david west

For those of you who aren't British, Mornington Crescent is a game played on the radio, making it ideal for playing on the interweb.<BR><BR>It uses the stations of London's tube system in a game of cunning and strategy. The rules are quite simple (although the version that the radio pros play has more complex variants). It will soon become obvious if you watch what is going on.<BR><BR>You may need a tube map to follow it. You can find one at www.thetube.co.uk<BR><BR>Mornington Crescent is on the Northern Line, just south of Camden Town.<BR><BR>I hope that some of our other British correspondents will join in and introduce you to this simple pleasure, which will certainly enhance your experience of London.<BR><BR>I will go first (I know this isn't strictly conventional but it will get the ball rolling).<BR><BR>I propose we play the standard Arbuthnot rules, with all gambits and passes enabled.<BR><BR>So to start, with a neutral non confrontational choice:<BR><BR>Ladbroke Grove.<BR><BR>Over to you.

flygirl

David, I'd love to play - but need a little bit of a primer on how? Your opening gambit may be neutral - but what is next? throw us a bone, dear David!

Sheila

David, I think this will be very hard on the web, but I'll give it a go....<BR><BR><BR>Kew Gardens

sid26

Baker Street

spoon

Shall I spoil it?

spoon

OK, Mansion House.

flygirl

Parsons Green?

david west

Mansion house isn't that big a spoiler, but it does limit the options, so I'm going to open it up a bit to give more opportunities for open play:<BR><BR>Theydon Bois

Sheila

Westminster

david west

That's nasty Sheila. Very nasty. I'm glad its not my turn.<BR><BR>You're obviously a Jedi at this.

david west

Now see what you've done Sheila.<BR><BR>You got us into this mess, so according to the Kipling convention, you have to get us out.

Sheila

Give them a minute; I've got an idea, if not.

margaret

Can I play?<BR>What happens if I say Elephant and Castle?

what_a

i mean, seriously, do we just have to give tube stop names or is there something else to it !!?? U still haven't explained the game to us by the way.......

david west

Elephant and Castle will work as we are allowing all gambits and passes (although in the complex variants it would be considered counter-clockwise and frankly a bit naive).<BR><BR>Anyone care to take it on from here?<BR><BR>And if you can't follow it you should look at a tube map <BR><BR>(I should have said that it is against the rules for the competitors to have access to a map, they have to rely on their memories, which is part of the game).

Tracy

Hey clueless people, it's from BBC Radio 4's 'Sorry I Haven't a Clue' show (which is unfortunately off the air right now, or else you could listen to clips online . . . )<BR><BR>Get the finer points of the rules at<BR>http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A769395<BR><BR>And, in a zen-like move, may I suggest<BR><BR>West Acton<BR><BR>cheers dears<BR>= )

Gareth

Ummm..im tempted to use the Maquess of Huffington's double switchback manouver as in the second edition published in 1938....

frank

Is blocking allowed?

david west

As stated in the original post, we are playing Arbuthnot's protocols so, naturally blocking is allowed, indeed actively encouraged.<BR><BR>Although I would point to what happened when Sheila introduced the Jubilee Line Extension and the game ground to a halt.

david west

Oh, i give up and don't feel like playing this stupid game anymore. I'll try to think of one that will be more fun to us all...please be patient guys.<BR>Lots of love and sweet kisses.<BR>Dave.