Does anyone else find Derren Brown as incredibly entertaining as I do?

That's a pretty kickass idea... playing them off each other like that.

According to ChessBase.com some chess neophite actually won money in such a challenge. A three-way challenge between himself, Alekhine and Bogoljubov.

Notice that Derren never really explains how he beat the ninth player. He intimates early on that he is not a good enough player to beat that guy, who I believe has close to a 2000 rating. He also never explains how he knew the numbers of remaining pieces at the end. It's possible that the whole thing is a sham. We don't know. But it is very entertaining.

Ha, i had no idea he was known in the the States. He's really well known over here...he's incredibly compelling. I don't think the chess thing is a sham, he's far too good for that =) There was a great show where he made apparent the technique of 'cold reading', and practically exposed mediums/fortune tellers/palm readers etc...it was quite moving to watch, as he demonstrated how easily it could be done on people who had experiecned loss. He can also control people's minds, which isn't too bad.

He would be my number one choice for a guest at an evening meal.

He would be one of mine, too, along with James Randi. I really wish that PBS would bring Derren Brown's TV shows to the US.

I've always thought that Keith Richards would be a fun dinner guest as well. Maybe the two of them together.