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grunger
What do you have against Ann Summers? The very poor quality?

paulhabershon

The family went to a few tournaments and I played in junior events. He is Mike Williams, you might have played him. He hasn't played for years. Certain names have stuck in my head over the years, R Harman, T Bennett and quite a few players from the NorthWest who dad knew. When you posted here, your name rang a bell.


Rosalind

I agree about the poor quality. I prefer the market. Not as much choice but better quality and much cheaper.

Malone

Thanks for the "Women who....." clue which I liked.

Grunger

I note on another thread that you have a dislike for Shredded Wheat. Surely it is better for you than those pies, steak slices etc.

Cricket fans

I loved the Cowdrey clue in the Times today. Took a long time to solve though.

jigjag

It is not that I dislike it - I just never eat it, as advised by the News. I have a peppered steak slice for tomorrow which looks better than the object I ate last week.

I got the clue straight away. I never saw him play but remembered his first name. Very clever clue I thought.

Grunger
Re chess: I have played a few Williams but none called Mike. In common with quite a few chess geeks I have a complete record of all my league and tournament games. I have certainly played Ron Harman and T.Bennett (if it's T B Bennett).
Now on my 56th scorebook of 50 games! OTB chess halted by Covid - thank goodness for online chess, bridge and Scrabble.

Hi Paul,

Your talk of chess with Grunger brought back some good memories. I wanted to buy a chess engine so, along with my younger brother, went to The Chess Shop in Masbro Road, Hammersmith (I don't think it's there anymore). My grandparents, along with my lots of my uncles, aunts and cousins used to live in Masbro Rd and we would often drive up on a Sunday, so we could also use the trip to have a look round the old neighbourhood. It was great to spend a couple of hours walking around the shop and looking at all the beautiful chess sets - in the end I bought Fritz 6, I don't know if either of you know it?. While in the shop we saw a poster advertising a lesson with Bob Wade - our knowledge of players was pretty much limited to past and present world champions and neither of us knew who he was, but the shop manager told us he was a Master and definitely a player of note. Unfortunately my brother had a bad case of the flu and we really should have gone home, but the lesson was that evening and only a couple of miles away, so I cajoled him into going. I'm not very good at chess but Bob Wade seemed nice and the class was full so I was enjoying it, but my poor brother was feeling worse and worse. After an hour or so there was a coffee break and, while I and most of the others stayed in the room, my brother went out to the vending machine to get a drink. Everyone was chatting and Bob Wade was asking us all how good or "strong" we were. Then my brother, who had heard none of this, came back in to the classroom. Just as he was taking his seat, Mr Wade asked him "...and how about you, are you strong?" My brother, totally bewildered, looked hesitantly round the class and replied "well,....I suppose....I do weights". Ah yes, I remember it well:-)

Paul, Grunger,

did you ever play Bob Wade?

Brendan

That is a lovely story which was a pleasure to read. I have asked my father and he knew Bob Wade, who was President of London University chess club when my father was there. I think he said he was an international master.

They used to play speed chess with clocks at odds of 5 mins to 1 min and Bob always won which seems incredible to me. How can you win a game in I minute? Paul will know though. My father thinks he remembers Bob winning the British Championship around 50 years ago possibly in Coventry.

I was given Fritz 14 as a present but I rarely use it.

Paul

My father remembers you but never played you. He said there were 2 Harmans and 2 Bennetts. His favourite players were Korchnoy, Hort and Uhlmann. I think he said he played bridge with some of these in the hotel. I am impressed with your 2,500 games! I have played on-line bridge but didnt know about Scrabble.

Grunger and Brendan
Agreed about great Bob Wade chess story from Brendan.
Yes I did play Wade twice but only in simultaneous displays when he was taking on 20+ opponents at once. I drew in 1962 and won in 1963 but I wonder if he would drop a few points to encourage juniors.
Originally from New Zealand, Bob was one of the first British players to earn a living from chess, not so much from prize money but by teaching, writing and giving simuls for a fee. He was an International Master but the UK had no Grandmasters until 1975 - we couldn't match the state sponsored professionals from the communist bloc. Bob did indeed win the British Championship twice, 1952 and 1970. He did gain some grandmaster scalps, including the East German, Uhlmann, at Hastings, I think.
Chess in one minute? Yes it's called Bullet Chess online but I prefer 5 minutes each for online games.
Fritz 6? I've just bought Fritz 17!
Scrabble online - it's great; free registration at isc.ro

My (late) husband used to play "Blitzkrieg" which is the only form of chess that I found exciting as a spectator. I believe it was played with two boards, the players not able to see each other or their boards and very much against the clock.
paulh, lots of photos of you on Google.
My phone number is....;-))

Rosalind

I played a form of chess called kriegspiel in my youth. It is probably like your game. There were 3 boards and a referee but It took all night.