What do you want from life?
Are you still dreaming of the illusive larger pay-packet, the bigger house and the faster car?
All these decades in…is it still possible to see those dreams come to fruition?
Or could it possibly be that each and every one of us who is still surviving the extraordinary challenges of these terrible times has an unforeseen opportunity to change in ways which would have seemed impossible one year ago?
Everyone has been forced to change. Some changes have been for the better; some for the worse. Maybe you have felt thoroughly disorganised, or even worthless. Perhaps you have felt anger rising at unexpected moments, or become surprisingly emotional over the smallest of matters. Do you hide your tears? Can you still bring the Black Dog to heel?
Do not underestimate how well you have done. So many people weren’t able to make it this far at all.
What do you want from life?
You can make it anything you would like it to be.
Imagine if you had been away for a year or more. When you return to your usual situation, you will have changed. The people you know will all have changed too. Some former friends will have moved on; others will become more prominent in your life.
This is the situation we are all going to be in if we can eventually emerge at the other side of this emergency.
There is an unexpected blank canvas in front of all of us. Time to assess what is really important; time to let go of a plethora of things which are important no more.
In the words of Paul Cezanne: ‘It's so fine and yet so terrible to stand in front of a blank canvas.’
Remove the terror and bring plenty of paint.
The sooner we start, the better it will be. I need to be a better version of me. Much better.
Time is against all of us; tomorrow is never promised.
What do you want from life?
Saturday, 3 April 2021
Project 30: Results Update
The semi-finals of both competitions have now concluded.All four battles were extremely close and ferociously contested.
The results are given below.
The pairings for the respective finals are:
Rapidplay:
(An eight-game match)
Matt Jackman - Dave Baillie
KO:
Andrew Smith - Rayelynn Posadas
Target Date for Completion of the Finals: End of April 2021
Project 30 Rapidplay Match Championship
January - April 2021
Semi-Final Results
(Matches were of six games)
Matt Jackman 3.5-2.5 Andrew Smith (W2, D3, -1 from Matt's point of view)
Dave Baillie 3-3 Richard Harris (+2, =2, -2. Dave won the Blitz play-off)
Project 30 KO Championship 2021
February - April 2021
Semi-Final Results
(Players will decide the colours)
Andrew Smith 1-0 (First game drawn) Dave Baillie
Matt Jackman 0-1 Rayelynn Posadas
All-play-all Capablanca Tournament
Peter Harker 7/10
Royce Parker 6/10
Paul Weightman 3/6
John Garnett 3/6
Mike Pointon 1/4
Kevin Waterman 0/4
Results
Peter Harker 2-0 Mike Pointon
Peter Harker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Peter Harker 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Peter Harker 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
Peter Harker 0.5-1.5 John Garnett
Royce Parker 1.5-0.5 John Garnett
Royce Parker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Royce Parker 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Royce Parker 1-1 Mike Pointon
Paul Weightman 1-1 John Garnett
All-play-all Alekhine Tournament
Richard Harris 4.5/6
Graham Edwards 1/2
Royce Parker 0.5/2
Kevin Waterman 0/2
Results
Richard Harris 1-1 Graham Edwards
Richard Harris 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
Rules:
In both of the new tournaments, the format will be all-play-all twice. A 1-1 result will stand; there will be no tie-breakers.
The default time-limit will be 30 minutes on each clock, but there is scope for you to decide on another time-limit with your opponents.
Start as soon as you want to, using the rough timetable of one round in February and two rounds per subsequent months, which should enable the tournaments to draw to a close at the end of April 2021.
The pairings for the respective finals are:
Rapidplay:
(An eight-game match)
Matt Jackman - Dave Baillie
KO:
Andrew Smith - Rayelynn Posadas
Target Date for Completion of the Finals: End of April 2021
Project 30 Rapidplay Match Championship
January - April 2021
Semi-Final Results
(Matches were of six games)
Matt Jackman 3.5-2.5 Andrew Smith (W2, D3, -1 from Matt's point of view)
Dave Baillie 3-3 Richard Harris (+2, =2, -2. Dave won the Blitz play-off)
Project 30 KO Championship 2021
February - April 2021
Semi-Final Results
(Players will decide the colours)
Andrew Smith 1-0 (First game drawn) Dave Baillie
Matt Jackman 0-1 Rayelynn Posadas
All-play-all Capablanca Tournament
Peter Harker 7/10
Royce Parker 6/10
Paul Weightman 3/6
John Garnett 3/6
Mike Pointon 1/4
Kevin Waterman 0/4
Results
Peter Harker 2-0 Mike Pointon
Peter Harker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Peter Harker 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Peter Harker 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
Peter Harker 0.5-1.5 John Garnett
Royce Parker 1.5-0.5 John Garnett
Royce Parker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Royce Parker 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Royce Parker 1-1 Mike Pointon
Paul Weightman 1-1 John Garnett
All-play-all Alekhine Tournament
Richard Harris 4.5/6
Graham Edwards 1/2
Royce Parker 0.5/2
Kevin Waterman 0/2
Results
Richard Harris 1-1 Graham Edwards
Richard Harris 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
Rules:
In both of the new tournaments, the format will be all-play-all twice. A 1-1 result will stand; there will be no tie-breakers.
The default time-limit will be 30 minutes on each clock, but there is scope for you to decide on another time-limit with your opponents.
Start as soon as you want to, using the rough timetable of one round in February and two rounds per subsequent months, which should enable the tournaments to draw to a close at the end of April 2021.
Monday, 8 March 2021
The Teesside Roar
There is a lot of talk about schools reopening today, when in fact they have never closed.
The difference is that all pupils are now expected to return, albeit with various new measures in place.
It should not be overlooked or forgotten that staff in all schools have worked incredibly hard, often in extremely difficult circumstances, all the way through the full year of the current pandemic.
It is strange that self-testing has just been introduced after a whole year of expecting school staff to work on the front-line without such an important measure being in place, but despite some loud voices offering opinions to the contrary, school staff do have an extremely strong sense of duty and genuinely do care about children and their families.
CSC Teesside has never stopped delivering chess lessons to our schools either.
We have had to evolve, retrain and often go beyond the call of duty.
Yet we never stopped - and didn't even come close to giving up.
I know for sure exactly the magnitude of our impact on schools.
Enrichment has become more important than ever. Teachers openly report to me that they have not seen the children so enthused about anything else for a long time. It has been worth the journey just to see all of the smiling faces.
We have delivered lessons online to nearly all of our CSC Teesside schools and from tomorrow we will be delivering partly online and partly in person.
School renewals for 2021-22 are going extremely well, proving that loyalty works both ways.
The CSC Tessside tutors - Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Harris and Mr. Edmunds - are three heroes, who have never shirked a challenge and who inspire hundreds of children all across our area, every single week.
We are certainly not out of the woods yet, but we are ready, willing and able to continue delivering top-quality lessons whatever happens next.
The Teesside roar will never fade away.
The difference is that all pupils are now expected to return, albeit with various new measures in place.
It should not be overlooked or forgotten that staff in all schools have worked incredibly hard, often in extremely difficult circumstances, all the way through the full year of the current pandemic.
It is strange that self-testing has just been introduced after a whole year of expecting school staff to work on the front-line without such an important measure being in place, but despite some loud voices offering opinions to the contrary, school staff do have an extremely strong sense of duty and genuinely do care about children and their families.
CSC Teesside has never stopped delivering chess lessons to our schools either.
We have had to evolve, retrain and often go beyond the call of duty.
Yet we never stopped - and didn't even come close to giving up.
I know for sure exactly the magnitude of our impact on schools.
Enrichment has become more important than ever. Teachers openly report to me that they have not seen the children so enthused about anything else for a long time. It has been worth the journey just to see all of the smiling faces.
We have delivered lessons online to nearly all of our CSC Teesside schools and from tomorrow we will be delivering partly online and partly in person.
School renewals for 2021-22 are going extremely well, proving that loyalty works both ways.
The CSC Tessside tutors - Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Harris and Mr. Edmunds - are three heroes, who have never shirked a challenge and who inspire hundreds of children all across our area, every single week.
We are certainly not out of the woods yet, but we are ready, willing and able to continue delivering top-quality lessons whatever happens next.
The Teesside roar will never fade away.
Tuesday, 2 March 2021
Project 30 Update
Project 30 Rapidplay Match Championship
January - April 2021
Semi-Final Pairings
(Matches are of six games)
Matt Jackman - Andrew Smith
Dave Baillie - Graham Edwards or Richard Harris (currently 0-2; to be concluded...)
Project 30 KO Championship 2021
February - April 2021
Semi-Final Pairings
(Players will decide the colours)
Andrew Smith - Dave Baillie
Matt Jackman - Rayelynn Posadas
Target Date for Completion of the Semi-Finals: End of March 2021.
All-play-all Capablanca Tournament
Peter Harker 5/6
January - April 2021
Semi-Final Pairings
(Matches are of six games)
Matt Jackman - Andrew Smith
Dave Baillie - Graham Edwards or Richard Harris (currently 0-2; to be concluded...)
