Life beyond the chess board | McCreadyandChess

Technically, I am on my summer vacation break, which means I sit around doing nothing a lot. Well too much actually because now I am going to bed bored and not tired at all, and so for the 5th time in about 10 days, I have lost a night’s sleep.

It’s 06.29am. I just played three or four games against players around the 2000 mark on Lichess and won at least one of them. How do I do it? Shouldn’t I be sleeping? Well yes but it seems as though my sleep pattern has shifted to one more irregular. I shall stop here and play another game. Not time for bed yet. When that time will come -that I don’t know so on we go… .

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A/C

Posted in Life beyond the chess board on July 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I don’t wish to cut myself as a lonesome figure but it is 0212. I just woke up and grabbed 4 hours sleep, now another dark room with the sound of the A/C is all I have. Yes social media is helping because everyone else is asleep but I sit up in bed, alone. I’m not in the right frame of mind to play chess, just annoyed I didn’t sleep longer. A dark silent room with everyone asleep is why I come online. No chess, just chatting to some girl I met…she says she is lonely. This is my life: dark hours leadened with silence and the sound of the A/C. I have no one to talk to here, everything is closed. I am online.

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Dear Ken 1

Posted in Life beyond the chess board on July 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Welcome to Dear Ken, an agony uncle for those in need of advice.

Dear Ken, thank you for your advice column for troubled chess players. If I may ask for your help with a current issue please.

At our club there’s this guy who comes and always wears the same clothes. And I swear he never takes a bath because the smell he has is shocking. No one likes him and no one talks to him. I don’t talk to him but I don’t dislike him, I just want to keep my distance.

Last week he caused real trouble. We were away to The Bedford Massive, and one of their players went to his car during the match and got a baseball bat. He then came in, went up to the guy who doesn’t wash and smacked him round the head with it during his game! Things got ugly, they weren’t happy. They got some proppa gangsters in that outfit and some hardened criminals. They said next time they are bringing shooters, and they meant it. I don’t want anymore trouble. What should I do?

KEN: ah well, best thing you can do is take shooters yourself, then you could have a good one gun fight during your next match with the Bedford Massive, liven the match up a bit. Simple.

So Ken, your saying I should carry shooters on match nights?

KEN: Yes.

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2am wins

Posted in Life beyond the chess board, My own endeavours, On-line journal on July 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I lie here in the dark. I played chess at 2am and won. I am detached from everything around me. I didn’t go to bed last night. I didn’t eat yesterday, I just lie here looking to connect somehow. I’ll admit loneliness has haunted me my whole life but this is just something else. I am in our hotel by the seaside. In the next bed my daughter sleeps with her mum, and there’s me, winning at 2am in this dark, quiet, well air-conditioned room with no one to talk to, and no energy to do anything else. I’m in my 50s now…why is everything in life too easy. I love myself. I love chess. Darkness engulfs, I should try to sleep. I have medication for that. Let’s see if I can swallow my alprazolam then sleep some….what else is there to do?

As you can see, I came under sustained attack. (Click below)

https://lichess.org/f5mso9tAKBlx

Mark. J. McCready

Room 7096, Intown Holiday Hotel

PattayaSaisong 11

Pattaya

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Have a stab at the English

Posted in Chess, Life beyond the chess board, My own endeavours on July 1, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Firstly, I’d ask not to do that with myself as getting murdered is actually one of my pet hates! But do have a go at the quiz I have linked (note: non-English chess people may find it hard) Time expiration is only a month. There are twenty questions.

Know your English chess players…okay so prove it then. https://t.co/0tNoK4kAKj
— McCreadyandChess (@McCreadyChess) July 1, 2022

Mark. J. McCready

Room 7096, Intown Holiday Hotel

PattayaSaisong Soi 11

Pattaya

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Know your Soviet chess players do you?

Posted in Life beyond the chess board on June 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »

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.

https://twitter.com/McCreadyChess/status/1542367813897433088?s=20&t=-bmRLdD0a5pyVERvF1u2lg

Mark. J. McCready

Room 7113, Intown Holiday Hotel,

Pattata Saisong Soi 11

Pattaya

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‘Only the good die young, all the evil seem to live forever’

Posted in Bedfordshire Chess, Life beyond the chess board, Luton Chess Club, My own endeavours on June 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »

‘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).

Mark. J. McCready

11.15am, June 30th.

Room 7113, Intown Holiday Hotel,

Pattaya Saisong Soi 11

Pattaya

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…on what this site initially became…on what this site is now becoming…on what this site cannot become…

On what this site initially became…

…once upon a time, the chess-related musings of an adrift academic were bound playfully and electronically in this online journal of sorts. They grew and grew as the decade did too. I kept on because I love to write whether I had much to say or not; therefore, being read by others was usually of little or no importance, comparatively speaking. Content was based on personal thoughts and experience on various topics with no intended audience borne in mind. With topics broadening, my own take on things always shaped the narrative I constructed: I often thought I was insightful but never that I was right. Sometimes imagination gave rise to originality: and of that I have always remained proud. I often introduced humour, believing that I am funnier than I really am. Sometimes, I found my own style antithetical to the conservatism I believe chess is plagued by -oftentimes that has put a gracious smile on my face… .

