My Local Michelin Star Cafe had shut up shop.

The chilli con carne was no more.

The eggs benedict and americano breakfast was a pleasant but fading memory.

All of which led to the inevitable question; would the steady march of My Good Self towards the status of Supreme Chess Grandmaster of the Entire Solar System subsequently be halted?

I can report as follows on the present state of play.

My current rating stands at 1474, a mere 26 shy of The Promised Land of the 1500’s.

It remains nip and tuck with The Sussex Dude. Looking good with The Italian Babe and The King of Headfort. A new game has just begun with The Prince of Pinner.

The current game with The King of Headfort has been a closely fought affair where My Good Self has just recently managed to edge ahead.

The big news of the week concerned my most recent battle with The Prince of Pinner.

A man not much associated with bloops on the chess board, he somehow contrived to miss a knight check on his king and accompanying fork on his rook.

My Good Self immediately tumbled off the couch on seeing the bloop and almost knocked over a very full glass of the Santa Helena Carmenere.

Almost.

All was well. Disaster was averted.

And so it’s looking good in my quest to breathe the rarefied air of the 1500’s.

My good friend Garry Kasparov will be most pleased.