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Sep-12-20
 | | Benzol: Hi Richard how's it going. Hope you and Victor are doing well in these covid times. I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Dr Tony Palmer <tp star> recently, he was a great contributor at this site and will be missed. BTW just thought I'd let you know that I'm going into hospital for surgery this Friday the 18th of September. Take care. Cheers matey. |
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Sep-19-20
 | | Richard Taylor: Hi Benzol. I'm fairly good. I started playing at ACC and by some luck and some good games managed to win some rating points. I played 8 games, lost 2, 1 draw. I was lucky in two games but I seemed to manage my time well. I was gearing up for the Club Champs (B Grade probably) and the Lockdown hit again. The Covid thing is bad but interestingly enough Pandemics are, over time, taking a lesser toll. So I think we will get through this. We need a vaccine. It is strange of course.
Yes, it is sad re <tpstar>....I thought you were talking of Domdaniel who also died. I didn't know tpstar had also until you posted. He did contribute and his games were interesting. I followed a game he played as White (Tarrasch Variation) against the French and I nearly beat Luke Li who is now an IM (in Australia). You will be in hospital by now, I hope it's not for the dreaded little monster fellow! If you get this, best of luck in the hell house! |
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| Oct-03-20 | | login:
Hope Benzol kicks some butt again soon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKj...
Richard, do you remember if I.R.Mitchell got polio still living with his family in Scotland or after emigrating to Aotearoa (where it seems to have struck hardest a couple of years later than Europe/GB in the 1930/40s)? Thanks mate.
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Oct-04-20
| | Richard Taylor: My father thought he contracted it in Scotland. He had a limp and his hands were kind of held loose. My father's theory was that getting polio and being poor had made him bitter, or something like that. But he was a good fellow. Cantankerous sometimes and argumentative at times but he worked hard for chess etc. |
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Oct-04-20
| | Richard Taylor: I liked the YouTube!! Very funny, I mean, tragic. Tragic event indeed. I feel the the Potato was indeed evil and was behind a lot of the trouble that occurred. But I cant see Benzol becoming a Mascot.
With all his qualities and faults, he is a being of integrity and decency, and pride... |
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| Oct-05-20 | | login:
Legend, that additional info matches my 'timeline' better.
Him being a visible outcast reaching NZ's soil as a youngster is indeed a fitting explanation for Mitchell developing his harmless 'confrontative' quirks later in life after escaping poverty, as a political person and in his role as a fixer within the national chess scene. I agree with your father that this circumstances altogether can form quite a character. The New Zealand Today channel on YT is a blast. Humor and warmth, within difficult circumstances, enjoy. Richard, tēnā rawa atu koe for the swift enlightenment. Cheers. |
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Oct-08-20
| | Richard Taylor: Kia ora, kia kaha!
Yes, I agree re that, I don't watch TV much but on YouTube there are some interesting things and I found the humour by Guy was good for me. One of the best was the one about Opo, and Oponui.... Thanks for that link! Haere ra! |
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| Nov-29-20 | | login:
Chur cuz Richard,
hope things are alright and the upcoming christmas season will be nice (with a nation’s first ever live fundraising broadcast on its way https://www.coke.co.nz/christmas-in...). We 'here on the other side' expecting this year's first snow anytime soon all while freezing our butts off. Since there is not much I could 'gift' an already happy Kiwi, let's just continue to enjoy some richness of New Zealand icons' works here https://culturalicons.co.nz/
Having read your (very personal) blog you might find interest in episode 5. Anyways, I wish you folks happy holidays and fingers crossed a fully recovered Benzol will soon be back to chess. Take care mates
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Dec-14-20
| | Richard Taylor: Thanks Login. I know a lot of those people. |
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Dec-30-20
| | Richard Taylor: For anyone there. Have been in contact with Benzol. He is doing o.k. I wish everyone the Best of the Season! |
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Dec-30-20
 | | technical draw: Thanks, RT. Have a very happy New Year and give my regards to Benzol, one of the old timers. |
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Jan-09-21
| | Richard Taylor: <technical draw: Thanks, RT. Have a very happy New Year and give my regards to Benzol, one of the old timers.> Hi Tech draw. Yes, he is a good fellow. Plays some chess. He is moving from his house but will keep in contact. I'll pass on your regards. Have a good New Year yourself. Things are not looking good worldwide but hopefully we will all pull through as they say. |
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Jan-14-21
| | Richard Taylor: <login:
Chur cuz Richard,
hope things are alright and the upcoming christmas season will be nice (with a nation’s first ever live fundraising broadcast on its way https://www.coke.co.nz/christmas-in...). We 'here on the other side' expecting this year's first snow anytime soon all while freezing our butts off. Since there is not much I could 'gift' an already happy Kiwi, let's just continue to enjoy some richness of New Zealand icons' works here https://culturalicons.co.nz/
Having read your (very personal) blog you might find interest in episode 5. Anyways, I wish you folks happy holidays and fingers crossed a fully recovered Benzol will soon be back to chess. Take care mates>
Thanks for this. Regards to you also.
