X( X( X( X( X( X( X( X( X( X( X(

As many of you will know having mobile phones with eye detection (for those who are not sure of what I am talking about, Samsung have a feature in the s4 and Note 3 that tracks where you are looking, it can dim the screen when you look away or scroll for you. I have it disabled as it drives me nuts!). Some smart &%$%&&/§ has come up with an app that can be put onto Google Glasses (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Glass">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Glass</a><!-- m -->) so you can see where your opponent is looking and have it highlighted in the inside of your glasses.

As if cheating detection was not hard enough, some moron comes up with this!

:bash: :bash: :bash:

The FIDE Presidential Board met in Khanty-Mansiysk on Saturday and Sunday. One of the items discussed was dress code for chess matches. This is something that the ECU brought in a few years ago for top level games.

Looking at the minutes that were sent out last night to all federations, the one thing that caught my eye was as part of the Dress code, it is expected that all male players now wear ties at the board! In typical FIDE fashion, this is not restricted to FIDE rated or top level games X(

No penalty was discussed, it appears it is down to the Arbiter under the new "punishment rules", one of which is a fine.

Not keen in implementing this one. For a start I hate wearing a tie. What are your thoughts?

Results of NEJCA + SJC Chess for Kicks (CFK) event Saturday March 29th 2014 at the Chieftain Hotel Hall, Inverness

U-300
1st Joshua Holm (Holm Primary) 5/6 (NQ)
2nd Kelly Campbell (Albyn) 5/6 (NQ)
(after play-off)
3rd George Croson Fraser (Holm Primary) 4.5/6 (NQ)
Medals
Alasdair Raynor (Holm Primary) 4/6
Ethan Mair (Hopeman) 4/6
Ross Barnes-Miller (Scourie) 4/6

U-600
1st Rafal Wilowski (Banchory) 3.5/6(PQ)
2nd Collin Campbell (Albyn) 2/6 (NQ)
3rd Jonathan McKay (Coul Primary) 2/6 (NQ)

U-1000
1st Nicholas Winter (Lathallan) (NQ) 5.5/6
2nd Anoop Babu (Aberdeen Grammar) 5/6 (PQ)
3rd Atharva Dabholkar (Robert Gordon's College) 4/6 (NQ)
4th Sarah Birkett (Inverness) 2/6 (NQ)

Due to low numbers the U-600 and U-1000 were combined but winners decided only on results within each section.
(NQ) these players have newly qualified for the SJC Chess for Kicks final (Saturday June 1st, venue to be confirmed)
(PQ) these players already previously qualified in this section for the SJC Chess for Kicks final

Junior/Adult Allegro
1st Richard Birkett (Inverness) 4.5/5
2nd= James Doyle (Glasgow) 3.5/5
2nd= Andrew Newton (Inverness) 3.5/5

As usual, full results and photos at http://www.nejca.co.uk

Thanks to all attendees and helpers
Gerald Lobley

I was a bit tired last night. Will be doing the grading tonight and will do the FIDE grading this week

Fantastic result for Murad Abdulla (Bon Accord) at Glenrothes. I am not sure if a twelve year old has ever won an Open before in Scotland.

The Team Lightning (see entry form on website for details) will take place on Sunday after the SNCL Rd7 and AGM.
Although adjustments can be made on the day, I still need to have as many entries as possible in advance in order to plan format, etc.
Entry by email is best. Payment at the venue is simplest for this event.

I had an idea about this. Why not enhance the Grand Prix and award East of Scotland to highest point scorer over the events in East of the country and then same again fro those in West. Events counting to be listed on Grand Prix page at start of seasons. No upper limit on ratings. Only opens counting. Maybe if there were enough events then take player's highest 3 scoring events? Include allegros at half weighting just like existing Grand Prix. Doesn't matter where you live. You can come from Glasgow and be East Champion if you play well here often enough and vice-a-versa. Closed events should be excluded (actually banned). Anyway, you get the idea. Thoughts?

Thank you to everyone who made the Glenrothes Congress happen. I really enjoyed myself and it is quickly becoming one of my favourite events. The time and effort you put in is appreciated.

Have seen this before but watching Anand v Topalov and white follow up blacks 32...gxh6 (0.85) with the recommended 33. Qg4(0.4) yet as you see the valuation halved. the black has only move 33.....Kf7(1.33) followed by recommended 34. h5 (-0.07) and suddenly black has alledged advantage.

I know that as moves are played the horizon is pushed further back but this is rather extreme!

I will start by repeating a previous request for information about the trophies. They have gone missing, or at least they are being held by persons unknown. If anyone can help please get in touch.

And if the trophies can't be found is there any point in running these events?

As for where we go from here if we do continue - the Nancy Elder format was well supported this year but the MacIsaac would have to be radically different.

Keith