New service for ECF members?

[Michael Farthing]

Is Simon worth replying to? Not really.

However, opinions (I'd actually describe it as a surmise) don't have to be backed up with facts - that's why they're just opinions.
Maybe I'm wrong - maybe someone else moderated it. Does it matter that much? It didn't strike me as controversial.
Ah well..

_________
Smeared with short term memory loss

[Carl Hibbard]

I think we all need to let it go now, me especially.

[Gareth T Ellis]

There are three possible outcomes to the current situation, which I order according to my personal preference:

There's a fourth option seemingly desired by some ECF Directors and magazine proprietors which is that all comment critical of the ECF be suppressed. If we go back to the Chess for Schools fiasco, the ECF's appointed manager was apt to express provocative views on a range of chess-related subjects and got himself drawn into wars of words as a consequence. In addition there was the scepticism that the project was going anywhere. To what extent would an "official" forum have removed his postings, or would they just have removed those critical of the project? There were actually surprisingly few although it should have been obvious that if you wanted to despatch a boxful of sets and boards to every school, consulting those, the chess suppliers, who did it commercially might have saved a lot of grief. It wouldn't have helped as there were only a limited number of sets to start with but it could have given the ECF an insight into how an offer of free manufacturing was only part of the costs involved.

Free collection from the manufacturer with delivery to the schools in Lancashire, Cheshire & Merseyside was offered to the ECF at the time.

[Mick Norris]

Did Roger go on a free transfer? Is he the Denis Law of chess forums?

Football season has started, so time to reply - Roger is on both forums (fora?), so not sure the Denis Law analogy is the right one - I've been struggling with something about the loan system, but given up

I think the problem with the other forum is they have set it up with a bit of a holier than thou attitude, and then fallen into an inadequate apology for accusing Carl of allowing aliases on here

Carl has done a terrific job, and my understanding is that he checks new members names against the Grading list - what I like about being on here is an idea that the people are real, which means I can actually meet them (as I have briefly with Richard, who appeared as pleasant in person as I would have expected from his posts on here)

So, having checked the ECF grading list, my question in relation to the official forum is who is Sue Dunham?

[Roger de Coverly]

So, having checked the ECF grading list, my question in relation to the official forum is who is Sue Dunham?

I suppose the four possibilities are wife, girl friend, parent, or .... alias.

I've just thought of a fifth - ECF employee, although I would have expected that to be announced.

Having reread the posts, it's someone familiar with past venues for the British Championships, Liverpool in 2008 being mentioned at one point. My guess is parent. I think they speak with more authority if they self identify as such, particularly if there isn't a direct link on the surname.

[E Michael White]

So, having checked the ECF grading list, my question in relation to the official forum is who is Sue Dunham?

I suppose the four possibilities are wife, girl friend, parent, or .... alias.

I've just thought of a fifth - ECF employee, although I would have expected that to be announced.

Having reread the posts, it's someone familiar with past venues for the British Championships, Liverpool in 2008 being mentioned at one point. My guess is parent. I think they speak with more authority if they self identify as such, particularly if there isn't a direct link on the surname.

my guess is Sue Dunham = Pseudonym

[Andrew Zigmond]

A Yorkshire colleague (a reader of the forum but not a contributor) once said to me that he was sure that a regular contributor here was an alias - I pointed out that it was a real person because I'd seen him in the flesh! That said E Michael White has picked up on something that is an interesting coincidence at least and the only Dunham in the grading database is a Bruce Dunham last active in 1998. Since nothing Sue Dunham says is particularly unreasonable you do wonder why - if it is a pseudonym - they want to keep their real identity a secret.

[Michael Farthing]

It's getting choppy over there! You've touched a raw nerve folks.

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Unnoticed by Soviet historians!

[Ian Thompson]

So, having checked the ECF grading list, my question in relation to the official forum is who is Sue Dunham?

I suppose the four possibilities are wife, girl friend, parent, or .... alias.

I've just thought of a fifth - ECF employee, although I would have expected that to be announced.

Another obvious possibility is that it is some well-known female former chess player or administrator who has got married since they stopped playing/administering chess, so their current name is not recognised (or vice versa - the maiden name of someone better known under their married name).

Of course, without actually knowing the answer, you can't rule out that the possibility that it's a reincarnation of Leigh Strange.

[Jonathan Bryant]

Could have been Kaiser.


(PS can anybody - in language understandable to a simpleton - how I make these pictures smaller?)

[Michael Farthing]

Martyn Jacobs in the ECF Forum to Sue Dunham:

Hi
I have also had an 'interaction' with you -You don't have to agree to have a good conversation!
As I am unable to post in the 'other place', I'd like to suggest if I may, a fifth option.
Please tell me if I'm right.
I think this is a 'Turing Test'!

This is worse than trying to read John le Carré. Can anyone explain what the innuendos are?

[JustinHorton]

You could use this one

[Roger de Coverly]

Well there you go. On the face of it my login to the official forum has been suspended. It could be a computer glitch but I rather doubt it. In something like six years plus on the ecforum I haven't encountered a problem.

<edit> Whatever the problem was, I seem to have overcome it

I think it reasonable that someone who comments on the continuation or otherwise of the Major Open, should declare an interest either implicitly via the FIDE or ECF rating or grading websites or directly.
</edit>

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Of course, without actually knowing the answer, you can't rule out that the possibility that it's a reincarnation of Leigh Strange. "

Leigh Strange was (and hopefully, still is) a real person, just not as strong a player as she appeared...

"my guess is Sue Dunham = Pseudonym"

Brilliant!

[Roger de Coverly]

my guess is Sue Dunham = Pseudonym

That now appears to have been the right answer. A posting where he or she was rather bitchy towards those making identity speculation has been deleted, but along with it went a couple of responses.