Plzen, Czech Republic - Day 3 and 4

Plzen - Day 3

Yesterday was a tough day - Andy tried to wake me before 12 o'clock. I told him I'd meet him downstairs, then went back to sleep. Counts as a win in itself! I was playing against the Greek legend, Epaminondas Korousis. It was an interesting game that went to the end of the time control - The position was about equal, but he made some complications and I messed it up a bit. He won, but it should have been drawn. I'm sure there was more I wanted to add yesterday - But I was so tired I fell asleep as soon I got back to the accommodation (I was that tired I even forgot to clean my teeth!).

Plzen - Day 4 

The past few days haven't really been that exciting, so I'm trying to make something up just now to make this text a bit more fanciful. My game today was against one of the Russian team, Mr. Simkin. It was a really interesting game, we both made mistakes, but I managed to win it overall. So at the end of four rounds I'm on three points, sitting joint second, and Andy is on three and half, making him joint first. Its only a seven round tournament, so three big matches over the next few days! Tune in tomorrow for more exciting blogging...

Brno, Czech - Day 5

Day 5 - Double games with un-rhymable names.

Today was the double round day so I'm absolutely knackered. Last night was rather exciting - We got back to the drugs den around ten o'clock, and started preparing for today. Five minutes in the electricity went off, causing widespread panic and fear.

We woke this morning and headed for the playing hall still watt-less. I won this mornings game, playing some dodgy line that made for an interesting game. After my game an old Czech man tapped me on the shoulder, so I followed him over to a board where he proceeded to show me a line in the opening I had played. I didn't really understand the point of the whole exercise, but after the final move he smiled at me, laughed a little, then patted me on the back. Peter C lost this morning and Andrew drew.

This afternoon was interesting - I messed my game up big style but managed to hold a draw somehow. Peter C won and Andrew drew. I'm pretty tired and cant really be boogered typing any more. And to top it all off I've got Andrew and Peter C lecturing me that I cant make up and use words after asking them how to spell boogered. Maybe they should booger off.

Brno, Czech - Day 1 and 2

Day 1 - Moving into the safe house.

Just realised I've not updated this blog in ages, so thought it's about time to post more hedonistic ramblings and flood peoples' timelines.

I'm staying with Andrew Burnett and Peter Constantinou in Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, in what we assume is some kind of drugs storage / gang safe house (The main lock of the door locks three times, and there's seven other bolt locks on the door!).

We arrived yesterday and sorted dibs on beds, then me and Andy headed to the local Albert supermarket. We bought some bread and cheese, tried to buy some cigarettes, got told we couldn't buy cigarettes from the counter we were at, got some packets of cigarettes thrown at us, then headed back to prepare for the first game.

We got wildly lost trying to find the venue, resulting in a breakdown of group camaraderie. After much tutting and Peters elvish scouting, we eventually phoned a taxi. All three of us won our games, so we returned to the accommodation tired but chuffed.

Day 2 - Braveheart Re-enactment.

We awoke to find the draw for the day posted online - Me and Peter were to clash wood (Steady now) on board three. The shared bedroom was split down the middle, with a serious penalty applied for spying on the other persons preparation. The atmosphere was tense - every so often Peter or Myself would shout over a ridiculous move or series of moves, then pretend to laugh at how improbable it would be to appear on the board, yet secretly gauge the other persons subliminal reaction. 

We grabbed a light lunch then headed to the venue. Andrew was playing against a Welsh guy on board five, with an Irish person doing battle on board four. We jested about a British invasion, the Czech's didn't find it quite so amusing. 

The arbiter declared the games to begin, and the mind war started. Me and Peter have spent a lot of time analysing different opening idea's and strategies, so for the first few moves we both spent extra time trying to trick the other person into something they didn't know. The battle was intense - Knights we're neighing, bishops were bashing, and rooks were... rooking. We were the last game to finish, with a draw being the result. We met up with Andy and the Irish guy at the pub next door, entertained the bar staff with our terrible Czech, then headed back to the safe house.

France, Lille - Day 5

Too tired for witty title.

Another double round today, it starts to take its toll. This morning I was playing a 2335 IM. Missed a tactic, thought I was just winning a piece! I blame being tired, but I wasn't even that tired this morning. Got my sandwich from the French sandwich shop, this time ordering a twix as well. There was a dad with a pram in front of me, and when I pointed to the twix the little child jumped out of her seat and said something to me. It was so cute in French, it must have been like "I want one!" or something because people laughed. The afternoons game turned out to be a default, as the boy heard there's a Scottish legend tearing everyone a new one so he didn't turn up.

