If this whole game is for the purpose of making the sole Yank feel stupid, it’s working. If it’s to make the one semi-French (well, coming from France) person feel uninformed, it’s also working.
I will NOT be bungie-jumping. It’s against my better judgment. But I would love to take photos of anyone who will partake.
Is anyone else bringing a digicam?
Ana, you could try www.morningtoncrescent.co.uk - the link is somewhat sporadic but it was working for me this morning.
Alternatively try:
[[url=“http://www.thurible.org.uk/aiwendil/mc.faq.html”]The Mornington Crescent FAQ](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/9791/imcit.html"The International Mornington Crescent Tournament homepage[/url)
This site with guide for beginners and several great games
pan
Anahita, speaking as a beginner myself, I’m sure you’ll pick it up quickly once you see it played. May I suggest looking at the King Barnard Master Canonical in kabbes first link for the ‘pocket version’ of the basic rules, it is ideal for the novice player. As for me, I am only just coming to terms
with the recursively invoked Chorleywood and Ruislip diversions. Correct me if I
am wrong but doesn’t the reverse Ruislp revoke the declaration of
stirrups in months that end in ‘y’? Surely it must else I can see little point in the Tamkin “bleubeau” gambit, as so masterfully played by the late
grandmaster in the semis of '94?
(and just be glad that Parliament is not suspended for a general election else the Shirokane-Takanawa rule would take on a whole new meaning! :eek: )
Anahita please be aware that, as I explained before, the basic gameplay in Mornington Crescent (MC) is fairly straightforward, and you can have a lot of fun without needing to master some of the more advanced conventions and strategies.
Please also be aware that those of us who have, for better or worse, learned some of the more arcane MC rules and techniques tend to show off a bit. This is all good-natured, and considered by aficionados to be part of the fun of the game. However, many of the situations and rules we’re discussing only occur very, very rarely in actual play, and hence need not trouble beginners (I’ve been a keen MC player for years and I’ve never used the Ruislip diversion yet, cunning though it is.
ObiWan, I don’t pretend to be an expert, just a fan of the game, but the reverse Ruislip doesn’t revoke Stirrups, but can over-ride Stirrups for one turn or consecutive turns made in the same direction (as if that would be much use!). The '94 semis, if you recall, included a Harris Rules section, non-Gibberty, so that’s why Tamkin could get away with it. I expect we’ll be sticking to Gibberty, which is a relief (I can’t remember most of the Harris rules these days and have to look them up!).
Also, if I’ve got this right, Shirokane-Takanawa was declared non-canonical under Gibberty after the Bruges summit of '98. If you recall, Tamkin had proved that, following motion West (Bassingtons in play), MC can always be reached in 3 if the S-T is in effect. Hence the S-T is slightly pointless.
Consider this from Simmington .v. Goossens, Helsinki '97:
Latimer Road (Bassingtons) ; Gospel Oak
Blackfriars ; Acton Central
East Acton (!) ; Acton Central (Stirrups rv)
Seven Sisters ; Perivale
at which point Gooseens declared MC in 3 against any defence e.g.
Swiss Cottage (hoping for a ‘Town’ or ‘Park’ error ) ; Aldgate
Park Royal ; Aldgate East (!!)
ANY : Mornington Crescent
See what I mean?
I remember that match. That Perivale really was a breathtaking move. The decider, I think.
Terrible shame about Simmington’s later Northolt scandal.
. . . . .Almost convinced . . . .
Gartog, you know you want to. We’re having beer. And possibly chutney.
I have mixed feelings about it. The guy was a great player, no doubt, and gave us some great games to enjoy (semi-final against Sakhara, Milan '89 anyone?), but re the Northolt thing, he was cheating, no doubt about it (he even sort of admitted it in later life), and was caught fair and square. Nonetheless, I prefer to remember what he gave to the game rather than what he took away from it. Remember, he discovered the 3-step from Ravenscourt Park to Chalk Farm at a time when ‘experts’ were telling us all it was impossible, a myth, would never be found etc. etc.
This catches many players out even today. Set up a legal game situation and challenge them to find the same 3-step. Nearly all will conclude it’s impossible, then show them Simmington’s move - you’ll blow their minds!
What’re the possibilities of getting together again sometime in the middle of July?
I have a friend from Texas in London, and she has demanded that I come visit her new home. As a reward for my surviving 30 years as a member of our species, I’ve decided to treat myself to a trip there.
