The Independent from London, Greater London, England • 39

EYE ON THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER 1997 9THE LIST GAMES CHESS: WILLIAM HARTSTON NUMBERS CLASSICAL OTPWIIWtlMlL OwBrture, Vfofci Concerto and 4th Syrnphcny. The Hayes (01223-878444) rmnrm flRclBUIUIUJI Mickey Mouse, and then has a dream in which he is taken to a land occupied by chess pieces, and then comes on as a substitute bishop in a game between pink pieces and blue pieces after one of the blue bishops is discovered to be a pink piece in disguise. The chess content of all this is zero. Anyway, when he wakes up, Goofy has somehow learnt enough to beat Mickey, which leaves the Mouse looking extremely unhappy. Having inspired its readers to want to win at chess, the book then moves on to going through the rules, which takes some 50 pages, then a few traps and checkmates, and a final chapter of "Runous These begin with one allegedly by Napoleon (whose name on its third appearance is nusprinted as Napoleone) and end with Kasparov's final loss to Deep Blue last year.

All are given with only the most cursory of mtroductions, so will be way beyond the understanding of the book's readers. Disney's Chess Guide is published by Batsfords, price 7.99. If you look at the title page of Disney's Chess Guide by Anatoly Kaipov, you will see a picture of Donald Duck playing chess against Mickey Mouse, cheeied on by other Disney characters. Although they all seem to be enjoying themselves greatly, I suspect that what Minnie Mouse is trying to tell Mickey is that they're rather goofiry playing with the board the wrong way round. As Anatoly Karpov explains on page 33, you have to have a white square at the bottom right-hand corner Hang on, I hear you ask; if getting the board the right way round is on page 33, what on earth or Disneyland fills the first 32 pages? Well, there's an mtroduction by Anatoly Karpov, then a brief section to tell you that you can play chess anywhere as long as you have a chess set, then some dubious history.

And then, on page 16, begins a cartoon strip entitled "Goofy in the Land of It's a curious story, in which Goofy knocks himself out with the chessboard after losing 20 games to POKER: DAVID SPANIER Today is 11 December. Eleven is a splendid number for books. If you take the ISBN of any bookbr example 1 86066112 2, which is the ISBN of The Book of Numbers by William Hartston (Richard Cohen Books, 9.99), then multiply the first digit by 10, the second by 9, and so on, adding up the answers as you go along (for the number above we get: 107248036304342 209) the answer will always be divisible by 11. This gives computers a simple check for ISBN errors. Eleven is also the number of: airports in Albania (though five have paved runways); cups of coffee drunk dairy per capita in Sweden; riots at horse races in the United States between 1960 and 1972; ounces in weight the average person loses overnight; golden hamster babies in the average litter; recorded accidents in UK homes in 1994 involving drinking-straws.

the new Atlantis Resort and Casino up and running in seven months. Last year, the operation reported $44m earnings, pre-tax. The casino boasts 800 slots and 70 tables of games. A major expansion of hotel and casino space is already under way. There are a lot of little casinos dotted around the Caribbean to tempt cruise passengers and tourists.

There was even a small casino on board die. Holland America liner I sailed on. Most of these places are worth only a passing flutter. But the Atlantis looks like the real thing. Two cruises for 1998 are: "Alaska 2-9 August, from Vancouver, from and "Fall Bermuda, New England and Nova Scotia, 19-29 October, from New York, from $1,620.

Details from enterprises, 1751 East Reno Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119, fax (702) 798 8981. 1 Follow (5) 2 Unfasten (7) 3 Dodge (S) 4 5 Letter (7) 6 Cheeifid(6) 11 Displaces from native surroundings (7) 12 SelltojrjubGc(6) 14 Protection against chemical weapon (3- 16 Scottish landowner 17 Musical drama (5) 18 Foolish (5) 3T-IXJWN: toriBMLllEieo-iv 21 Origami, 22 2 hue. 3 Lmetta. 4 Amooria- Ravers Piano Goncoto, Diana BurreTs Qarinet Concerto and Schumann's 2nd Symphony. Tonight 7 J0pm.frei950.

