A pre-festivities sharpener of Mornington Crescent?

[MarkWithaC]

Unfortunately I was absent for the thrilling climax to the game yesterday, and offer belated congratulations to LlynTegid. It's not often you see that move deployed with such laser-like accuracy.
A last hurrah before we all disperse for our traditional mid-winter break? (I'm for the Canaries this year with the curate and his new-ish special friend, a dear young man).
I'll start us off with a good invigorating Hudson's Cast: Goodge Street.

Chancery Lane

Wendover has required the use of the closed stations rule since the early 60s, when the end of steam trains came about. Hosting a game that far out of London just seems about as ancient as old money, nowadays tournaments in zone 4 fail to attract participants.

Yes, choice of venue is so important. The tournaments outside London used to attract a, shall we say, lively crowd who were glad of the opportunity to play the noble game but, as you say, times change.

Park Royal

Of course the tournaments in very far-flung locations like Singapore and Jersey are still going strong, although one does hear some tales to curl the toes. Anything goes in Basel, seems to be the prevailing attitude.
I only single out Basel, by the way, as it’s at the forefront of my mind since I was recently told of something of a folie there during a gathering to play the Main Line Variations, between a fondue waiter and the Undersecretary.

Chigwell

Isn't the undersecretary a twin? I heard it was a folie a trois @MarkWithaC...

Great Portland Street yes I know it's not textbook, unless your textbook is the 1972 edition with^^ the appendix deleted in later prints...I found a single copy in a small shop in Norwich, paid through the nose but it's served me well on many occasions

My understanding has always been that what happens in Basel, stays in Basel.

That was an audacious move, Tragic. I’ll counter with a inverse shift to White City

The platforms at White City are not as you'd expect, but in reverse, which can be confusing.

Walking interchange rule and a short journey to Ladbroke Grove.

As for Basel and mainline so-called variations of the game of games, they are as fake as artificial snow.

Muse, in the version I heard, believe me, only two people could have been involved…

A Side Flek to Grange Hill.

Hmm. Norwich, Basel, the game of games has sadly lost a little of the élan it had in its halcyon days. Perhaps we can recapture it with a quick diagonal to

Southwark

Never fear, Maud, the spirit of MC endures. Look at the attendees, the agenda and the photos of Major’s Kingsbury tournament last spring, for one example; the array of talent and costumes reminded one of Vienna back in the day. And only the one little scene; but what can one expect, really, if the icing bag is left out when Mrs Turnington has had a few celebratory gin and its?

That’s a lovely move. I’ll take the opportunity to use an Infinite Reverse to Clapham Common.

Tournaments can have unexpected twists and turns. Gin or other alcoholic beverages often have a part in such surprises.

Clapham South

Very cute, Llyn.
A spin twist to Boston Manor.

Tricky, but this has never failed me yet:

Hanger Lane

Very twisty indeed, Maud. Watch out for the gyratory system, though.

I'm continuing in the same vein with a lateral Upton to Marylebone.

An opportunity to try a windward Brookmyre!
Southall
How exhilarating.

The Elizabeth line rule has its value, so starting the new year with a move to Heathrow Terminal 5.

Happy New Year to all who play the game of games.

Happy new year, all. I passed a pleasant, quiet evening at the lodge with the Marchioness, the Rear Admiral and assorted others. There was just one tiny spat, when someone (I shan’t name names, but if I say ‘contretemps at the 2018 semi-final’ you will have a good idea) questioned the vintage of the champagne, but otherwise all was tranquil.

As the Northern is wild, it has to be Green Park.

Happy New Year, one and all! I was there, MarkWithaC (although you probably didn’t see through my disguise). The spat wasn’t so much about the vintage of the champagne as its provenance. Buying in bulk from Sid’s Cash ‘n’ Carry on the A1 is not quite comme il faut in MC circles.

Swiss Cottage

Maud, I did wonder if the Lodge circle usually socialise with point-to-point trainers, although of course one would never cast aspersions or pass comment.
I thought the cash n carry champagne thing was an ongoing in-joke, although I’m happy to be shown to be wrong.

Bank

The DLR rule to the rescue here- Shadwell.

There's a Wednesday exception I can use here, I believe:
Goldhawk Road

Markwith a ha, the Wednesday exception, it didn't actually occur to me until you mentioned it, but you are quite right.
Which gives me a cue for my absolute favourite move from the Double Spenny Two Over....
Kentish Town

Temporarily closed stations rule so early in the year is a clever move. No intention of visiting the nearby cemetery which does not identify who was a player of the game of games, but nevertheless a move to Highgate.

thankyou, that is a breathtaking move; I applaud you.

Llyn, there is a school of thought about Catherine Dickens as an MC connoisseur (not so much her husband, who according to the same writers found it 'too complicated' – ludicrous man!).
Marx always preferred Monopoly, that's well documented.

I can't really follow the Double Spenny, so I'll keep it simple.
Rotherhithe

Absolutely, Mark; I understand Marx once had a massive barney with Engels over Fenchurch Street station and they nearly came to blows. If Jenny hadn’t intervened to smooth things over then history could have been very different.

In memory of which incident, a Hardwicke turn to Fenchurch Street

Limehouse via the C2C rule.

As for Dickens, I think of no coded version of the game of games in his books, and after all, his death was nine years before the game really got going when the Metropolitan Railway was extended north.