http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31548749

Managed to get along to see Dark Horse at the film festival the other day. Worth going to see. It's the true story of Genesis Potini in New Zealand. Don't want to ruin it by saying too much more. The chess parts are not the worst portrayal I've seen either.

The February issue just arrived through my letterbox and, as usual, it looks like there is a good read ahead. Skimming through, however, and I was struck by one thing in particular: only 1 (yes ONE) game actually played in Scotland. Instead we are treated to games by Scots from London, Liverpool, Groningen, Hungary and Slovakia. This must be a first! I suspect a symptom of how OTB chess in Scotland is becoming an ever more scarce commodity and how the players remaining here who are motivated to develop their game are spending more and more of their time looking overseas to find suitable events. Food for thought I think.

Another progressive move.

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What's the chances of this happening in the UK or in any of its constituent parts ?

Greenwood in first division urgently need a player for the SNCL on Sunday. Please text me on 07818223609 if interested. Thanks, Pat.

Hopefully the Scottish & UK Parliaments sit up and take notice.

First Armenia, now Spain.

http://www.thelocal.es/20150212/chess-se...t-in-spain

My hard-drive crashed recently so I have got a new hard-drive, moved from windows xp to windows 7 & 150 to 500 storage. Outlook express has gone. What is its best replacement ? I am trying to reconstruct my email address book and previous emails sorted by category. Provider is Virgin Media. Checking emails via the internet leads to scrunching and little sorting so not ideal at the moment.

Hi Guys,

Remember SNCL is on 15th February

I won't be there as it is Mam's 80th Birthday so I think she deserves to get my full attention!!

Any problems please see Andy. Enjoy yourselves

GG

The SJC National Age Championships will be held in Airdrie on Sat 21st February and/or Sun 22nd February.

Age is as at 1st Jan 2015, so J8 on grading list can play under 9 and/or under 10. Some juniors play both days.

Events are split as follows:
Saturday 21st Feb under7/under9/under 11 (time control 25 mins per player)

Sunday 22nd Feb under8/under10/under 12 (time control 25 mins per player)

Sat 21st & Sun 22nd Feb under 14/under 18 (time control 45 mins per player)

Primary players wanting a longer time control can play up in the under 14.

Entries to Michael Hanley as usual. Details are on the attachment.

As some of you may already be aware, I'm moving abroad at the end of the month.
It's perhaps not a surprise that I'm presently trying to dispose of a huge volume of stuff accumulated over the years. Included are a fairly huge number of chess books, some quite old and some quite new. (I'm keeping my best stuff!) These are all now available, free of charge, to good homes. If interested please contact me at georgepyrich at talktalk.net First come, first served. Regrettably items unclaimed by 21 February will be "recycled".