What everyone had to do when the Russains started lobbing nukes.
Fischer & Tal and that predication.
The error in the New York 1924 book and some guy who has been
waiting 25 years to tell the world.
Bovinnik with his own predication about chess computers in 1960.
Blog 4
Hi Goshen.
Now I dea how old you are mate but back in 1960/61 it was really quite close.
The Russian had transported nukes into Cuba. Kennedy gave them a deadline
and we waited. (under our school desks).
if I recall It all hinged on some ship full of nukes the Russians had on it's way
to Cuba. The Americans sent out a destroyer to stop it.
The Russian ship went off course and it was not where it should have been.
If the Americans had found it and opened fire....
Chess never really got involved and infact tried to ease the tension.
At the height of the Cuban missile crisis Chess Review had a massive picture
of Botvinnink on it's cover.
You could argue the 'fors and against' the Atomic bombs droped on Japan all day.
(and here is not the place).
It did however give us a measuring stick.
Everytime someone quotes an atomic bomb it's always measured against the
force of the destrcutive power that was dropped on Hiroshima.
For instance one Russian thermonuclear bomb in the at the peak of the cold war
had the destructive power of over 600 Hiroshima bombs.
These were the fascinating facts they were telling you in school at the time.
We even had maths problems set to it.
If a Russian missle was travelling at 600 mph...etc.
The experts told us that London, Birmingham and Glasgow were the prime targets.
Of course this upset the people in Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff.
"Why are we not a prime target for a Russian thermonuclear bomb?"
Happy Days.
Originally posted by greenpawn34At the prime of the nuclear arms race they were. I learned at school (in the 80's) that the nuclear arselnal could wipe of civilization off the earths surface several times over
The experts told us that London, Birmingham and Glasgow were the prime targets.
Of course this upset the people in Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff.
"Why are we not a prime target for a Russian thermonuclear bomb?"
Happy Days.
But to come to the, again well written, article of yours. I don't think that it would have been a problem to have only one chess player in a bunker. He would certainly have found some bored person who would have been willing to learn the game and become a reasonable well opponent.
And maybe you could write a blog article of its own about how people fashioned chessboards (in KZ's, POW camps,...) probably you know the site www.zelazny.com anyway?
Originally posted by greenpawn34According to my wife sheep are nasty, evil creatures that would rip your throat out soon as look at you. It's something to do with how they look at her. I can't say they have ever given me anything other than a completely gormless village idiot sort of look. They always remind me of the younger Bush rather than some savage predator.
In The UK it is known as 'Fox and Hounds' which I think is more adapt.
I mean you are not going to get sheep actually chasing after a wolf.
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Originally posted by greenpawn34Don't forget why the Russians put nukes on Cuba. The USA moved first, but that wasn't just as underhand and durty as the Russian behaviour, oh no, honest, swear on the Declaration of Independence!
The Russian had transported nukes into Cuba. Kennedy gave them a deadline
and we waited. (under our school desks).
The experts told us that London, Birmingham and Glasgow were the prime targets.
Of course this upset the people in Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff.
And then wonder why that same USA is so eager to have that same Turkey made a member of the European Union... I smell a rat, and a smelly one.
Of course, in recent years it has come out that the experts in the USSR didn't have prime targets for a nuclear attack at all... they were only in the game because they thought the USA was. Their main intended strategy was land wars in neighbouring countries, as far as anyone can still tell. (And look at how much good that did them...) But not an all-out nuclear attack... apparently the Russians did love their children, too.
Richard
Originally posted by greenpawn34It is frightening to remember how close we were (or at least how close we thought we were) to disaster.
Hi Goshen.
Now I dea how old you are mate but back in 1960/61 it was really quite close.
Near to where I live is an ex Government Nuclear Bunker which is now open to the public. It is amusingly called the Secret Nuclear Bunker and sign-posted from miles around. (Prior to being decommissioned nobody knew it was there ... the entrance is disguised as a country cottage)
Very eerie when one is in there and very sad to see how much money was spent on it.
http://www.secretnuclearbunker.com/
Originally posted by Shallow BlueThe whole thing was a European plot against the US and The USSR- they had run out of ammunition and money trying to wipe each other out twice, so they hoped to use the peripheral powers as surrogates. Almost got away with it, too! 😉
Don't forget why the Russians put nukes on Cuba. The USA moved first, but that wasn't just as underhand and durty as the Russian behaviour, oh no, honest, swear on the Declaration of Independence!
And then wonder why that same USA is so eager to have that same Turkey made a member of the European Union... I smell a rat, and a smelly one.
Of c ...[text shortened]... out nuclear attack... apparently the Russians did love their children, too.
Richard
Perhaps we should have a "Secret Nuclear Bunker" chess tournament here on the site to celebrate the fact that we are still around to play in it!
Originally posted by wolfgang59are you talking about the one in Leiston, Suffolk?
It is frightening to remember how close we were (or at least how close we thought we were) to disaster.
Near to where I live is an ex Government Nuclear Bunker which is now open to the public. It is amusingly called the [b]Secret Nuclear Bunker and sign-posted from miles around. (Prior to being decommissioned nobody knew it was there ... the entran ...[text shortened]... n there and very sad to see how much money was spent on it.
http://www.secretnuclearbunker.com/[/b]
Every time I drive past it brings a smirk to my face.
(Thre's also some sheep there, running about all over the place- completely baaaaaaaarmy!
Originally posted by bobrotavatorbobBrentwood, Essex is the one I'm thinking of.
are you talking about the one in Leiston, Suffolk?
Every time I drive past it brings a smirk to my face.
(Thre's also some sheep there, running about all over the place- completely baaaaaaaarmy!
I believe there are quite a few dotted around the country which are now open to the public.