Could you spot a soviet chess player in a crowd? Well could you? You have one month to play and find out. Just click on the link, enter a nickname and off you go. The platform is Kahoot. The faster you answer a question, the higher your score becomes. It’s like a finger first type of game where speed is the vital component. There are 16 questions. Sadly, it can only remain active for one month, So you have until 10pm July 27th to give it a go.
‘The moon is red and bleeding, the sun is burned and black.’
I can’t begin to tell you how colourful and oftentimes chaotic my life has become, having been abroad for 22 years now, and visited some 36 countries along the way (many of which I worked in more than once). But the day when it is time to head home will one day come.
‘Time it waits for no man my future it is revealed. Time it waits for no man my fate is sealed.’
When that does happen, when I am a retiree of sorts, I will reach my rightful place. It’s only a matter of time before I become the Secretary of Luton Chess Club and also President of the Bedfordshire Chess Association.
‘If I cancel tomorrow the undead will thank me today.’
Administrative roles and obligations have been in place for the online versions of our club for some time now, the history of our country has been in my hands alone for many years, moreover in a bid to revive the club, much advertising will take place here. Moves are being played.
‘The demon in your mind will rape you in your bed at night.’
Lyrical encores aside, I am unflustered by what lies ahead and do not lie awake at night, erm…well singing Iron Maiden songs. The diagnosis is, I will live forever and am not ‘too evil’ to be the club secretary (when that day comes). More honest chaps might ask, since I won’t die young, can’t I run the thing from abroad…and perhaps I can.
Evil updates soon to follow…oh and lastly, do enjoy the song below (it has a chess reference).
Pattaya Chess Club has been housed on the 4th Floor of the Central Dept. store on Beach Road Pattaya for a few years now. Ex-pats and locals often met there during the day for a quick game or two. When I can find out where it has moved to, I shall post further details of.
In due course I will post information about Luton Chess Club. Sadly, it has fallen into disarray since the lockdown, with it remaining closed for long periods and then unable to field a team in the Bedfordshire Chess League, due mainly, to a lack of interest.
There are plans afoot to revive matters and soon I shall spell out the details. For a town its size, and university backing, Luton Chess Club should be in much better shape than what it is. Let us hope for a move in the right direction before the summer is out.
In each of the last two years I have played over 1000 games on line. Naturally I played brilliantly throughout, except for when I was absolute rubbish or just downright diabolical. The moral of the story is ‘stay online, play online, lose online, go offline’.
Perhaps you have noticed that the FIDE Candidates Tournament is in full swing, having ten rounds been already played. The field is packed like squared wheat over fields on a long summer’s day -you could also say they are closely bunched. Whoever emerges victorious can look forwards to a healthy pay check, dazzling limelight, many questions, months of preparation but not much else.
Let’s be honest, no matter who wins through, they will lose when they face Magnus -agreed? So how are we meant to take an interest in proceedings exactly? You could argue that both Nepo and Fabi have scores to settle and that both Liren and Firouzja have both beaten Magnus in recent months…but all that aside, as if anyone has any real chance of becoming the world champion any time soon…and so clinching the right to challenge may well be seen in retrospect as a pyrrhic victory in itself one with the media presenting to us a crestfallen opponent.
On a personal note, I find GM Rapport to be both charismatic and enigmatic, so it is him whom I hope the challenger is but condemned to view the final in the context of the result, it matters not one iota. And it must not matter one iota because I do live for my chess fanatically, and in the last match whirring round in my brain each day ‘I hate myself and want to die’ all day because the match was predictably one-sided. I don’t want to be killed off by chess, and so ‘it matters not one iota’…it must not matter.
Sincerest of apologies in not posting for a year. In truth there are conditions the service provider insists upon, which leave me less than impressed at times…it wasn’t that I didn’t want to write or had nothing to say, it was just that…
…and now those conditions have been, begrudgingly, met I am back although I have had to change the website name oh-so-slightly, since some slippery Russian went and stole my own whilst I was away! (thieving b******d)
…in short I will post throughout the summer since the afforded break from work presently allows me to do so….
…that’s all for now. I have poured my heart and soul into this site. I do hope you read on, and so cheerio…I shall be seeing you!
…here, the chess-related musings of an adrift academic are bound playfully and electronically, in this online journal of sorts. It has grown and grown in the decade I have kept it going and above all you must understand I write through a love of writing AND NOT to be read. Content is often personal and that alone should tell you I am writing for myself. Most importantly of all, I am proud of my own originality (as you won’t find content like this anywhere else) and believe in what I do, and that is of much greater value than the acceptance that most would find some of what I have to say very distasteful indeed, and some would find it disgusting, but since everything is open to interpretation, that’s something you have to come to terms with yourself. I have changed what I strive towards, and for the right reasons. They are self-centred yes but rightly so. Take from it whatever you will, frankly, I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks, although admittedly, if someone comments to say they also found it amusing, then I would be quite happy.
…for navigation, the categories and/or search bar should suffice…
…questions I shall do my utmost to answer promptly, particularly if they pertain to that past & present in my home town or county, those being Luton & Bedfordshire… .
An website defining update
In recent months I have written content which I find tremendously entertaining. Originality is the overriding factor, with humour tied to it, and content that is often highly inappropriate for a chess website. I have undergone something of a revolution and redefined what this site is. This site is entitled McCreadyandChess. It’s not just chess -it’s me too. And in terms of originality, however unreadable it may be, posts have gone through the roof, with much content I personally find hilarious. I accept most won’t but once again, I write for myself and not to be read by others. This shift in emphasis I think is truly fantastic, so there’s more of me coming and less chess on this site entitled mccreadyandchess -a greater sense of balance has been struck.
1.48pm November 14th, 2022, Chachoengsao
Mark. J. McCready
Where I can be found elsewhere
Were it the case that you fancied a game online, you can find me at following two:
McCreadyandChess 