gooner:

1. When Alex visited me, I had been recovering from re-injuring a previously broken back. Did he tell you that I could not even stand up straight the whole time he was there?

2. His son was with him, and we played chess and Gothic Chess for at least 2 hours. There was much beer and chatter, nothing much about checkers even started until about 10 PM.

3. I showed him the perfect play databases in my computer lab upstairs. He had to spot me a 3 minute head start for me to even get there!

4. Some of the most difficults wins in the 4x3 database Alex could not win against the program. He was impressed. At this point, he asked if I wanted some games with him. Back down the stairs we went.

5. I did not have a checkers set, nor did he. We played on a chess board using only pawns. At first Alex gave me 10 minute to 3 minute odds. Even in my injured state, I had a won 6x6 ending against him, and we both stopped the clock. The next game was played at 5 min to 5 min, which I resigned, the next at 5 min to 3 min, to a 6-piece draw.

How this translates to a "good novice player" I don't know. Maybe because of my loss I walked into an easy shot in the endgame, but the other 2 games I thought I played well above the mark, given that he was crowned World Champion not too long before and I had effectively not played much in months.

6. You told me the name of the hotel, the address, and the dates you would be there. You left no phone number or any other way to contact you. I drove down there, you weren't there.

Amazing how the sands of time allow you to re-write history. Just take a look at both of your posts.