# Brits: If them yanks can play chess on here, then we can play Mornington Crescent! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 7, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344 "2005-03-07T12:58:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/1 "2005-03-07T12:58:30Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/2 "2005-03-07T13:01:59Z")
Queen’s Park. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/3 "2005-03-07T13:11:57Z")
Ooh, tricky… er… Oh! Regent’s Park! ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/4 "2005-03-07T13:14:22Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/5 "2005-03-07T13:22:17Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/6 "2005-03-07T14:09:26Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > May a Yank join in? 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. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/7 "2005-03-07T14:24:07Z")
Knightsbridge. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/8 "2005-03-07T15:09:05Z")
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 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/9 "2005-03-07T15:14:51Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > 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. FWIW, I think the main person in the chess thread is English. Also, what’s the objective to this game? ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/10 "2005-03-07T15:29:29Z")
Is this, like…British Calvinball? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/11 "2005-03-07T15:31:48Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > 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 🙂 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 ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/12 "2005-03-07T16:19:32Z")
I only ever spectate/comment on **MC** contests because my end game is crap. > [@owlstretch](#): > > Marble Arch rules 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. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/13 "2005-03-07T16:43:54Z")
Three questions: (1) Is the WAtterloo & Ciity line included? (2) Is the DLR included? (3) Are closed lines (e.g., Holborn to Aldwych) included? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/14 "2005-03-07T16:45:40Z")
Viscount Rumbledown’s famous East London Line manouvere sorts out that Heathrow issue - although it could cause problems around Euston later. Canada Water. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/15 "2005-03-07T16:48:42Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Three questions: > > (1) Is the WAtterloo & Ciity line included? Of course. > [@](#): > > (2) Is the DLR included? Only under the restrictions imposed by the 1996 Helsinki conference. > [@](#): > > (3) Are closed lines (e.g., Holborn to Aldwych) included? Yes, but it’d be a brave man that played them. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/16 "2005-03-07T17:01:55Z")
In response to Canad Water: Shadwell ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/17 "2005-03-07T17:05:08Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Canada Water. 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. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/18 "2005-03-07T17:05:27Z")
I _think_ I can get to Stratford (via Poplar) from there, although I’m not sure if that blocks Mile End. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/19 "2005-03-07T17:06:35Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > 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. That was revoked after the Seoul fiasco, when Distranovich locked the game into Zone 5 for several hundred moves. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344/20 "2005-03-07T17:09:11Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > That was revoked after the Seoul fiasco, when Distranovich locked the game into Zone 5 for several hundred moves. Cite? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brits-if-them-yanks-can-play-chess-on-here-then-we-can-play-mornington-crescent/293344.md?page=2)