Project 30 KO Championship 2021
February - April 2021
Semi-Final Pairings
(Players will decide the colours)
Andrew Smith - Dave Baillie
Matt Jackman - Rayelynn Posadas
Target Date for Completion of the Semi-Finals: End of March 2021.
All-play-all Capablanca Tournament
Peter Harker 5/6
Paul Weightman 3/6
Royce Parker 2.5/4
John Garnett 1.5/4
Mike Pointon 0/2
Royce Parker 2.5/4
John Garnett 1.5/4
Mike Pointon 0/2
Kevin Waterman 0/2
Results
Peter Harker 2-0 Mike Pointon
Peter Harker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Peter Harker 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Royce Parker 1.5-0.5 John Garnett
Royce Parker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Paul Weightman 1-1 John Garnett
All-play-all Alekhine Tournament
Richard Harris 4.5/6
Graham Edwards 1/2
Royce Parker 0.5/2
Kevin Waterman 0/2
Results
Richard Harris 1-1 Graham Edwards
Richard Harris 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
Peter Harker 2-0 Mike Pointon
Peter Harker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Peter Harker 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Royce Parker 1.5-0.5 John Garnett
Royce Parker 1-1 Paul Weightman
Paul Weightman 1-1 John Garnett
All-play-all Alekhine Tournament
Richard Harris 4.5/6
Graham Edwards 1/2
Royce Parker 0.5/2
Kevin Waterman 0/2
Results
Richard Harris 1-1 Graham Edwards
Richard Harris 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris 1.5-0.5 Royce Parker
Monday, 1 March 2021
New Interview
Tuesday, 9 February 2021
The Bible
My book is soon to be reissued, with a small number of updates, a new cover and a brand new title.
Further details are available here.
Project 30: January-April 2021
Project 30 hit the ground running at the start of 2021 with four new events.
Project 30 KO Championship 2021
Round One Results
Matt Jackman 1-0 Royce Parker
Dave Baillie 1-0 Dave Edmunds
Richard Harris 0-1 Peter Harker
Mike Pointon 1-0 Kevin Waterman
Sean Cassidy 0-1 Andrew Smith
Rayelynn Posadas 1-0 Graham Edwards
Paul Weightman 1-0 Bye
John Garnett 1-0 Bye
Round Two
John Garnett - Andrew Smith
Matt Jackman - Paul Weightman
Rayelynn Posadas 1-0 Peter Harker
Mike Pointon - Dave Baillie
Project 30 Rapidplay Match Championship
Round One Results
Matt Jackman 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Dave Baillie 1.5-0.5 Peter Harker
Richard Harris 2-0 Mike Pointon
Royce Parker 1-1 Andrew Smith (Andrew won the Blitz play-off, 2-0)
John Garnett 1-1 Rayelynn Posadas (Rayelynn won the Blitz play-off, 2-0)
Dave Edmunds 2-0 Paul Weightman
Sean Cassidy 2-0 Bye
Graham Edwards 2-0 Bye
Matt Jackman - Paul Weightman
Rayelynn Posadas 1-0 Peter Harker
Mike Pointon - Dave Baillie
Project 30 Rapidplay Match Championship
Round One Results
Matt Jackman 2-0 Kevin Waterman
Dave Baillie 1.5-0.5 Peter Harker
Richard Harris 2-0 Mike Pointon
Royce Parker 1-1 Andrew Smith (Andrew won the Blitz play-off, 2-0)
John Garnett 1-1 Rayelynn Posadas (Rayelynn won the Blitz play-off, 2-0)
Dave Edmunds 2-0 Paul Weightman
Sean Cassidy 2-0 Bye
Graham Edwards 2-0 Bye
Round Two
Dave Edmunds - Andrew Smith
Rayelynn Posadas - Matt Jackman
Dave Baillie - Sean Cassidy
Graham Edwards - Richard Harris
Players eliminated from he first rounds of the above tournaments were invited to participate in the following all-play-all events.
All-play-all Capablanca Tournament
Kevin Waterman
John Garnett
Peter Harker
Mike Pointon
Royce Parker
Paul Weightman
All-play-all Alekhine Tournament
Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris
Royce Parker
Graham Edwards
Dave Edmunds - Andrew Smith
Rayelynn Posadas - Matt Jackman
Dave Baillie - Sean Cassidy
Graham Edwards - Richard Harris
Players eliminated from he first rounds of the above tournaments were invited to participate in the following all-play-all events.
All-play-all Capablanca Tournament
Kevin Waterman
John Garnett
Peter Harker
Mike Pointon
Royce Parker
Paul Weightman
All-play-all Alekhine Tournament
Kevin Waterman
Richard Harris
Royce Parker
Graham Edwards
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