From: Pieter Stouten SHOGI NET> Date: 7 jun 2003 Subject: MSO Worldwide Update [Forwarded on behalf of Chris Dickson msoworld com>] M S O W O R L D W I D E U P D A T E ======================================= Planning well under way for 7th Mind Sports Olympiad - Playing schedule available; more action than ever before - Valuable tuition on offer in Manchester this summer - Introducing the UK Schools Quiz and Intelligence Championships - It'll be the most social Mind Sports Olympiad event yet Mind Sports Olympiad making waves in Manchester - Speed reading wizard goes for the world record - Britain's largest simultaneous chess display yet - Man versus machine with Manchester's own poker millionaire P L A N N I N G W E L L U N D E R W A Y F O R 7 t h M S O ===================================================================== ] PLAYING SCHEDULE AVAILABLE; MORE ACTION THAN EVER BEFORE The playing schedule for the 7th Mind Sports Olympiad, set to take place between Saturday 16th August and Monday 25th August at the Manchester Conference Centre at UMIST in Manchester, Great Britain, has recently been made available. We have allocated an additional 15,000 pounds sterling to prizes so far and we have two sponsorship finders looking for additional prizes. Find what's on when at http://www.msoworld.com/2003/schedule.html ] VALUABLE TUITION ON OFFER IN MANCHESTER THIS SUMMER Most of the teaching sessions will form part of two "academies" that we are introducing - the Games Academy will teach three games each day from a roster of 5 (Chess, Backgammon, Mini-Bridge, Othello and Scrabble), while the Brain Power Academy, whose Dean is mental skills expert Lady Mary Tovey, will teach Mind Mapping, Speed Reading and Memory Skills. The Brain Power Academy is organised in collaboration with EIC Manchester. Learn about it at http://www.msoworld.com/2003/schedule-mental.html ] INTRODUCING THE UK SCHOOLS QUIZ AND INTELLIGENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS Two more innovations this year are the UK Schools Quiz and Intelligence Championships. All secondary schools in the UK are being notified and we expect these events quickly to become the biggest schools competitions in the country. A 1,000 pound scholarship is on offer to both of the the pupils who win the individual gold medals. Full details at http://www.msoworld.com/2003/schools.html ] IT'LL BE THE MOST SOCIAL MIND SPORTS OLYMPIAD EVENT YET We're proud to enhance the social side of the Olympiad with barbecues to be held in the sunshine from noon to 7:30pm on both Saturdays and both Sundays - or under cover in the unlikely event of rain! Food and drink will be available at student prices both at the barbecues and at a number of outlets available all day long on-site, with a trolley of coffee and snacks very close to the tournament venue. The final day of the event will conclude with a medal ceremony and then a short party. More about our venue at http://www.msoworld.com/2003/venue.html M S O M A K I N G W A V E S I N M A N C H E S T E R =========================================================== We are creating a few publicity "happenings" to promote the Olympiad: ] SPEED READING WIZARD GOES FOR THE WORLD RECORD At midnight on June 20th, when the book is published, our undefeated five-time speed reading gold medal winner, Anne Jones, will attempt to set a world record at Books etc. in Manchester by reading all 255,000 words of the new Harry Potter book in about two hours. TV coverage of this record attempt is already guranteed; many stores will celebrate with face-painting and fancy dress parties but only ours will attempt anything quite like this! More information about the record attempt to follow soon. ] BRITAIN'S LARGEST SIMULTANEOUS CHESS DISPLAY YET On August 9th Scottish Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson will attempt to break the British record for the number of chess games played simultaneously. He will play 150 opponents. This will be a charity event with the proceeds going to Francis House children's hospice in Manchester. Information to follow at http://www.msoworld.com/ when we get it. ] MAN VERSUS MACHINE WITH MANCHESTER'S OWN POKER MILLIONAIRE On August 18th-20th, one of the world's leading professional poker players, Manchester resident Julian Gardner, will play a winner-take- all match against a computer program written at the University of Alberta. This is a world first. Julian placed second at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas last year, winning $1,100,000.