On what this site is now becoming…

…this site is now becoming a collaboration of chess in Bedfordshire: much more so of the past than the present -that has become the dominant trend. I document the history of chess in Bedfordshire as much as I can, and as time has passed I have become more thorough and resourceful. However, I am not a trained historian as my background lies principally in philosophy but yes it is true I did study some modules on history as both an undergraduate and a post-graduate too; furthermore, I have trained myself up, particularly in terms of postmodern history. Since 2015, I have only read history and historiography as well as those philosophers who have been so influential on postmodern history, such as Nietzsche (whom I once wrote a 19,000 word dissertation on, entitled: Can the Will to Power be Found in The Birth of Tragedy?), also Richard Rorty and Foucault and I suppose certain structualists such as Claude Levi-Strauss too. Regarding postmodernism, mostly I keep to Hayden White, Keith Jenkins and Alan Muslow.

Some friends and former playing partners back home describe me as the ‘go to guy’ for the history of chess in Bedfordshire. This compliment says more about the lack of interest in the subject than my own endeavour. As mentioned, I am too adrift from academia to feel chuffed by it. Rather, I tend to lament that my historical research, like my chess, just isn’t what it should be. Even though I may well have a broad understanding of Bedfordshire chess history courtesy of the volume of research put into it, all of which began in 2014, this is not something I am particularly proud of. Nonetheless, out of courtesy compliments are graciously received. If the truth be told, I just see it as my job and only that – after all someone’s got to do it and no one else is that interested!

Amongst the many others, I have created three categories: ‘Bedfordshire Chess’ and ‘History of Bedfordshire Chess’ and ‘Luton Chess Club’. This website is slowly moving towards a consolidation of those (all of which can be found in one of the toolbars to the right).

On what this site cannot become…

…I like to be both creative and amusing when I can be, factor in that playfulness has been an ever-present factor, the content of this site should be thought of as multifarious. It could be said I continue to enjoy undermining the conservatism I believe chess is underpinned by even after all these years, and often try to use humour to do it still, believing I have got better at it. Consequently, despite the general direction its going in, this site cannot only be about Chess in Bedfordshire and nor will it be. It may become noted for that yes -in fact that’s been the case for years already even by established historians, archivists, and whoever else. External factors aside, this site is titled McCreadyandChess. I cannot, nor will I not, remove my own personal thoughts and experiences of chess from the posts of this site -especially if I think they are funny or original for they constitute my writing at its very, very best. In addition, the number of categories alone tells you that breadth of content is important to me. I am proud of my site, it is identity conferring and that is how it shall stay -end of story. All you really have are: ‘Some thoughts on the beautiful game’, which, incidentally, just happen to be my very own; nothing more, nothing less, take of it whatever you please… .

Mark. J. McCready

9.56 pm Monday, October 28th 2024

Bangkok, Thailand
Categories
Posts which McCready is mighty pleased with

Malpractice — Replete with dark humour and literary devices

Bedfordshire Chess in the 70s its past and its future — Local History

Our Clash of Future Champions — Local History

Fond Memories of Bedfordshire Chess — Humour & Reflection

Meme 16 — Dark Humour & Parody

Reflections 20— Reflection & Warm Condolence

Reflections 17 — Colourful reflections from afar
Luton & The University of Bedfordshire Chess Club
The University of Bedfordshire Library, Vicarage St. Luton
01582 743921/07710036246 (Humuyan)
kitefighter@gmail.com
Tuesdays from 7.30 pm, The Library, Ground Floor

Please go to:
https://www.lutonchessclub.com/
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A side note on how to read old Tom Sweby's columns
Not perhaps, but quintessentially, Old Tom Sweby is best thought of as a passionate devotee to the newspapers he wrote for. He was well read and knowledgeable of the Bedfordshire chess scene and well beyond, given that he was the president of the S.C.C.U. once upon a time. He was generally well-respected and rubbed shoulders with many, if not all, of those eminent within British chess circles. It would, however, be a critical mistake to see his column is primary source material entirely. That it is not. You will also find secondary source material quoted too, and the reliability of that is not quite as Tom hoped. Given that he wrote for decades, this is to some degree inevitable, and after all we are all prone to error whether we realize it or not. Thankfully, with regards to old Tom Sweby, they are infrequent and for the most part old Tom continued to document events and developments in the Bedfordshire league from the get go as best he could but, of course, everything lies open to interpretation. Despite this, and generally speaking. this does indeed make him informative and thus worth reading. Dare I say his columns constitute a narrative describing the latest developments, match reports and changing nature of the Beds league...he knew his audience and wrote according. This manifested itself over decades but brevity was always in play courtesy of the restictions imposed by writing a column. Should you wish to read a in instrumental figure of the Beds' league post WW2, you are quite welcome to peruse what has been posted here... . :-) I should, however, point out that as the decades wore on he gradually moved on away from narratives concerning the Bedfordshire league towards affairs both historical and international. The reasons for this are multifarous, old age was a predominante factor presumably, however, the bottom line is with regards to how the Bedfordshire chess scene developed post WW2: old Tom Sweby is your go to guy. He wrote more about chess in Bedforshire than anyone else did but given he was a Lutonian and writing for a Luton newspaper there is both bias and greater coverage of his hometown than the rest of the county.
Gallery

I’m either 10 or 11 here

1982, myself versus Brian from Sunderland.

At the Thai Junior chess championships. My daughter of course.

Pattaya 2011

2011

Thai Junior Championships

2008

2011

Around 2011

2011

Pattaya 2009

2011

Kuwait 2008

2012

2012

2011 BKK Chess club

2011

2011 Thai Open

2011 Thai Open

2013 approx

Around 2014

2010

2012

Around 2011

2011

2011

2013

Around 2011

Around 2011

2020

2011

2008

2011

2013 or thereabouts

2010

2017

2014?

2010

2024

2024

2024
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