I know or have met many of the people on the list. Bill Direen (musician and writer of various things, reading something by him now published some of my works, and I have read at things he has organised). Denys Trussell I see quite a lot. Kevin Ireland I don't know personally but have met him. Greer Twiss, the sculptor, his wife started a chess club at my school and (this was about 1960) we used to call him 'Mr Twisted' but later he became well known. I'm in either as a writer or reviewer some of the Poetry Yearbooks. Interesting list! |
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Jan-14-21
| | Richard Taylor: By the way at a recent seniors I beat FM Robert Smith in the last round with a nice attacking game by me that had some sacrifices in it! He is hard to beat, an ex NZ Champ etc etc |
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Jan-14-21
 | | moronovich: Kudos to a fine achievement <Richard> ! Still got it in you ! |
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Jan-17-21
| | Richard Taylor: <moronovich: Kudos to a fine achievement <Richard> !
Still got it in you !>
Thank you <moronovich>! Yes! Felt good that despite everything, and age considered, some of us are still able to remember how to move the pieces...I did lose to Gordon Morrell who is a NZ/Canadian player, quite strong who considered that most of my game was played well. Due to fatigue (+ age?) I missed an obvious attack on a B and had to resign. A few moves back the position was unclear. I lost to Benjamin Lim who played some very good games. In the opening I had a better game but missed my way. Benjamin had beaten poor Bob the round before. Such is life. Still, as long as we don't get an outbreak of the Bad Thing here I might consider playing again this year as mostly I did reasonably well and sometimes very well. See how it goes.... |
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Mar-20-21
| | Richard Taylor: Haven't played chess yet this year. Just keep forgetting to go to the chess club. I think it is safe enough but I will wait until I get both injections of the Pfizer vaccine. Then I will see how the situation goes generally. The Pfizer vaccine from the phase 3 tests is very effective esp. with two injections (I don't like "shots" or "jabs"). If anyone gets what seems severe Sars-Cov-2 get a doctor to push for monoclonal antibodies. I think they are going for a wide spectrum of these. A "cocktail". Children can get Covid but they may not show it so they can spread it is moot that they should be at school until vaccinations are world wide at least 80% but that is a hard ask. The US has to think of other nations that are very poor like many South American nations and those in Africa and many others. Compassion is needed and action and widespread testing. I recommend people to watch the TWiV reports on virology etc and the interesting reports of Daniel Griffin. Also there are some interesting lectures on virology and cell biology etc Meanwhile also chess can be played on line for free so all is not lost. All the best to everyone and to those in the medical field and related and everyone in essential work who are trying to help with things. Everyone everywhere in the world. |
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Apr-12-21
| | Benzol: I know I've been absent here for a wee while but I knocked on Richard's door this morning and he didn't recognise me at first. LOL. |
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| Apr-15-21 | | login:
For Richard's son
https://www.nzonscreen.com/collecti...
For Richard
https://teara.govt.nz/en
For Benzol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYY...
For everyone
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainme...
Thanks mates for rocking, improving, returning. |
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Apr-30-21
| | Richard Taylor: <Benzol> Had been overweight ever since I knew him, in fact I had got so used to him as he was that was who he was so to speak. He warned me he was having bariatric surgery. Then he turned up one day. After a shock, we all went out after me showing my wins against FM Bob Smith and Nigel Metge, a strong NZ player. Both games involved attacks and or counter attacks by me I should put them on here at least. Then we went out and had lunch. Discussed a problem by Barden. Had a good day. Paul is out of Auckland having sold his house for a large return. He moves South hopefully to new hopes.... |
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Apr-30-21
| | Richard Taylor: Thanks <login> Some interesting links. I am still waiting to get the Pfizer (two injections). They are working through a priority. The situation in India is tragic. And has been throughout the world. Perhaps things will slowly improve. The NZ economy has done well as Adern shut down quickly and totally but businesses were able to keep going. So the financial people (ASB) feel we have done better than expected as people at least knew where they stood so to speak.... Chess wise amused myself watching an interview with Karpov and Ivanchuk showing his game to the young Indian woman who commentates. She had to keep pushing him sideways so people could see his game. Then in 2019 he beats Carlsen in a blitz game and immediately runs off to watch other games. He buys things if he loses. Ivanchuk is a strange genius, like a child in some ways...Obsessed with chess.... |
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Apr-30-21
| | Richard Taylor: My mother was brought up in Banaba Island. My uncle was born there in 1921. Who knows about that Island?
Most of the inhabitants, were forced onto Rabi Island in Fiji. There there is an outbreak of Sars-Cov-2 recently. On the chessic side Fiji has had school chess tournaments. (Incidentally, the inhabitants were forced off the Island ca. 1946 to Rabi Island in Fiji. Meanwhile the Island was basically destroyed by British, Australian and NZ exploitation; the phosphate dug out and the villages bulldozed. Despite one of the longest court cases in British legal history, a judge who visited the Island couldn't decide what sum to compensate the Banaban people. Basically they have lost their land and huge profits made by private companies with the later cooperation of the NZ, Australian and British Governments). |
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May-08-21
| | Benzol: Richard any chance you could use one of those photos you took of me to be put on my games file here? |
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May-15-21
| | Richard Taylor: HI Benzol. I'll ask the Admin if can send them. I'll have to find them, I usually process all my photographs for quality etc. After that I'll ask them. |
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May-27-21
| | Richard Taylor: Hi Paul. I've "shopped" one. You look good in that one. I could send it (sorry for the delay). Can you contact them and ask if I can send them a picture? I think they will listen to you more than me. All the best. RT |
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