Not Cricket

Today in Britain it's the May Day Bank Holiday; a national holiday invented more or less so that we can all head off and watch the start of the cricket season. But since you're reading this, I imagine that the sixty-four squares are more on your mind than the knock of leather on willow, and so perhaps you'd prefer news of four chess competitions coming up?

• Well, the Ilford Congress has much to recommend it. Exciting players, good prizes, easy to reach on the Central Line, and six rounds spread leisurely across three days toward the end of May (a weekend plus the next Bank Holiday Monday). Details of this year's and previous competitions can be found here.

• Now, if the Ilford Congress is a Test Match, then what's the ten-second-per-move, five-round buzzer-competition known as the Trost Trophy? Well, whatever it is it's also the 50th anniversary of this tournament, for which the first prize of four is now appropriately enough £50. The Trost takes place a week from today on Monday 11th May from 7.45pm at Crystal Palace Chess Club, Coombe Road, Sydenham; for more details or to enter contact David Hodgson via email or on 020 8663 2553.

• At only a slightly less brutal pace, the six-round rapidplay Streatham and Brixton Chess Club Championship 2009 will take place on the evenings of Tuesday 5th May and Tuesday 12th May at Woodfield Grove Tennis Club from 7.30pm. Club members can enter by emailing Angus French; non-members looking to knock the current champ (now who might that be?) off his perch will need to first join the club to do so.

• Finally, I suppose I'm not alone in having fun childhood memories of cricket radio commentary; all the silly stuff between overs about which bus was passing where, the digressions about cakes that female listeners have sent in, the giggles at an accidental double entendre, the lyrical descriptions wiling away an afternoon in the sun. Is there a chess equivalent? If there is, I'm pretty sure it's not kibitizing, which the website ChessGames.com specializes in. However, there is no doubt some innocent fun to be had with their Pun Contest: you can enter here, and/or vote here.

Best of luck in any of these that you enter.