Too tired to write any more, tomorrow I play a 2250 guy as black. Ill make up more exciting stories then.

France, Lille - Day 3

Playing chess with Maxime-um power

Today was a double rounder, meaning I'm totally knackered. Woke up and grabbed some breakfast, then went to do battle with the 2510 GM Maxime Legarde. He'd obviously done his homework and opened with c4, which is an instant win against me. (Or maybe he just got lucky.) The game was interesting I guess, he just played good logical moves and squeezed me. I tried to complicate it but he saw through the trickiness and took the full point. 

For lunch I found a nice little sandwich shop, again with the woman speaking no English. We had a bit of fun trying to work out what was on the sandwiches - Ham is pretty self explanatory, but I had to confirm "Egg" by flapping my arms and doing my best constipated face. She was really cheery and the whole experience and sandwich was pleasing. As I walked out she said "Adieu missour", and I thought it was a lovely way of saying goodbye to someone. (She was probably saying "Don't come back, sir!")

I dodged the decrepit begging scum and made it back to the playing hall for the afternoon's game - Board thirty six against a 1600 Frenchman. He went a little astray early and I managed to get a sizeable advantage quite quickly. I won the game to put me on three points out of a possible four. Tomorrow I play against a 2289 guy as black, should be a bit of fun!

For tea the pizza shop had buy one get one free on medium pizza's. Took a wee while for us both to confirm that it was free, and that the deal wasn't on small pizza's, but we got there. Time for some much needed sleep now. Preparation for tomorrow can wait until the morning.

France, Lille - Day 2

Rekindling my chess Lourve

I was playing against a 2366 International Master today, and I won! Walked home with a big smile on my face and felt awesome. Our game was the last game to finish, and it was probably the best game of chess that 2014 has seen! Just spent twenty minutes trying to get a PGN online viewer to work, It's chucking whites so I'd best leave it and actually try and prepare something for tomorrow.

For tea tonight I got a pizza. I walked into the little take-a-way place and asked if the guy spoke english. He nodded and replied in French, then handed me a menu. I ordered a "Chicken" pizza, and whilst waiting for it, watched the TV that was in the shop. It must have been a comedy that was on - The guy would burst out laughing, then  try and explain the French jokes to me in French. I was so chuffed with the win I just laughed along and made hand gestures like "I understand!". I didn't.

So tomorrow I'm on board five playing against a 2510 Grandmaster. Oh its on!

France, Lille - Day 1

Lille... its not Nice.

I'm in Lille, a wee town in the north east of France. Got here two days ago - And what a two days its been! First off I pride myself on my ability to navigate and book speedily on travelling websites - As tricky as the buggers can be trying to sell you an extra leg room seat for your pet gorilla. So I get to the airport, go through security, up to the gate only to find my boarding pass has speedy boarding on it. The flight attendants amplified voice invites the Priority boarding passengers up, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. On all my previous trips I deliberately try and get to the gate early so I can stare out the pretentious idiots who pay an extra tenner to sit on an aeroplane for ten minutes instead of sitting in the airport for ten minutes. I queued with the average people, hoping the attendant wouldn't notice or say anything. She did. I just giggled, muttered something like "Ryan air wins this time." and hastily made for the plane. 

I was really tired getting onto the plane and I remember looking around as I was queueing, and seeing a Crow land on a barbed wire fence. It makes sense now, but at the time I was really concerned for the crow.

The city of Lille is nice enough - I got here on a Sunday, meaning every shop was closed. I walked about twenty minutes in all directions and couldn't find anything! Eventually had to make do with a McDonald's Tea and no toothpaste. (I'm not complaining, I love McDonald's.)

Got a burger and chips for lunch today - The main square is full of open air food places and restaurants. Its also full of really rude beggars, who literally hold you still in the street with one hand and make the 'spare change' gesture with the other hand. Also I quickly learned not to give a cigarette out - Homeless people here seem to have some sort of inbuilt vulture-istic radar that picks up when a generous person is being generous, and they immediately all flock to that person!

I had to get money out to pay the tournament entry fee - The only cash machine I could find had a beggar sitting either side of it. As I put my card in and pressed the button, the guy was rambling non stop and making the money sign. I told him I had no money at all. As my eighty euros came out the machine I made a quick getaway, pitying him slightly by reminding myself he's going to buy booze and drugs with it. Hang on...

Round One

The first round was today and I beat an 1806 French guy. The game was interesting and I think I played quite well. Tomorrow I've got a 2366 IM.