Leon Watson
@leonwatson.bsky.social
Editor-in-Chief at WorldChess.com. PR advisor to the English Chess Federation. Previously worked for Chess.com, Chess24, The Telegraph, MailOnline & The Sun. Cricket fan. Chess coach. Season ticket holder at Spurs. #COYS
Drives me up the wall when I hear people call Spurs "the Spurs", like you would SA Spurs.
November 11, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Drives me up the wall when I hear people call Spurs "the Spurs", like you would SA Spurs.
Being a ST holder who rarely goes these days (cost, journey, kids) and instead puts tix on the Xchange, I was worried about this when Son left. Annoying.
November 7, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Being a ST holder who rarely goes these days (cost, journey, kids) and instead puts tix on the Xchange, I was worried about this when Son left. Annoying.
He's top seed at the London Chess Classic, with Abdu second, and there's also a rapidplay tournament that's eligible. I think 19pts available which would put Firouzja above Keymer. World Rapid & Blitz to come.
Total guesswork, admittedly. But there has to be one shock omission!
Total guesswork, admittedly. But there has to be one shock omission!
November 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
He's top seed at the London Chess Classic, with Abdu second, and there's also a rapidplay tournament that's eligible. I think 19pts available which would put Firouzja above Keymer. World Rapid & Blitz to come.
Total guesswork, admittedly. But there has to be one shock omission!
Total guesswork, admittedly. But there has to be one shock omission!
I should have said I'm basically ignoring qualification from the World Cup because it's so impossible to predict!
I'm guessing Keymer doesn't make the semis and is overtaken on the Circuit.
I'm guessing Keymer doesn't make the semis and is overtaken on the Circuit.
November 7, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I should have said I'm basically ignoring qualification from the World Cup because it's so impossible to predict!
I'm guessing Keymer doesn't make the semis and is overtaken on the Circuit.
I'm guessing Keymer doesn't make the semis and is overtaken on the Circuit.
Keymer could certainly win a spot via the World Cup. But there's a good chance it all goes to Circuit points, and Abdu is likely to enter more comps.
November 7, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Keymer could certainly win a spot via the World Cup. But there's a good chance it all goes to Circuit points, and Abdu is likely to enter more comps.
Yep. The word he's looking for is "pariah".
November 3, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Yep. The word he's looking for is "pariah".
Dude, it's not sneering language. I was a full paid-up member of the Cult of Ange and proud of it. That was what Ange was about, you just had to believe. That's a fact, practically from his mouth. I've got no problem with that. Sometimes you do just have to believe. Sadly, the players didn't.
November 3, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Dude, it's not sneering language. I was a full paid-up member of the Cult of Ange and proud of it. That was what Ange was about, you just had to believe. That's a fact, practically from his mouth. I've got no problem with that. Sometimes you do just have to believe. Sadly, the players didn't.
Frank is doing much better so far than Arteta did at this stage of his journey.
RN, we're still at the "faith" stage. He deserves our faith, because it's early in his reign. Ange never got out of that stage and the faith broke down.
I have faith that Frank will. That's all we can say right now.
RN, we're still at the "faith" stage. He deserves our faith, because it's early in his reign. Ange never got out of that stage and the faith broke down.
I have faith that Frank will. That's all we can say right now.
November 3, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Frank is doing much better so far than Arteta did at this stage of his journey.
RN, we're still at the "faith" stage. He deserves our faith, because it's early in his reign. Ange never got out of that stage and the faith broke down.
I have faith that Frank will. That's all we can say right now.
RN, we're still at the "faith" stage. He deserves our faith, because it's early in his reign. Ange never got out of that stage and the faith broke down.
I have faith that Frank will. That's all we can say right now.
Yeah, I get all that and feel that way too. But I'm willing to invest time in Frank because I think that's what we need. The cult of Ange didn't work for us. It turned out he was a false prophet, or so the club decided.
As for Ange's vision, well, it sadly wasn't attainable, in the Prem at least.
As for Ange's vision, well, it sadly wasn't attainable, in the Prem at least.
November 3, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Yeah, I get all that and feel that way too. But I'm willing to invest time in Frank because I think that's what we need. The cult of Ange didn't work for us. It turned out he was a false prophet, or so the club decided.
As for Ange's vision, well, it sadly wasn't attainable, in the Prem at least.
As for Ange's vision, well, it sadly wasn't attainable, in the Prem at least.
I'm not sure I agree with this. It was the Ange era that was all about faith. We just had to believe, "it's who we are". Jam tomorrow. He was an ideologue.
Frank is a pragmatist. He's not selling a vision. Changes will be incremental and go towards building what works for us. I think that's clear.
Frank is a pragmatist. He's not selling a vision. Changes will be incremental and go towards building what works for us. I think that's clear.
November 3, 2025 at 12:46 PM
I'm not sure I agree with this. It was the Ange era that was all about faith. We just had to believe, "it's who we are". Jam tomorrow. He was an ideologue.
Frank is a pragmatist. He's not selling a vision. Changes will be incremental and go towards building what works for us. I think that's clear.
Frank is a pragmatist. He's not selling a vision. Changes will be incremental and go towards building what works for us. I think that's clear.