WITH THE KNIGHT
WE are all aware of the unusual challenges that are currently afflicting us. Questions, no matter how difficult, need answers! How can we continue playing chess, a game we all love, in these unusual times. And the answer is... we go on-line, eliminating the risks of contracting and/ or transmitting the disease.
Thankfully, Tim Wall FM has the knowledge and skills needed to create an on-line league and, enough players have the enthusiasm and desire to continue playing despite
the enforced changes in the way matches are conducted.
So, in the space of a bit more than a week, a new on-line league has emerged with three divisions A,B and C accommodating six, six and eight teams, respectively. Brilliantly, it includes teams from Teesside, and Durham as well as the Northumberland League.
Division A
Gosforth Empire Forest Hall A
Puzzle C: White to play
Jesmond Durham University Tynemouth/Morpeth A Durham City A
Division B
Durham City B Forest Hall C Tynemouth/ Morpeth B Newcastle University Forest Hall B Thornaby
Division C
Bishop Auckland B Billingham Synthonia Tynedale
Bishop Auckland A Forest Hall D Gosforth Ivy Tynemouth/Morpeth A Durham City C
Puzzle D: Black to play ( a harder puzzle)
This is an exciting competition with a little bit faster time controls and with all matches played on Tuesday nights, one each fortnight.
Like other club members I’m really looking forward to it, partly because it fills what would have been a vaccuum in the chess calendar but also because it provides the opportunity to play against some new opponents, a good all round experience. Translating an idea into a working operation demands a lot of knowledge and skills and to do it so quickly ( and at the cost of some sleep deprivation!!)and is a great achievement. Well done Tim!
APPLE is also making a new, smaller, and cheaper version of its HomePod smart speaker.
It says it sounds superb for its size, but also offers access to Siri and all it can do - including control of smart devices around the home.
A new feature Apple is introducing for all HomePods with this release is a new app called Intercom, which allows users to send private voice messages between HomePods, iPhones and Apple Watches.
HomePod Mini’s big selling point is that it costs almost a third of what you’d pay for a standard HomePod at £99. It comes in two colours – white and space gray.