Barbican Ob, EC2 (0171-638 8801) Moorgaja. peraonaJ Chriatmas gala selection. Tonight 7.30pm. 15-40. South Bank, SE1 (0171-8604242) BRe Waterloo.

OPERA LONDON MUmtMIPIV THKATMi HO Raul lyaqaM Britten's first opera in a RoyaJ Opara production, dreded by Francesca Zambeto. Tbrfght 750pm. SMMJSD. Sheoeebury Amb, WC2 (0171-379 5393) Hotxrn DANCE UMIDON IJUKHLO Iht Shew AmbiiouB musicfli Int. i OBHuaDng ran obucb.

Queen Caroine Street, WB (0171-416 6022) Hamrrarsrnth. Derek Dearie's new staging, tonight 7.30pm, ends 10 Jan. E7JSMX5Q, cones awtobto. St MartrVs Lane, WC2 (0171-632 8300) Leicester SquarsCnaring Cross. i BaftstvMthatiMst.

Mon-Sat 7.30pm. mats Wad Sat 230pm. ends 14 Fab. 320, standby cones 1250. Denman St W1 (0171-389 1734) Pice Ore.

COMEDY Rut Farcfti characiBr creations, "bright 8pm, DodcSnghurst Road (01277-282616) 12-14. LONDON JUUANCUUIYin'VAIfMVUI The comedy carnprneisler parfuiniB. Tbnigrt8pm.StrarKtWC2(0171-8369967) BfVf Charing Cross, E1M18L50. Bl Beley, Heky Grover, Kevin Gkfea, Jeff Qnaen, pkjs open spots and MC Fred Maceulay. Tonight 8pm.

Oxendon Street. SW1 Pico Ore, 10, cones 6. EVENTS Ohriatnaaa) IspsjilsMes) Decoraled ChristirEvTreeertfcltknrf and deooratjon-meklrig workshops. Mart House Gatjry North Pafant (01243-774557) Today 530pn430pm, free. MfifMtHMM mmJ auJ flSSNSMVM ISJKMBflMM aBBC nSpSna acMoB on attracting bkdsto your garden.

Pubmuugti Brooks RSPB Rsssfvs (0179875851) Tbday 2pm-4pm, 3 (aoVsnoe booking andpaymertesoontjaT)- MMUR9J1 VIoiOffaM Chriaknaa Bands, choirs, dancers and shop staff in period dress. Town Cans (01621-860478) Today 10arrv5prn, free. CLUBS MMHTOM DVUMKT CtMSTMAS BASH Kt 1W Trance wth Chrislian vbgal, Mck Spbe and guests. Tonight Opm-tats, 5, cones 4. Marine Panda (01273608906) DHOUTZ AT Herdcore dtoco wlh a 70s stags showL Tonight 10L3Qpm3am.

The BrcajFuhamfld, SVyB(0171-3B5 0834) Furam Broadway, 8, mems 7, 70s dress 5. size of cabin. The trip is easy, comfortable and amusing. In fact, at those prices, you would be hard pressed to find a resort hotel in the United States to match it, quite apart from the pleasures of the voyage itself. Anyway, our last port of call was Nassau.

Paradise Island did not disappoint. The casino, it appears, has become respectable at last Acquired by Sol Kerzner, of Sun City fame, three years ago, it has now been turned into a full-scale Vegas-style resort. Where previous operators saw a declining investment, Kerzner sensed a new opportunity for his particular brand of "blowing away the customer with high entertainment value. Sun International owns 580 acres of the 800-acre island, with its golden beaches and blue lagoons. At a cost of $140m in redevelopment, he had Puadise Island, originally known as Hog Island, across the bridge from Nassau in the Bahamas, is one of those places I had always wanted to visit It was for years an offshore haunt of Meyer Lansky.

The reputation of its casino was heroically unsavoury. In recent times the property was acquired by Resorts International in Atlantic City, then sold on to Merv Griffin. Now it has a new owner. I finally got to Paradise Island, via a poker cruise round the Caribbean. The voyage consisted of playing poker all night and snorkdling the coral reefs by day.

