The inevitable return of Mornington Crescent

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

As winter approaches and the nights draw in, one’s thoughts naturally turn to wholesome, homely entertainment. Instead, though, I invite experienced players and novices alike to join me in a game of Mornington Crescent.

To keep the pace gentle, I’ll begin with an inverse Lepton to

Seven Sisters

Double Turnham Green is a risky move!

Pimlico

Wimbledon Park. Not I repeat not Wimbledon.

I hate to be a stickler for the rules but are we playing doubles so close to the beginning of a game? In which case, Clapham Common.

Ooh - in that case, Chandos Grove.

Hahahahahahahaha! Amersham

Argh - bloody autocorrect: Arnos Grove. Sorry @PhotoDad. Does that affect your move?

I thought it was too good to be true, I'll have to settle for Mansion House instead. Heigh ho.

Southfields (playing it safe)

Harrow on the Hill - let’s see how you get out of this one!

Well nobody wants a repeat of the terrible semi final in 1991 where the montaradna rule was questioned then found unlawful But I think we can all agree this will be in order:

Paddington

I'm going to throw in a bold triple lock double skip hop to Oxford Circus. Obviously we're playing to the Middle Zone Shuffle rules, right?

I really wish I understood what you are talking about..... Sounds fun!

Melrose rule enforced, we are all back at Charing Cross!

Ha. Gives me a glance to practice my Sicilian Defence…
Chalk Farm

Obviously, that assuming the Melrose Rule didn’t wholly void the Middle Zone Shuffle Rule. The precedent from Kartovskys Intervention in the ‘04 championships still stands, yes?

I should think so. Great Portland Street, for obvious reasons.

Cunning! Dammit, you’ve forced me back to Upminster you rascals!

The Kartovsky Intervention was discredited in 2006, as I recollect, after she, the Archbishop and the Commandant General were found in the wardrobe at the Geneva play-offs with nothing but six empty bottles of crème de menthe and a slightly fixed copy of the 1894 Compendium of the Consolidated Rules. But I digress

Highbury and Islington

Oh Maud! You know it was Absinthe and it was quite the scandal. I haven’t been able sing the Hokey Cokey ever since.

Oh OH, time to pull out my signature move!

Triple Reverse Bob AND The Slighcarp Intervention...

St James's Park

Oh gosh, I just looked it up , it was QUITE the scandal at the time wasn’t it.. I was living somewhat off—grid in Chatham for health reasons at the time, so I aren’t surprised I missed the whole thing. Was the Archbishop ok in the end? The article was surprisingly coy about the outcome.

I am still slightly confused though, does that void ALL southern Mediterranean gambits, or just that one?

assuming the Other Gambits still are permissible… reverse hop BACK to

Balham

At last! I can call the Coddington Flip and play London Bridge.

Since you've opened up BELOW the diagonal I'm left with Chancery Lane

Ah, yes, it may have been absinthe. How quickly one forgets. It’s true that the press coverage was somewhat, ahem, muted. M’learned friend recently confirmed that the superinjunction is still in force, so some details will never be in the public domain which, as we all know, is a mercy to all concerned.

Kew Gardens

With reference to the Stovold's Mornington Crescent Almanac (2001) I submit the somewhat controversial reverse semi-shunt to

Angel