McCreadyandChess

Take a bow why don’t I for it has always been an honour to represent my county, which I began doing in 1989. But with social distancing reigning supreme and me being thousands of miles away, you would think the chances of me representing my county this weekend would be rather slim. Think again.

Despite the depersonalizing effects that communication on-line has; the two main points being the vast majority of our communication is non-verbal, and you communicate to a server and not the person you aren’t incommunicado with but are unable to communicate directly to, despite all this it pervades all hours we are awake and some where we are half-asleep…and I suppose it’s better than nothing.

Courtesy of chess.com, county matches in East Anglia have been taking place on-line after Covid infected our little universe then strangled governments and politicians the world over, throwing their hands up in the air they were, with fear in their faces and few if any cogs moving between ears, then thy pandemic mangled the public who were left to dangle, or in some countries hung out to dry. But as mentioned already, its better than bugger all else being on the agenda. On a personal level its almost ideal, the only awkward point being me 6 hours ahead, meaning that the match this weekend against Norfolk will kick off at past midnight where I am. I don’t recall playing classical chess at that time before. Such matches usually start about 10 hours before midnight and not thirty minutes after it. Not sure I’ll go the distance, so I’ll have to go and buy some drugs, legal or otherwise, to help keep me awake…legal being the better option there…I mean the cheaper one…anyway… .

So erm moving swiftly on, best memory of playing Norfolk; the time when we used to play in the King Edward hall, that being 92-93. And this open-top bus with DJ and dancing girls had music full blast live on the radio, then took the piss out of us. ‘Ha ha, look there’s some people playing chess there’, and up the volume went. I thought it was funny but I think I was the only one playing who did.

Worst memory: that fucking time I went off to the bakery during the opening phase of the game but seriously misjudged the distance and time it would take. Result: I lost the game on time as by the time I returned I was already in time trouble and we were still in the opening! I thought it was only a few minutes walk when in fact it was more like 30-35, and then it took time to be served. I told my opponent after I lost ‘I knew I shouldn’t have gone to get that pasty’ and I was right of course. I remember how he nodded in agreement as if to tell me I most certainly shouldn’t have.

I do feel honoured to represent my county once more but the honour I feel is tinged with sadness. (note to self: I might have to do drugs to cope with it all as I will be tired and feel sadness) For in spending 19 months to write a piece 38500 words long it became apparent that as I child I learnt more from peer correction than anything else. Now how’s that meant to be achieved on-line? Although technology often represents progress, putting matches on-line isn’t the right way forward. It’s nothing more than the only option left if we want to play chess. So beguile my opponent before play begins I won’t be able to but nod off and not be shaken into…hmmm drugs binge it looks like otherwise how else can I play competitive chess up until 4 am and perhaps beyond (Note to self: Mark steer the writing away from this subject, don’t give the game away, I don’t want anyone finding out that I’m high and playing strange moves because of it. Just tell them any old rubbish). Really excited about playing chess up until 4-5am because I am bound to be at my best. Prediction: I will outplay my opponent but blunder and lose the game as I am out of practice and rubbish also.

Olcmarcus shall be making his debut for the county on-line whilst sat in a hotel room by the seaside, a trip taken on behalf of my undying wish to see my daughter happy and have some fun. He will be listening to all sorts of music as well; metal, rock, 80’s pop, trance, y4k being the main ones. Concentration levels will be low, I will be prone to error yet able to stare out of the window beyond the gloom, into the sea. I will stare down into its deep dark water, procrastinating over the catalogue of errors beyond the board itself, floating freely throughout the past. The multitude of them alone, will cost me the game, probably shortly after I ask myself the question ‘How the fuck did I end up in the position I am in?’ And probably directly after I leave the question alone conceding its insoluble in terms of play on and off the board.

Wish me luck, remind me that it’s not, primarily, the task of a historian to make predictions, tell me that truth is contingent and not easily seen always, convince me my own pride will power me through with ease…

Olcmarcus