tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post6213881584243062261..comments2023-12-28T02:11:22.501+00:00Comments on The Streatham & Brixton Chess Blog: The Great Chessboxing Swindle: said goodbye to the circusTom Chivershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09850710685193416732noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-36562624568473038692014-10-26T19:04:41.087+00:002014-10-26T19:04:41.087+00:00[We've received the following comment which we...[<i>We've received the following comment which we have slightly edited - CM.</i>]<br /><br />Hi Justin - it's Andy Costello<br /><br />With regard to the sentence the guidelines put me on the border of a custodial. In my favour was the fact that a single blow was struck under provocation. (Raijko was screeching and prodding me with a chastising finger when I lashed out in a moment of madness.<br /><br />I think that you're clutching at straws with a few of your points. I did fight a demo with Tim - carrying him through it - after a bout was cancelled at late notice. That happens a lot at fight shows.<br /><br />As you point out, I have previous. But if that should preclude a chap from participating in an activity as inconsequential as Chessboxing then there wouldn't be much left in this world for him to do, would there?<br /><br />I bitterly regret the incident, but some of my remorse has been negated by Tim and Raijkos subsequent behaviour.<br /><br />[<i>We've deleted a small section here since we don't have access to the facts concerned - CM.</i>]<br /><br />With regard to the sport itself it has two merits:<br />1) It offers a practitioner coming from one or other of the disciplines the opportunity to balance himself out. A lot of chess players lack confidence in their physicality, and conversely some 'meatheads' lack confidence in their intellect.<br /><br />2) As a spectator sport it's funny. Funny in the same sense that a monty python sketch is funny. I suspect that that was always the intention: comedy with a straight face. It works as a live event in front of a friendly audience, but that's pretty much the extent of its potential.<br /><br />It hasn't caught on. Soon it will no longer be a 'novelty' story in the media. When they tire of it I suspect that Tim will too. Ieper - the Dutchman who invented Chessboxing - has already moved on.<br /><br />It's been fun, but Chessboxing was a distraction from mixed martial arts - the more serious sport where I earn my living. It was time to move on, although I would have preferred to have done so under different circumstances.<br /><br />The Great Chessboxing Swindle was hilarious and infuriating in equal measure, and I always enjoyed its astute commentary.Comment Moderatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15608482649497750456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-29701084955861923032014-10-10T17:02:48.711+01:002014-10-10T17:02:48.711+01:00For sure, the issue for me is what chessboxing is ...For sure, the issue for me is what chessboxing is much more than whether Andy Costello should be working for them or anybody else. Man's gotta eat.ejhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582272075999298935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-48618555190130901842014-10-10T16:06:56.383+01:002014-10-10T16:06:56.383+01:00I feel like I should go some way to defending Ches...I feel like I should go some way to defending Chess Boxing in general, though obviously Andy's latest conduct was unacceptable.<br /><br />I'm originally from Devon, and have boxed at Andy's club. I even gave him some chess coaching after sessions. Through all of this, I had no suggestion that he remained someone who would commit these offences. He was open about his past, and had appeared to move on and rebuild his life.<br /><br />I am generally of the opinion that once a person has served punishment for their crime, it should be considered accounted for and not something to be an eternal black mark. In this context, I don't think it was ridiculous for Andy to be involved in chessboxing.Rob Thompsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-67215071315112769712014-10-09T00:16:18.802+01:002014-10-09T00:16:18.802+01:00What irritates me about chess boxing is how, even ...What irritates me about chess boxing is how, even if it were a legit sport, it has no logic to it. It's just an arbitrary mix of two different sports with no real connection between them.<br /><br />In contrast, chess running (Turing's "around the house chess") has a strong internal logic: the running takes the place of the chess clock. The faster you run, the less time your opponent has to think, etc.<br /><br />I get annoyed because whenever I bring up chess running, someone will say, "Oh yeah, that's like chess boxing, I've heard of that, hahaha"--completely missing the point!Andrew Gelmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02715992780769751789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-14144524469232693462014-10-08T16:28:59.065+01:002014-10-08T16:28:59.065+01:00No doubt, but even so, a broken jaw is pretty roug...No doubt, but even so, a broken jaw is pretty rough in any circumstances.<br /><br />The real point is that the chessboxing circus, Ratko and all, knew very well that Andy had form in this regard but it didn't stop him being a major part of their act. Nor, after the Exeter events, did they trouble themselves to announce that anybody was suspended pending the outcome of the court case, as any proper sport would have done. Let alone one that's supposed to be a cross between Magnus Carlsen and Denzil Washington in Ghost Dog.<br /><br />Im not terribly disappointed that Andy didn't go down, since I'm not a great advocate of banging people up. That doesn't mean I wasn't surprised.<br /><br />By the way, could I remind commentors that entirely anonymous contributions are not encouraged?ejhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582272075999298935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-17367403028490721762014-10-08T16:03:02.710+01:002014-10-08T16:03:02.710+01:00The Wisdom of Salomonsen ...
Judge Erik Salomonse...The Wisdom of Salomonsen ...<br /><br />Judge Erik Salomonsen: "He may have been annoying, who knows?"<br /><br />Heh. Its pretty safe to assume that Rajko was being annoying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-14961841141384225652014-10-08T12:38:19.288+01:002014-10-08T12:38:19.288+01:00I share Justin's surprise that the prison sent...I share Justin's surprise that the prison sentence was suspended. Normally this happens only when there is a particular need to show mercy, eg where the defendant is the sole carer of young children, and even then most judges would probably refuse to suspend the sentence for an offence of violence. Bizarre!Jonathan Rogersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37675897.post-55031650049916341892014-10-08T09:55:41.168+01:002014-10-08T09:55:41.168+01:00Presumably, since he is standing to be the ECF'...Presumably, since he is standing to be the ECF's FIDE Delegate, Malcolm Pein will be attending the ECF AGM this Saturday in Birmingham in preference to the Chess Boxing in London.AngusFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09312254103335063535noreply@blogger.com