Brits: If them yanks can play chess on here, then we can play Mornington Crescent!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

As I have noticed a few chess matches being played here I thought this might be a chance to allow our tea-dodging colonial cousins to see a REAL game of strategy and intellect.

I’m sure I’m not the only Brit (or other) here who knows how to play the fiendish game that is Mornington Crescent. So I propose a game.

As it will (hopefully) be a multi player game I propose that for clarity’s sake we stick with the conventional Marble Arch rules - with the add-on that as it’s a Royal Wedding year we should also allow Hobson’s Royal Protocol - with all Royal Associations giving priority and scoring double. Agreed?

If we’re all happy with that I’ll get the ball rolling with a simple non-controversial opening that keeps all options live, and has a royal theme:

Baron’s Court.

Over to you…

2

Queen’s Park.

3

Ooh, tricky… er… Oh! Regent’s Park!

4

Hmmm. This is where I realise that I may have bitten off rather more than I can chew. Good moves so far.

So…

Chalfont and Latimer.

5

May a Yank join in? If not, feel free to ignore my post.

Earl’s Court. Being as it’s Monday I’ve used the 3-line change rule to manoeuvre to that spot. The colour going forward is green.

6

Well, since we’re playing Marble Arch rules, and presumably incorporating the 1982 Amendments (not all being in the same physical location and all) I have to say that you’re quite welcome to join in.
Which is a shame, because I think you’ve put me in nid.

7

Knightsbridge.

8

Are there rules to this game, aparrt from responses haviing too be Tube stations?

Will Heathrow Terminal 1,2,3 work here, or is that a dead end? (At least while Heathrow Terminal 4 is closed :slight_smile:

9

FWIW, I think the main person in the chess thread is English. Also, what’s the objective to this game?

10

Is this, like…British Calvinball?

11

Yes there are rules. They’re quite involved and if I started to explain them it would set off a flame-war. That’s because it’s played slightly, but significantly diffently, in various parts of the country. That’s why I established a common rule set at the beginning of the game - the Marble Arch (ie London) rules.

In essence you have to get to Mornington Crescent, and avoid being in nid.
And your move is valid - if a little naive, so following on fron your move…

Piccadilly

12

I only ever spectate/comment on MC contests because my end game is crap.

Are you allowing co-operative play since it’s a multi-player contest? If not, and it’s every man for himself this could get hairy. Games with more than six players tend towards degenerative loops (see the Heathrow move!)

I suggest restricting Circle Line moves, just to keep the ball in play.

13

Three questions:

(1) Is the WAtterloo & Ciity line included?

(2) Is the DLR included?

(3) Are closed lines (e.g., Holborn to Aldwych) included?

14

Viscount Rumbledown’s famous East London Line manouvere sorts out that Heathrow issue - although it could cause problems around Euston later.

Canada Water.

15

Of course.

Only under the restrictions imposed by the 1996 Helsinki conference.

Yes, but it’d be a brave man that played them.

16

In response to Canad Water:

Shadwell

17

Not valid under Marble Arch Rules. If you look at the '92 Conference addendum, you’ll see that East London Line transfers aren’t valid until after Shepard’s Bush has been played. So, you forfeit your move, which lets me move to Latimer Road.

18

I think I can get to Stratford (via Poplar) from there, although I’m not sure if that blocks Mile End.

19

That was revoked after the Seoul fiasco, when Distranovich locked the game into Zone 5 for several hundred moves.

20

Cite? :smiley: