Archive for March, 2026

Weekend battles that lie ahead

Posted in My own endeavours on March 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

This weekend I am going to continue to play the engine rated 2500 that I can’t quite beat. I’m going to have to increase the time limit and become more conscious of critical moments in the game. In following GM Gawian Jones’s recommendations in his book on the Grand Prix Sicilian I get middle games with the better position but just cannot convert them into winning attacks no matter how hard I try.

My level of focus and will power are very high. And I analyse all games to see where I went wrong. I’m up against it but well up for it. The program being used is Lucas Chess. Let’s see if I can nick a draw this weekend. Probably I shall post some videos soonish. I don’t like posting ones where I lose, but whatever, the calibre of the play is high and the games are instructive.

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Friday night at the chess club and what came of it

Posted in My own endeavours on March 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

In the previous post I mentioned that I gave up on playing online chess because it’s too easy, took on some engines, the one 2200 I beat, the one 2400 I beat but the one 2500 I could not. I felt sharpened up and fancied it down the chess club. How did it go? I enjoyed the company of all present and much socialising occurred before play began, I started drinking cider too.

We had a 9-round Swiss and I was very friendly at all times. My results were distinctly average though. I outplayed nearly everyone, winning with a devastating attack more than once but I just couldn’t get a grip of myself and adjust to the time limit (3m 2s) enough, sometimes losing on time, sometimes panicking not to and blowing the result. I had my shit together but it wasn’t enough over the board but failed to adjust to the tournament conditions. I couldn’t be bothered to see what my final score was, probably about 50%. To some degree my chess was anti-climactic.

Most importantly, life long member Peter told me it was lovely to see me back and he really meant it. In return I was complimentary too. Long term friend Poompong also very politely asked me about my life and my family unit, and so on. He was genuinely interested and spoke to me like a true friend.

To be happy just to be there and then valued as a member still, and treated as a true friend was what mattered most of the evening. I left feeling very touched indeed. It was a great night out.

M J M

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Ever victorius

Posted in My own endeavours on March 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Tonight, old-timer McCready beat an IM at draughts (I have played for England before). The videos linked do not show the game I won but rather who my oppponent was (not just an IM but a senior figure in the draughts world), and that I was enjoying myself. Should it be the case that you assuming I was some one trick pony and nothing more, I am very sorry to tell you that isnt so… .

M J M

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Dodgy engine antics

Posted in My Own Games on March 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

It is Lucas Chess that I use and in the previous post I showed how the engine rated 2200 was rather easily beaten, so I then decided to play one rated 2400 but will not be posting a video of that. It was well dodgy and left its queen en prise, so I won again. A pyrrhic victory.

M J M

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Supposedly me at my best!

Posted in My Own Games on March 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

When we don’t expect the unexpected what then? I made a video of me beating Lucas Chess 2200 engine. I had been playing well earlier in the day and so upped the anti. I didn’t think I could be confident enough to do such a thing but it was well founded as I won convincingly, much to my disbelief. I didn’t have to think that hard either but I did stay very focused! The only conclusion I can draw from this is that I must be better than I thought! I suspect it will be some time before the disbelief passes. Comments on the game are very welcome.

M J M

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Dutch defence win

Posted in My Own Games on March 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

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Jetlag has cleared off

Posted in Life beyond the chess board on March 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Jetlag has cleared off, which means this week’s visit to the chess club won’t be the same as last week’s. Overall more pleasant and the sense of occasion greater. My results will improve but probably not greatly.

Presently I am on holiday and have much time to do as I so wish. I have decided to make videos for my site and find my voice with them. This is sharpening me up somewhat, so I won’t be quite so rusty either. Doesn’t mean much at all except that a pleasant evening should be had and that’s something to look forward to. And as you might expect, it’s always pleasant to go into the city and Bangkok chess club is right in the heart of it, leaving you with a slight sense of adventure as well… .

Last week I drank Coke Zero only to help keep me alert and will do so again this week as I don’t want to be carried out and put in a taxi again. Should be good.

M J M

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It came when it wanted to not I

Posted in Humour on March 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

One of Freud’s favourite quotes of Nietzsche comes from his publication Beyond Good and Evil and is ‘A thought comes when it wants not when I want’. Some minutes earlier it occurred to me that it is not, primarily, the function of historians to make predictions but with that said, and the frequency I play chess, most likely I will remain forever rusty -as has been the case for some years already! What a wonderous and inspiring proposition popping out there. I have only played one tournament in the last decade. Schedule doesn’t allow to play more. What to do about that? That thought hasn’t dampened my evening though as it’s always better to write about chess than play it.

Forever rusty Marcus signs off here.

M J M

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Digital revolutions and all that…

Posted in Chess on March 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Have you noticed how difficult it has become to say who the most famous chess player in the world is. It isn’t and can no longer be the world champion -that’s yesteryear. It’s one of the streamers as they have milions and millions of followers and are much more popular. What does that tell you? We are experiencing a 4th revolution -that’s what. Society is always subject to change.

M J M

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A most unwelcome visitor

Posted in Chess in Thailand on March 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Last night I cut across Bangkok on the skytrain with a black bandanna on and went to Bangkok Chess Club. Many old friends were there and a blitz tournament went down. The section of the English pub we play in had been refurbished and looks much better, so it should have been a good night all round but it wasn’t.

I had travelled solidly for two days and was massively jetlagged. And that is a most unwelcome visitor. To say my play was poor is an understatement. I was simply too tired to play. In truth it wasn’t so bad at first but got really bad at the end of the 9-round Swiss. I just wasn’t with it and was losing too easily. I ordered a diet coke to help counterbalance this, placed it on a table then the bar maid went and took it away before I could get half way through it -jolly bad luck.

Pleasure of my play was still there but it was fleeting. Thankfully I was too tired to care whether I won or lost. A very ordinary visit with nothing to write home about evening except it was nice to see old friends, and be reminded once more that the welcoming ex-pats and thais who make up Bangkok chess club really do enjoy their time there and make you enjoy yours….if you like being liked and welcomed that is.

M J M

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