- and if they can't even get that right ...

That's not really true. Their rugby union team finished third at the 2007 World Cup, despite not even having a professional league. They have one of the stronger field hockey teams in the world. Angel Cabrera won The Masters last year. They've reached the Davis Cup Final twice in the last five years, and del Potro won the US Open last year. Argentina is a pretty awesome sporting nation.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Back to this Forum's raison d'etre, they have produced quite a few useful chess players too

[Arshad Ali]

Back to this Forum's raison d'etre, they have produced quite a few useful chess players too

The chess club in central Buenos Aires is an impressive 3-storey structure. In the evenings one can walk in for casual 5- and 10-minute games (a modest fee of 7 pesos was exacted from non-members in 2006, which has doubtless gone up). Most days the club is hosting some tournament or another -- sometimes for juniors. The club has its share of memorabilia as well -- scoresheets and/or furniture from Alekhine-Capablanca 1927, Fischer-Petrosian 1971, and the San Luis 2005 tournament. The problem for players is that books are pricy -- particularly since the devaluation of about 9 years ago.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Brazil's longer odds than Spain presumably reflects the perceived strength of the respective groups - it would be a major shock if Spain failed to reach the second round against Honduras, Switzerland and Chile, whereas Portugal and Cote D'Ivoire are widely seen as being the sort of teams that could beat Brazil.

[Eoin Devane]

Chile will be an interesting team to watch. Marcelo Bielsa is probably the only international coach ever to go with the 3-3-1-3 formation! They score a lot and concede a lot too, so I'm looking forward to their games.

[IM Jack Rudd]

They score a lot and concede a lot? Cool, I may put a Chilean or two into my Twatball team then.

[Eoin Devane]

Now that I've said that they'll obviously go and draw them all 0-0!