Mornington Crescent of course refers to a faction of the Knights Templar and has clear roots in Malta. What began as a medieval discourse and secret method for communication amongst the fraternity has morphed over the years into something entirely different. That difference is considered by many to break into several parts each of which, while fully self sufficient, contribute more so to the whole. The saying "The sum is greater than the parts" is one clue as to the importance of Mornington Crescent on the original Latin language in which the game is played. A reader enquired about obtaining supplies for the British Standard Version of Mornington Crescent, so I have added the following: Supplies Genuine Mornington Crescent supplies are hard to come by. Don't be fooled by stores which offer the Deluxe Mornington Crescent Gaming Table and Board at discounted prices. Although this product comes with an impressive looking game-tracking dial, brass display panel, coloured tokens, and the traditional gold and silver player pegs, it does not include the community chest cards (which are essential for advanced play), or a rule book! Personally I would avoid any purchase of a Mornington Crescent playing board that does not come with an official rule book, because it is likely to be an inferior imitation version, not authorized by the I.F.M.C.P (International Federation for Mornington Crescent Players). Official Mornington Crescent playing boards have been known to be sold used on eBay, but this is extremely rare given the incredible popularity of the game. Usually the prices are extraordinarily expensive, certainly more than what the introductory player will be prepared to pay, and frequently they do not come with other playing pieces. Experienced players frown on the use of playing boards, since they are only allowed in competition at the novice level. Players at the intermediate level and beyond are expected to have committed the playing board to memory, and the use of any aids is usually strictly forbidden at these levels. British Standard One of the most widely-played variations of Mornington Crescent is the British Standard edition of 1982, popularized by Parker & Parker. Regrettably, most superior literature on traditional Mornington Crescent is available only from official suppliers and distributors for the I.F.M.C.P. (International Federation for Mornington Crescent Players), and is not readily available outside Britain due to international trade restrictions. However, several resources on the British Standard Version are readily available from Amazon, notably "Stovold's Mornington Crescent Almanac 2002" by Graeme Garden (ISBN 0752847295) and "The Little Book of Mornington Crescent" by Tim Brooke-Taylor et al (ISBN 0752844229). These books are only modestly useful, and before purchasing them readers should be aware that they only address the British Standard, with play limited to the places allowed by the Third London Convention Code, and so are not at all useful for games played under International Rules. I'm grateful to the contributor who requested more information about some of the most famous players of Mornington Crescent. I have limited my response to players of the twentieth century and modern era, so as not to embroil myself in the Asia-European "Mornington Divide" controversy of the nineteenth century. Reports of eighteenth century and earlier Mornington Crescent figures mostly rely on Harley Moffat's "The Origins of Mornington Crescent: A Historical Reinterpretation". But in my view Moffat was misled by biased sources, and I am still in the process of writing a refutation for the Mornington Crescent Journal on this subject, so it would be premature for me to publish my views in this forum. Hall of Fame The two greatest players in the first part of the twentieth century are Hungarian genius Tibor Hugo (1909-1950), winner of the world title twelve times in thirteen years, and the brilliant Englishman Sydney Ernest Hall (1870-1950), who won an astonishing 1,821 of 2,155 internationals. Although Mornington Crescent is traditionally a male-dominated sport, the latter part of the twentieth century saw the emergence of some excellent female players, especially from the United Kingdom. Indisputably the most famous Mornington Crescent player ever is the legendary Mrs. Trellis of North Wales, a life-long devotee of the sport, who dominated the game for several decades after the Hall-Hugo era. Now in her 90s, she has retired from active competition, but continues to make an important contribution to the world of Mornington Crescent by her frequent correspondence, in which she shares her insightful analysis and observations. While in her prime, the remarkable Mrs. Trellis won a grand total of twelve interna-tional Grand Slams (the Singles, Pairs, Team and All-In ti-tles), a record that has stood unequalled to this day. Despite her advanced age, her advice is still much sought after and respected by Mornington Crescent experts around the world. The British in particular have produced some excellent fe-male players, such as Helen Michelle Long (1935-1966), whose brilliant career was unfortunately cut short at a young age when she was accidentally electrocuted while repairing her toaster, and Maxine Burnaby-Short (1925-1992). One of the modern masters of Mornington Crescent is Boris Antonovich Baryshnikov, who is again showing signs of the early promise displayed when he won the 1983 World Championship Final. Back to Table of Contents -- Game! # 12 To Game! List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by George Phillies. 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