Could anything be -more self-indulgent? Or, for a poker player, more enjoyable? A poker cruise is an ideal present to give yourself for 1998. The cost, for two people, with all meals and no extras, runs from around $1,600 a person for a 10-day cruise, depending on the Rhythm idng: joota Holland and Ms blues uitlmlia rock thai RoyaJ Albert Hall, London SW7 (0471 -589 8212) 6.45pn tonight POP rumbies around the nation's arenas. CardaT Inssmsflonal Anna Pttery Ann StiBBl, Bute (01222-224488) Tbnkjht 630pm, phone for prioss. i nmym a US as-fock style from Iha Dmox ux DTiluuppurg. Brixton Acadsmy Stockwal Road SW9 (01 71-0249999) BR Brfxtcn 7pm, ends 13 Dec, phone far avalabity.

TJw SiasdSBa tnfluenofl pop uttmauluto. Union Chapel Oompton Avenue N1 (0171-477 3812) Highbury Tonight 8pm, phone for avatabSy. fVatfajR Raid Snapper Essex kKhno-punk outfit tour the recent afcum, The Fat Of The Land. Rhrannaad Lsisurs Centre HdNd Avenue (01734-591591) Tonight 630pm. phone for wnlni.iWy.

JAZZ, WORLD, FOLK ninnsi IMqufejr Legandary vfbas player RoyAyers' pSlty rVlftk fTIBChsTIBi JszzCafsParkMeyrWI (0171-9166060) Camden Tom 9pm, ends 13 Dec, 15. Tbwierap12-pieoeoninlBrriBticfialtour. Purest Room South Bank SE1 (0171-6604242) BR Waterloo. Tonight 730pm, 120, cones 10. SssaaWaM Herria Meflow jazz, blues and soul dke, heard on The ConrninardB' Don't Leave Me This Way.

Ron) SooTs Frth Street W1 (0171-4390747) EXHIBITIONS ma mam IfMMMtW Objects om Carifer shops. Morat10arrH40pnSun230pni50prn, ends 1 Fab. 40, cones 3. tarrJy 12 Great Russal Street. WC1 (0171-636 1566) RubsbI Squarafctiunharii Court Road.

Satirical Morvsat ioam-cpm QMd urn Bprnj, Sun 12noon-8pm, ends 18 Jan. free. Trafalgar Sojjare, WC2 (0171-747 2886) 4 Charing Cross, Luiuiutui Square. ROYAL ACADSafY OP ARTS Crjraaisxvaiy work, rnousng uarnon nra, mtitk vvoBiojarana HBcnei Whtoread. MonSun 10anpmp to 830pm), ends 28 Dec.

7, cones 650, NUS 43a Victorian Mry natattsjBlndudkTgwoA Dedd, Rackham and TUrnet Mon-8un 10am-6pm, ends 8 Feb. 5 cones 4.50, NUS 33a chid 1-25a (m 71 -300 8000) 4 Green PerkWxacSy drcus. The Asa Of I and others. Ends 4 Jan. 6, cones 350.

Tanar Rriaa HOT BitMeSlBii A chancs to view work by Crvistine Borland, Angela Buloch, Oomass Parker and GaTanWoortTg. Mon-Sun 10am-60pm, ends 18 Jan. 1 JBO. Kttank, SW1 (0171-887 8000 4 Phica CONCISE CROSSWORD 11 December 1 Temporary cessation of fighting (5) 4 Garden tool (3) 7 Per head (4) 8 Praise the Lord! (8) 9 Abuse (3-9) 10 German Reformation leader (6) 13 Birds of preyj6) IS Emotional affair or liaison (12) 19 Home (8) 20 Sad to tell (4) 21 Piece of turf (3) 22 Joint (5) 11 I 12 I pi 7 5 5 3 ioiiii' TTpr irnrq -pr iifti Iff JTJ" 2j. ACROSS: 1 HQL4 AieMfflihiio.9Aarw, 101 Elude, 23 24 tkn, 5 Eaw, 6 Sampler, 7 Tavern, 8 Only, 14 Cuir 15 Nawete, 16 bnder, 17 Ibol, 19 Uiuip, 20 Bmm..