The late Walter Munn was a prolific organiser of tournaments at Giffnock Chess Club, a ten-minute walk from my home in the 1970s, and helped to instill in me the passion to still play chess some 40 years later.

On a tuesday night I could play in the Giffnock Club Championship ( 7 rounds) . On thursday nights I could play in the Renfrewshire County (5 rounds - february to march) and the Renfrewshire Open (10 rounds - april to june)

There seems to be a demand for FIDE rated tournaments in Edinburgh. The big clubs could organise this amongst themselves e.g. make the Edinburgh Club championship FIDE rated or organise a FIDE-rated Edinburgh Individual Championship - 10 round swiss - april to june - midweek evening - with a different club hosting each year.

This could then lead to new junior players coming through and a stronger Olympiad team in the future.

Please do not think that I am upset by this. I am at home listening to "pure psychedelic rock" and am chilled. Nevertheless, I have been thinking for some time that there is something wrong with the two minute rule. I can play a game - reduce my opponent to passivity and then try this, that and the other - knowing he can do nothing. But there is a fly in the (I cannot continue with such a hakneyed saying). Anyway - we are nowhere near an ending but we are beyond the middle: he plays slowly and is left with 1 and a half minutes and claims a draw. My position is such that my next idea was to retreat my King only to move him forward again to a better position - but the arbiter knows nothing so I play superficial attacking moves instead. I name no names and blame no one - I just think that thare must be a better rule (maybe Fischer time control!). Don't worry I am still chilled by the beautiful flower-power music.
Don Heron
"Good sense is of all things in the world the most equally distributed, for everybody thinks himself so abundantly provided with it, that even those most difficult to please in all other matters do not commonly desire more of it than they alreafy possess." Descartes as translated by Elizabeth S. Haldane and G. R. T. Ross
(my favourite philosopher along with Plato, Jesus and Tolstoi)
PS I don't know if I was better or worse I just wanted to play the position but was not allowed to.

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I met him on tuesday in Bristol League where I am playing for Clifton

Afternoon all,

I have been looking at a way to upload all the chess photos I have so we have them in an archive.

Not done a full count yet but I would guestimate I have about 16,000 pics from the last 7 years.

Can I ask a few people to see if they can access this and view the pics

https://picasaweb.google.com/11130863514...directlink

Corrected the link!

Cheers

One of the advantages of being here this week is I have seen at close quarters how the no draw rule works.

I can state categorically that it doesn't work at all. All the players do is contrive a way to get a 3 fold repetition!

A black and grey anorak with a fleece lining was found on the stage at the end of the Lothian's Congress on Sunday. There is no branding on it, but the inside label is marked "Schoolwear" Age 13 - 14. If the owner contacts me I'll try to arrange it's safe return.

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Scotland has representation at the above event that has just started - see above, including photo of the Scottish delegation.

Good luck!

Sent: Saturday, September 22, 2012 11:44 PM
Subject: IM - Tournament in Sweden 2013!


Hello,

I am writing to you as tournament director of IM - tournaments in Lidkoping (Sweden).
(125 km north of Gothenburg).

I am looking for players with ELO over 2250 primarily interested in playing to win IM-norms.

Entry fee: 3800 SEK.

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The first tournament will be played 25 february - 3 march 2013.
It would be nice if we could get any player from your country.
The tournament will be followed on Internet (live chess).


Best regards

Peter Fransson
Tournament director

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I'm surprised that no one has mentioned this yet but there is a big event in London at the moment. The playing area is fabulous an it is quie awe inspring when I think that I am sitting where greats like Morphy and Staunton once sat and played

Poly Quickplay took place last night with 36 entries.

1= Daniel Abrahams, Elaine Bamber, Roddy McKay, Graeme Nolan 4.5/5
5 Murtaza Ali 4

grading (1) Sodje Tive, James Watson 3.5
grading (2) Bernard Cassidy 2.5