I plan to stay for a week or two. If I’m there a week, I may not even venture outside of London, but if it’s two weeks, I’d like to go to Scotland and Wales, and maybe even take that neat train that goes under the English Channel.
I’d hate to face the French hordes alone, though…
I was joking, I suppose. I don’t mind, MC away. I’ll just laugh and amuse myself at the funny names.
BTW, I know the Tokyo subways very well, also the Paris metro, so I plan on introducing some of my own new moves to all of you Pommey bastards**. Eeep, I mean, lovely British folks.
**Remind me to tell you how/when I learned that phrase.
Other may correct me, but as far as I’m aware there are no legal moves in MC which refer to any destinations except those appearing on the official London tube map (now including Jubilee Line extension). I’m sure this is true within the Gibberty codex, and pretty sure even the Harris code (weird though it is) makes the same stipulation. Sorry to seem a bit ‘square’, but there you go. It’s not like ‘Monopoly’ where the playing nomenclature varies with region / nationality. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be ‘Mornington Crescent’.
Nonetheless, Anahita, you will, of course, be very welcome to play.
I suppose you’ve never sat in a Devon pub playing a fevered game of ‘Thurlestone’, then?
Actually Ianzin, I believe there is a break-away group that is setting up an experimental game of Chausee d’Antin Lafayette, but it’s all very unofficial at the moment. Certainly not in accordance with the Trenticsy sub-ruling at any rate. I expect it’ll be a few years before we hear of any real chafing from the French camp, when you remember that they’re completely unable to shunt from the side.
In any game as established as MC, there will always be people trying to adapt it for their own uses. I feel for them, given the difficult restrictions they face and occasional prejudice from the more purist MC players, but I think in this brave new century there’s room for experimentation.
Still, they’ll be getting ideas in Glasgow next.
Or in Rome. The absolutely brilliant thing about the Rome underground is that it is one, single, straight line. That’s it! That’s all they built! The hugely funny thing is that they nonetheless bother to print *maps * of it which they stick inside the carriages, on posters etc. like we do with ours. Maps. Of a single straight red line with some stations on it. Not as if a plain old list would suffice, huh?
Anyway, if you think for a moment about the implications for a MC-type game using the Rome underground… well, it fair boggles the mind. About half the standard moves cease to have any meaning, Stirrups become a nonsense, Bassingtons lead to some very bizarre results (such as moving to exactly where you are) and one of the ugliest features of the game, Rusilip Loops, become virtually unavoidable!
Damn yes!
So does TwistofFat count?
(you can tell I haven’t been online in a couple of days… going post-crazy!)
I’d just like to ask what’s going to be the average age of Londope 2002 attendees? I’m a very old person (40) so I’m wondering whether or not to come along. Never having attended a Dopefest I’m wondering what the prevailing ambience is like - student rec. room, Club 18-30 (pray no), office party, or what?
Oh, and to be mind-numbingly practical, how do we recognise + find each other? Do we just wander around Waterloo / Silver Cross bumping into complete strangers and saying “Hey, you here for the Dope?”. We could, but in either location this question will get you some funny looks and a lot of offers concerning small packets of ‘oregano’. How about the SDMB logo tattooed on foreheads?
ianzin,
In Waterloo you will see a motley crue of intelligent looking wastrels standing under the clock at 1pm. We will have a sign.
For the Silver Cross, we will be at a table and will have a sign.
FYI, for those of you who havent seen me before, I’m the 22yo with short brown hair, and a evil goatee. Quite possibly laughing manically, ala Scorpio from the Simpsons.
I will be wearing a green t-shirt with Groundskeeper Willy on the front, and the words “Grease me up, Woman” on the back.
Indeed, words to live by.
ianzin, a woman never tells her age. Let’s just say, I’m 1/3 of a century old.
So, us oldie moldies can sit and compare wrinkle creams and liver spots.
Hehe. Actually, I thought Francesca was much closer in age to me than she is. She’s much more mature than I was at her age. I can’t wait to meet her!
I’m 23 (and, apparently, not a lady), but don’t worry, you probably won’t be the oldest. Besides, aren’t we all young and free and slightly less plump in our hearts?
Assuming Nostradamus (Nos - yes? no? Not too busy gigolo-ing?) is still coming, he’s older than you.
I don’t know what I’ll be wearing, but it’ll probably be black/dark. This is a flattering photo of me:
http://www.geocities.com/espresso_design/temporarypreviewfile.html
(If the link doesn’t work, c & p it into the browser address.)