# No Mornington Crescent yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 21, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569 "2008-02-21T15:28:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [February 21, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/1 "2008-02-21T15:28:42Z")
Wahat? A new game forum and no thread with Mornington Crescent in it? So let’s start one. I’ll make it easy for the newbies (who include myself) with a very orthodox opening gambit: **Bank** ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/2 "2008-02-21T15:40:14Z")
Are diagonals in play? Being a leap year, this becomes significant, thanks to Thwaite’s Paradox. Either way, I’ll opt for safety with **Leytonstone**. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/3 "2008-02-21T15:41:40Z")
Have we decided to keep it at the Novice level for a bit? Just to hook the punters? Works for me. I’ll keep it linear with a simple counter-clockwise masse and play **King’s Cross** ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/4 "2008-02-21T15:42:44Z")
You haven’t mentioned a rules system, so I assume you’re using Wellesby’s Standard Forced. I’m all for newbies keeping up, but we don’t want them just to learn the safer moves. **Finsbury Park** ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/5 "2008-02-21T15:48:48Z")
OK, we’ll keep this reasonably simple: I’m sure the novices can see the logic behind a transitional interchange via **Hatton Cross**. ---
**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:** [February 21, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/6 "2008-02-21T15:49:12Z")
**GorillaMan** ’s move is at a level of subtlety a bit out of my range, while **silenus** ’s is perhaps too obvious. Yes we’re using Wellesby’s Standard Forced, but with the 1967 addendum to deal with the World Cup fiasco of that year. I’ll aim to a middle ground in difficulty: **Shepherd’s Bush** (and to clarify, I mean the station on the Hammersmith and City line). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/7 "2008-02-21T15:54:05Z")
Not having my copy of the rule book here at school, I’m having to operate from memory. But IIRC, since I am a Colonial, that gives me an early opening to play **Kilburn**. Or was that disallowed in international play after the Australian Open of '94? ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/8 "2008-02-21T15:55:51Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] **Shepherd’s Bush** (and to clarify, I mean the station on the Hammersmith and City line). [/QUOTE] :rolleyes: Well, of course you did. We’re not **all** amateurs here. Interesting move, **silenus** , but this basic play is bringing me down some. Let’s separate the wheat from the chaff here. **Wimbeldon Park** beyond **Chalk Farm**. And yes, I know what you’re thinking, and no, I don’t acknowledge the Bavarian Addendum. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/9 "2008-02-21T15:56:58Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] I’ll aim to a middle ground in difficulty: **Shepherd’s Bush** (and to clarify, I mean the station on the Hammersmith and City line). [/QUOTE] Careful doing that, there’s a danger of a Dollis Hill loop coming out of this situation. But if we’re acception Kilburn(?!), then I’m pulling us around to **Temple**. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/10 "2008-02-21T16:24:40Z")
Are the standard trans-Atlantic variants allowed? If so I’ll live dangerously and go with **Aldwych**. ---
**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:** [February 21, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/11 "2008-02-21T16:31:54Z")
[QUOTE=tanstaafl] Are the standard trans-Atlantic variants allowed? If so I’ll live dangerously and go with **Aldwych**. [/QUOTE] Very dangerously: I’m not sure that former stations are allowed in the rules. But I’ve actually caught trains to Aldwych in the distant past, so I think I might concede the point. An appropriate response might be: **Canada Water** ---
**Author:** ![hybrid\_dogfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@hybrid\_dogfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hybrid_dogfish)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/12 "2008-02-21T16:34:20Z")
Well, taking into account last night’s lunar eclipse: **Dollis Hill** (I assume it unneccesary to mention the effect this will have on those thinking about using the Cockfosters Inversion (Snitterington et. al. 1946), even at this beginners level of play.) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/13 "2008-02-21T16:35:04Z")
Canada Water? I’ve got to wonder about that. Was it finished? I picked up the rules in '90, and it was only a proposed stop, then. Well, clearly, the logical answer is Thamesmead. That should stop any fancy transfers at all. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/14 "2008-02-21T16:37:35Z")
Are we allowing horizontal decamping? If so, **Alperton**. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/15 "2008-02-21T16:45:04Z")
If we’re using the 2007 ruleset, without horizontal decamping, I think I can move from Thamesmead to **Terminal 4** … causing the previous player to miss a turn in transit. ---
**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:** [February 21, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/16 "2008-02-21T16:52:09Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] If we’re using the 2007 ruleset, without horizontal decamping, I think I can move from Thamesmead to **Terminal 4** … causing the previous player to miss a turn in transit. [/QUOTE] Or spend forever in passport control and customs – so: **Custom House** ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/17 "2008-02-21T17:03:32Z")
Then I will offer the Rutherford Gambit, Revised, and play **Marble Arch**. BTW, I’ve always felt that Horizontal Decamping was a bit of a cheat. Flashy, but lacking in substance. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/18 "2008-02-21T17:43:35Z")
Hmm…Let’s see, Wellesby’s Standard Forced, no horizontal decamping, and Rutherford Gambit from Custom House to Marble Arch. That sounds really familiar–isn’t that the same play _Deep Tube_ played against William Wigglesworth in the 2004 _Man v. Machine_ Mornington Crescent exhibition? IIRC, and it’s been awhile since I’ve read the annotations and analysis, Custom House to Marble Arch opens up the White City - Appleton - Harrow-on-the-Hill line of play, with a serious positional advantage to Deep Tube. I’m not going to tread new ground here and try to outplay a grandmaster, so I’ll just play Wigglesworth’s tested response: **Marylebone.** ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/19 "2008-02-21T17:56:29Z")
Someone played a Holshauser and no one called Remmy. Therefore, I’m entitled to a Fair Pitch in Round Style which I will eschew in favor of a **Woolsey-Brighton** , as is my right. There can be no further progress without a proper Bleamsteshyre from the third player in sesqueue. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569/20 "2008-02-21T17:58:38Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Someone played a Holshauser and no one called Remmy. Therefore, I’m entitled to a Fair Pitch in Round Style which I will eschew in favor of a **Woolsey-Brighton** , as is my right. There can be no further progress without a proper Bleamsteshyre from the **third player** in sesqueue. [/QUOTE] Since when? My recollection is that it’s the **4th** player, not the 3rd. Has there been a new Addendum published that I missed? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-mornington-crescent-yet/438569.md?page=2)