Chris Timson

Oo-er!

Fair comment. Chris

Well may you snort, Sir or Madman! Remember, he (or indeed she) who snorts last snorts loudest! Chris

Of course, there were two concertinas in the band for Anne's opera Make Room For Mummers but neither was actually up on stage with the singers, so you've got the advantage on us there. See if you can get them to tour the opera to the UK, I'd love to see it. Chris

I'm happy to confirm Stuart's comment and make it an official ruling. Don, your proposal to shut down the Underground and hence the game has been attempted at least twice a year since Maggie Thatcher came to power. Every time it crashed on the same reef - the incorruptibility of Mornington Crescent chairmenpersons. I am proud to say we would never accept a bribe to allow such a move (unless it had the backing of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, of course, and even then only if they threw in knighthoods all round). Chris

You mean triad in the triple diagonals sense rather than the Chinese criminal gang sense, I take it? You may be right, but I'll have to check the MCC archives for a definitive ruling. I'll get back to you on that. Chris

I think you may have misheard there, Stuart. It was in fact the tinned lemming surprise, which you will find discussed, though without firm conclusion, in the Annals of the Mornington Crescent Special Commission in 2001. The move is excellent, though, and puts you ahead (just) on points. Chris

Good to see Mudchute in play. In Anglo Saxon times the station was known as Shudmoot and was a stop on the pilgrim's trail to Canterbury. Astute players may be able to make use of this, of course. Chris

More spinor, I should have said. As chairmanperson it falls to me to me to nominate the matrix for players' use. There, done. Chris

Indeed it is. No problem there. On a totally unconnected subject, thanks for the bottle of Champagne, much appreciated by the Memsahib. Chris

I should mention that the full title of this contest is "Tenth Charles Wheatstone Memorial Mornington Crescent Game - Slightly Delayed". However should you prefer some other word in place of "Delayed" feel free to imply it. Chris

Hi all, Well, as discussed elsewhere, it is that time of the year again when we realise that Mr Wheatstone's birthday has passed and gone and where is the memorial Charles Wheatstone game, eh? Mea maxima culpa, as they say in the Latin version of the game. Indeed, my culpa runneth over. Therefore in accordance with established tradition and canon law I declare myself chairman for this game - having purchased a new horn - and invite Mr David Corner, last year's winner (and, I believe, our only double winner) to set this year's special rules and parameters and make the first move. Chris PS may I remind all players that as a member in good standing of the MCC (Mornington Crescent Chairpersons) support organisation I am incorruptible and cannot be tempted by sizeable sums of money to change my mind on any rulings I might make, though I would welcome attempts to test that assertion as a form of quality control. Used unmarked notes only, please.

Splendid resource, Jim, thanks. Read and learn! Chris

I think you're right, Jim. David Corner, as last year's winner, will be the player to set any special rules and make the first move. However I happen to know he is in Swaledale right now, so I shall start a new thread for the game on Monday. I shall also contact Stovell's Almanac and ensure the game will continue to score UK ranking points for the winner. Chris

A touch, sir, a distinct touch! Chris

> Calvinball Had to look that up, to my shame. But Mornington Crescent pre-dates Calvinball by centuries (I think, please correct me on that if I'm wrong). It is very much a mental game, as both its supporters and detractors say. It depends on an encyclopaedic knowledge of the rules, variations, exceptions and contortions applicable to each move plus imaginative reach to steer an apt course. It has been said that the wide practice of this Game of Games is what has granted the Anglo-Saxon mind its exceptional abilities. Chris Edited to add PS: I've just looked at that Wicked-pedia article referenced above. I am shocked! Such inaccuracy and indeed falsehood! "Despite appearances, however, there are no rules to the game" - rubbish, Sir, absolute rubbish! Well, it's back to the Encyclopaedia Britannica for me!

OK, it's own-up time. We've played a game of Mornington Crescent for 10 years every February to commemorate that most notable player and inventor of the Mayfair Manoeuvre, Charles Wheatstone. The standard of play was always high (to the extent that match outcomes and statistics were reported in Stovell's!) but it seemed to me that interest was flagging the last couple of years and the games were taking months to reach a conclusion. So I thought I'd keep stumm this February and see if anyone noticed. It's taken three months ... So, do people still want to play? Chris

It's one of those "If it sounds right it IS right" things, same with anglo or any other instrument for song accompaniment. Try it. If you don't like it do something else. And you'll probably find different things work on different songs ... Chris

Yes. The original bellows were not good on these and as noted elsewhere I've just had new 6-fold bellows put on mine. I should say that I really like the sound of these boxes, they have a beautiful sweetness that is absent in the metal-ended Jeffries while still having something of the same power. I've taken to bringing both my Jeffries' to sessions nowadays and use the wooden-ended one on the slower tunes that like the sweet tone. Chris

I've just been comparing it with mine (a 26 button) and the fretwork is close but not identical. I would have thought that if there was a C. Jeffries stamp it would be shown in the photos so I'd be inclined to agree with Steve and suggest it's a Crabb. The reeds would still likely be decent, though. Did Charlie Jeffries make 20 button boxes? Because I had only ever seen 26 button wooden ended Jeffries I had sort of assumed they didn't. Chris PS My! That concertina's had a rough life.

Which I guess is why no-one ever tried doing it. Chris Edited to add PS: very nice diagrams, Geoff, would you mind if I added them to the FAQ (credited, of course)?

The C/G baritone anglo works on the same principle, i.e. each button sounds the same notes but an octave down from the usual C/G. Interestingly, the same approach applied to a G/D is usually termed a bass anglo (as is a C/G two octaves down). Chris

I'll bring it with me to Stony Stratford if I don't see you before. Chris

Hi all. I have a wooden ended Jeffries 26 button G/D with a beautiful tone but the original 5-fold bellows were clapped out and also, like most such, the buttons rattled a lot. So I sent it off to John Connor for new 6-fold bellows and bushing the buttons. It arrived back today and I'm really pleased with it He's done both jobs beautifully and it's a treat to play (it has a much sweeter tone than the normal Jeffries and so is very different to my normal playing box). The icing on the cake is that it took just 5 weeks from phoning John up to enquire to me getting my concertina back. Highly recommended. Chris

Once again, we're not, I'm afraid. This time always seems academically very busy for Anne, now especially as she is doing her masters. That finishes September next year, so hopefully we'll be over in 2017! Have a good time! Chris