TudoRama

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By: Tudor Rickards

TudoRama explores the nature and practice of creativity in the arts, sciences, politics and above all in everyday life. Tudor Rickards is Emeritus Professor of Creativity and Organizational Change at the University of Manchester. Tudor studied chemistry and radiation chemistry at The University of Wales at Cardiff.  Following post-doctoral research at New York Medical College, he returned to the UK to work in technical management before joining Manchester Business School.  He has published numerous books and articles on creativity, sporting management and leadership, as well as fictional works involving the mythical University of Urmston. He has been influential in the de...

The politics of chess. The case of Shohreh Bayat
Last Monday at 3:00 PM

The politics of chess. The case of Shohreh Bayat

It should not be a great surprise to learn that top level Chess, like other sports,  has its share of politics.  A case study is that of the gifted Iranian player Shohreh Bayat.

Shohreh, now domiciled in England fell foul of the chess authorities some years ago, but her case was brought into the headlines recently by an investigatory report by CNN on which I have based this podcast.

In 2020, during the women’s world chess championships  Shohreh was criticised in Iran for not weari...


The Porridge Song
Last Friday at 12:00 PM

Porridge takes a goodly while for the body to digest, which means it releases its energy more slowly, keeping you feeling fuller for longer. This last property can also be blamed for the "porridge glow" many people experience when entering crowded public transport in the mornings.

The Porridge song

With acknowledgment to George Gershwin 

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Follow Tudor on Twitter @Tudortweet Follow T...


Panache in Poynton, Mayhem in Manchester
03/19/2024


My weekly visit to Poynton. I remember last week’s excitement and ambulances at Waitrose. No such drama, but the trip was not without interest.

I came across an example of unexpected behaviour which prompted this podcast, and brought back memories of a crazy football cup semifinal the previous day. 

The story unfolded shortly after I had negotiated the perilous free passage zone, which replaces pedestrian crossings and traffic lights as you approach the centre of the little town of Poynton.
I can now relax, as my journey only requires a short drive dow...


Wit and Wisdom. Mid March 2024
03/18/2024

@JohnWest_JAWS
Economists have calculated that the 30 pieces of silver given to Judas Iscariot would today, accounting for inflation, be worth £10m.

@Iratus Ursus Major
This very successful poster tweets in lengthy and sweary threads. His visual self is of a great bear.
 [I have abbreviated a recent post contributing to the recent debate on returning to traditional British values].
'Can anyone please explain to me which exact British traditions or values are suppressed / destroyed/ cancelled / ruined / stolen / taken away (select whichever term you would like to use) when we as a progressive so...


Chess Memories. Has Stockport become East Cheadle’s bunnies?
03/15/2024

Chess Memories. Has Stockport become East Cheadle’s bunnies?

The pulsating twist and turn of the events means  that my reporting may on this rare occasion fall below its customary high standard of accuracy. 
As I recall, on my arrival at our place of many a mighty battle, the visiting players had arrived, and discarded the extra layers of clothing they wore, after learning that members of the last team to play there were still suffering from frost bite. 
I consulted my briefing notes. As usual, we were outgunned according to ranking, but not outrageously so. I...


Wit and Wisdom. Early March 2024
03/12/2024

We start with Tweet of the month:  
It comes from chess GM Hikaru, purporting to be from his chess team, and posted by his trainer. Hikaru is American of Japanese family and has his own unique sense of humour.
"This is Hikaru’s Second. No stream today because Hikaru is not allowed to play internet games until he finishes his daily workout - he needs to do 1,000 rook lifts, 1,000 knight forks, 1,000 bishop snipes, and 1,000 en passants. It doesn’t look like he’ll finish his daily workout before Bullet Brawl - maybe Tuesday he’ll finish his workout i...


How Luke Littler will improve even more as a darts superstar.
03/08/2024



Like Littler, teenage phenomenon, is already competing with the best darts players in the world. I can see his development with similarities to that of a young chess phenomenon heading for super grandmaster status.

Darts, like chess, calls for high concentration levels. A drop in micro-concentration can lose a match in these and other sports where a momentary loss of concentration can bring the contest to an abrupt end. 

In training and watching young chess players, I have seen evidence of that concentration lapse, without which the player would be on a par w...


The big freeze. The double Houdini that failed
03/01/2024

The big freeze. The double Houdini that failed. 

This podcast is not so much about chess, as about the eternal human challenge of overcoming adversity. My story starts with a message to members from the East Cheadle Chess Club Mission Control. It  sent a chilly warning to the fearless band of the limitless potential league warriors. 

It read 
"Please be aware that the heating system at the Institute is being replaced, and for this week (and possibly next week) it will be non-operational.  There will be some stand-alone heaters, but the temperature will be a lit...


The golden age of detective stories and the locked room puzzle
02/28/2024

The golden age of detective stories and the locked room puzzle.

Comments about the golden age of detective stories, tell of the domination of Agatha Christie, and before her, Arthur Conan Doyle and even earlier, Edgar Allen Poe. More specifically, the golden age is placed approximately between the two Great world wars, 1920 to 1938.

One particular sub-variant is the locked room mystery. In this, the crime, usually murder, is committed in a way that appears impossible to the reader. Arguably Agatha Christie could be put forward inevitably for her mastery of this genre as well as o...


Complexity in chess
02/26/2024

Every chess player knows chess is complex. Most chess players have a sense of just how complex. It has even been suggested there are more moves theoretically in chess than there are atoms in the universe.

Don’t be deterred. The reality is beautifully described by Stephen Westland on the discussion website Quora. He also happens to be an interesting academic and professor in colour science at the school of design at the university of Leeds.
I’m borrowing from Stephen’s calculations on Quora For what follows, with more about a position which came up recent...