Are you a student?

I'm coming to London at the start of October, to play some chess, get away from work, do some drinking and generally skive around for a while.

Naturally I will not be alone in this since thousands of students will be doing much the same.


I shall be playing the Metropolitan Chess Congress: they, however, lured by the Big City, the promise of free internet access provided by someone other than their parents and the opportunity to run up phenomenal debts that will cripple them financially for twenty or thirty years to come, will be here for slightly longer than an extended weekend.

Assuming that some at least of these may be readers of this column, perhaps I might use the opportunity to invite them to play for the most famous, the most friendly and unquestionably the best club in London. New members are always welcome: they're offered competitive chess in three different leagues. Though the clubroom is in Streatham, league games are played at a variety of central (and some not-so-central) venues. All sorts of standards are catered for.

There are contact details here. So why play for anybody else? Everybody welcome (students and non-students alike). We look forward to hearing from you.