This is outrageous. It's like the Times discontinuing the crossword.

I emailed the LES. Here's wishing the best for Mr. Barden's column.

Maybe something like Re6:+.

yeah i think printed newspapers are having a tough time. they will be cutting more than this before they are back in profit.

That column is gone, but we have plenty of chess blogs. Chess journalism should change along with the changing media. I do not see any vandalism here.

I can't help feeling that most of the newspaper columns a quite lame. The only good ones i have seen in the UK were by Speelman, and for a short while some in the Guardian. Can't say I'm going to miss it much

I can't help but feel the same way.
Chess aficionados will already have seen whatever they -usually only summarily- write about and people who are not interested in chess will not be interested no matter what.

I believe there's still a group of chess enthusiasts who are not experts, not club members, but still like to read about it. They are the potential new club members, the potential sponsors even, who can become more interested in chess by columns like these. This alone is a good reason to have a chess column in a big newspaper.

"Vandalism" Give me a break. Economics - Chess columns do not generate ad or circulation revenues. Print Newspapers are dying.

This is a sign of things to come. Whenever a newspaper has sacrificed its chess column it has meant that its position is in shambles. I give the 'Standard' five years. It will cease to exist as a print newspaper in 2016 AD.