Jovanka H. in the Daily Mail

[John Upham]

I was forced to check that I hadn't slept for some weeks and it isn't, in fact, April the 1st today, as my attention was drawn to

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -ever.html

Fingers crossed that SG will blog on this matter.

The only benefit of this code being enforced would be if it was applied to all genders.

[Ian Kingston]

I was forced to check that I hadn't slept for some weeks and it is, in fact, April the 1st today, as my attention was drawn to

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -ever.html

Fingers crossed that SG will blog on this matter.

The only benefit of this code being enforced would be if it was applied to all genders.

The usual Daily Mail standards of accurate reporting are being observed: they have both 'Jovanka Houska, 24' and 'Javonka Houska, 31'.

[John McKenna]

Ah, the mysteries of a woman's age - 31 one minute and 24 the next. As for a male equivalent - that would be not playing with one's fly open or showing rear cleavage by wearing very low slung 'trizers' (must be a fashionista word for those pants.)

[Paul Cooksey]

24 in a stock photo, 31 now - I assume. Astonishingly poorly written piece.

[Roger de Coverly]

Does this not demonstrate that if organisers or chess Federations demand dress codes, they can expect to be mocked by the Press?

The paper entry form for the 2012 British just states:-

Participants are expected to maintain acceptable standards of dress and behaviour

and refers to the website for details (which have yet to appear).

[IM Jack Rudd]

The FIDE ratings website confirms that Jovanka was born in 1980, which fits in with the age of 31 now.

[Ian Kingston]

The FIDE ratings website confirms that Jovanka was born in 1980, which fits in with the age of 31 now.

Wikipedia concurs.

The misspelling of her name by the Mail strikes me as a similarly gross error.

[Leonard Barden]

The position in the Mail pic has WB g1, WN f1, BN f8, BB g8, BQ e8, BK d8.

[Geoff Chandler]

Like Mr Barden and I suspect many others, my eyes too went to the position on the board

RBNKQBNR/PPP1PP1P/8/3P2P1/8/8/pppppppp/rbnqkbnr w - - 0 1

But let us not knock it too much. It is Chess in the newspapers.

That board.



I had to play a league match once on that board with those horrid hollow plastic pieces.
My board vision was totally wrecked.

Hi Carl.

Notice the lengths I have taken to avoid lifting the actual pic from the Daily Mail.
(Just in case 'we know who' has friends at the Mail as well.)

[Colin Patterson]

The third Mail photo is, curiously, the same photo as was chosen for the front cover of the reprint of Jeremy Gaige's Chess Personalia.

It says a lot when our trivial background observations are more interesting than the article itself.

[John Foley]

The FIDE ratings website confirms that Jovanka was born in 1980, which fits in with the age of 31 now.

I do not think it gallant to mention a woman's age.

This underlines my concerns mentioned in another thread regarding the publication of birth year by FIDE.

Can we have a campaign to remove personal data from the FIDE website. It is unnecessary and creates a gratuitous breach of privacy.

Pity the day that FIDE commands more credibility than the Daily Mail.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Can we have a campaign to remove personal data from the FIDE website. It is unnecessary and creates a gratuitous breach of privacy.

It's not unnecessary - FIDE runs tournaments with age-restricted eligibility; it has that data on display so that it's easy to check that everyone in such an event is eligible.

Pity the day that FIDE commands more credibility than the Daily Mail.

There are weeds growing in my garden that command more credibility than the Daily Mail.

[matt_ward]

I personally think it is a good idea to have a dress code for formal chess tournaments, it is a disgrace in my opinion the way some people come to tournaments in a totally inappropriate dress sense.

League chess I can understand not having so, but in tournaments when professionals are playing a game which is their job I think people should respect this and dress in an appropriate way. Not loads of jewellery or any offensive t- shirts or any other item of clothing for that matter.

I mean if someone for example had a chance to play Gary Kasparov would they turn up for the occasion in trainers, and jogging bottoms, I certainly would NOT!

[Joey Stewart]

Not loads of jewellery or any offensive t- shirts or any other item of clothing for that matter.

I am sure such a rule change to enforce these standards would cause a bit of a sensation.

[matt_ward]

Well Joey,

It comes to something when the 2nd biggest English News Papper in this country founded in 1896: a) Spell Jovanka's name wrong, and b) don't know her correct age, it shows that Newspappers can not be trusted clearly.

Even Wikipedia happens to know Jovanka was born in 1980.