Saturday 10 March 2012

Chess distractions

I see that Liberal England has not yet caught up with the story that the European Chess Union has introduced a dress code to prevent women from using glimpses of exposed flesh to distract their male adversaries. I can vouch for the effect of a well-displayed cleavage, as I was lucky enough in one of my chess teams to field a beautiful woman who (unconsciously, I'm sure) tended to lean forward when concentrating. She was always worth at least half a point.

I dare say Jonathan Calder is not old enough to remember Dinah Dobson whose legs were almost as noteworthy as her play, which put her in the top ten of British women. At one weekend tournament in the mid-1960s a badge-making stall did a roaring trade in "Dinah Dobson fan club" buttons among young male competitors. I wonder if there are any still around?

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