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Leon Watson

@leonwatson

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

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Latest posts by Leon Watson @leonwatson

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Tudor needs to stop the boat analogies fast or we'll go down like the Mary Rose. #COYS

06.03.2026 08:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

To be fair, we now have all County matches, all Minor County matches and indeed most club matches, often even down to junior matches, screened on YouTube.

But I get your point completely - that doesn't make up for it.

05.03.2026 09:00 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Wow.

04.03.2026 18:44 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Preston Wheelchair Curling Club says it is 'like chess on ice' Preston Wheelchair Curling Club will be able to run free

Is it tho? Is it really?

Wheelchair curling is 'like chess on ice' - BBC News share.google/zh6ug7zA8ffd...

03.03.2026 15:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Maybe the people who make jokes at our expense are onto something - we really should pivot to medicine. #COYS

01.03.2026 14:40 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It's everyone else's fault, but Scott Munn's. #COYS

27.02.2026 13:22 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I'm not saying Vinai is to blame for all this, but I would like to know what's said in his yearly review - what exactly have been his successes? What KPIs has he hit?

Because as a fan it's difficult to see from the outside how he's affected the club at all. Except to prolong the Frank agony.

#COYS

27.02.2026 08:20 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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It's a chess funny:

25.02.2026 22:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Something like "horizon planning," I expect.

24.02.2026 16:26 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I'd certainly like to know what Vinai's done right since he took up his post.

24.02.2026 15:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

So no new manager bounce, then. #COYS

22.02.2026 19:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Well, at least we had equal possession for that 5 minutes. #COYS

22.02.2026 16:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Yes, but Charles is the law!

19.02.2026 12:23 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

RIP GM Jan Timman.

19.02.2026 09:38 ๐Ÿ‘ 17 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

I was thinking Greensleeves...

14.02.2026 14:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Going to the Arsenal match dressed like this. #COYS

13.02.2026 16:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

So, Igor Tudor it is.

With any luck our next 6 results will be:
-Drawed
-Beheaded
-Died
-Drawed
-Beheaded
-SURVIVED

#COYS

13.02.2026 16:38 ๐Ÿ‘ 9 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It would be classic Spurs to lurch from the calm of Frank to the crazy of De Zerbi. #COYS

13.02.2026 13:23 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

New manager, please. #COYS

10.02.2026 21:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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I hope he's all-white.

10.02.2026 15:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich is reportedly on the next EU sanctions list.

The list will be published on February 24.

Huge implications for chess if it happens.

09.02.2026 16:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

And how many Russian?

04.02.2026 23:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Or... with Arsenal's league position, we don't have the luxury of winning this game.

31.01.2026 18:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Tomorrow is now a must-lose game for us. #COYS

31.01.2026 16:42 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The struggle is real in Marlow, Bucks.

30.01.2026 16:18 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Their quality is not in question. They have shown their quality on bigger stages than Spurs.

Their costs reflects that.

What doesn't equate to quality is current form - the current form you mistakenly cite as supporting your point.

26.01.2026 16:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The front line is a ยฃ60m striker, a French international, a ยฃ50m Dutch international AM, two French u21s, a ยฃ60m RW, not to mention the injured Deki and Maddison.

The club has invested heavily.

"Relegation quality" it is not. "Relegation form" is more accurate, and that is down to Frank.

26.01.2026 16:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 15 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The squad isn't where we want it to be, but is it a squad of relegation battlers?

Absolutely not.

Frank is underperforming in the league at the moment and there's no getting away from it.

Performing miracles? Don't be silly. He must improve.

26.01.2026 16:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Does he have to?

Or is that just convention.

20.01.2026 14:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Excellent read. Symptomatic of a problem in many walks of life, but especially clear in football.

Ultimately, this approach sucks the life and soul out of football.

Probably the worst effect of our current malaise is the growing feeling of apathy. This is a new thing.

19.01.2026 12:42 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0