BCN wishes happy birthday to FM Kevin O’Connell (28-viii-1949)

Kevin John O’Connell was born on Sunday, August 28th 1949 in London.

Kevin attended Ilford County High School and The University of Exeter followed by an MSc in Sports Sciences at The University of Exeter.

According to The Games of Robert J. Fischer :

“Kevin is an Essex county player and bulletin editor”.

According to How to Play the Sicilian Defence :

“Kevin O’Connell is editor of the FIDE Chess Yearbook, author of many other chess books and chess columnist of London’s Evening News”

From the Praxis Bath Zonal Tournament of 1987. Kevin J O'Connell is fourth from right — From the Praxis Bath Zonal Tournament of 1987. Kevin J O’Connell is fourth from right

Harry Golombek wrote in The Observer Magazine (about The Batsford Chess Yearbook 1975/6) :

“O’Connell has done his work extremely well and I found all the contents interesting”

Kevin O'Connell at the Lloyds Bank Open in 1977. Photograph courtesy of Lloyds Bank. — Kevin O’Connell at the Lloyds Bank Open in 1977. Photograph courtesy of Lloyds Bank.

and Leonard Barden wrote (of the same book) :

“Book of the year…this reviewer admits to consulting it more frequently than any other book on his shelf”

Kevin makes a telephone call communicating moves during a computer tournament.

Kevin was coach (they lived in the same road in Suffolk) to GM Nick Pert and IM Richard Pert

Kevin became a FIDE Master in 2006 and his peak rating (according to Felice) was 2360 in July 1993 at the age of 44.

From the Praxis Bath Zonal Tournament of 1987. Kevin J O'Connell is third from left — From the Praxis Bath Zonal Tournament of 1987. Kevin J O’Connell is third from left

Kevin became a FIDE International Arbiter (IA) in 1998. He was the FIDE Delegate for the Republic of Ireland and was Honorary Chairman and Secretary of the FIDE Chess in Education Commission (EDU) having retired from the roles in the last couple of years. He is also a FIDE Senior Trainer.

Kevin O'Connell at the London Chess Conference, 2016, courtesy of John Upham Photography — Kevin O’Connell at the London Chess Conference, 2016, courtesy of John Upham Photography

Here is his Wikipedia entry

The Games of Robert J. Fischer, Robert Wade and O'Connell, Batsford 1972, 2nd ed. 1972, reprinted 1973, First limp edition 1981, Reprinted 1985, 1981, 1989, Second edition (The Complete Games of Bobby Fischer) 1992 — The Games of Robert J. Fischer, Robert Wade and O’Connell, Batsford 1972, 2nd ed. 1972, reprinted 1973, First limp edition 1981, Reprinted 1985, 1981, 1989, Second edition (The Complete Games of Bobby Fischer) 1992

The Complete Games of World Champion Anatoly Karpov

How to Play the Sicilian Defence, Batsford, 1978

Oxford Encyclopedia of Chess Games, Volume 1 1485-1866., OUP, 1981

Oxford Encyclopedia of Chess Games, OUP, 2009

We offer best wishes to GM Daniel King on his birthday

Daniel John King was born on Wednesday, August 28th 1963 (the same day as the Martin Luther King “I have a dream” speech) in Beckenham, Kent.

He attended Langley Park School whose motto is “Mores et Studia” meaning “good character and learning” or “morals and study”.

Daniel has a brother Andrew (AJ King) who is also a strong player.

Daniel became an International Master in 1982 and a Grandmaster in 1989.

His peak FIDE rating (Felice) was 2560 in July 1990 at the age of 27.

Daniel plays for Guildford in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) and has played for Guildford in local leagues.

This was written (by Leonard Barden) about Daniel who was 15 just prior to the 1979 Spassky vs the BCF Junior Squad simultaneous display :

“Langley Park School, Shortlands and Bromley. Rating 201. British under-14 co-champion, 1977. 2nd Lloyds Bank junior international, 1979.”

Danny was Southern Counties (SCCU) champion for the 1983-84 and 1985-86 seasons.

According to Test Your Chess With Daniel King, Batsford, 2004 :

“Grandmaster Daniel King has been a professional chess player for 20 years. During that time he has represented his country on many occasions including an historic match victory over the Soviet Union in Reykyavik, 1990. Besides his chess career, Daniel has built up a reputation as a commentator on TV and radio,

Jonathan Speelman and Daniel King share headphones at the 2013 FIDE Candidates event in London, courtesy of John Upham Photography

and has reported on four World Championship matches and several Man vs Machine events, including the controversial Kasparov vs Deep Blue encounter in New York, 1997. He is an award-winning author of 15 books, including Winning with the Najdorf, Mastering the Spanish, and Kasparov vs Deep Blue for Batsford. ”

On April 8th, 2020 New in Chess released Sultan Khan: The Indian Servant Who Became Chess Champion of the British Empire which is Daniel’s most recent book.

According to British Chess (Pergamon, 1983) by Botterill, Levy, Rice and Richardson :

1977 British Under 14 Champion
1979 Lloyds Bank 6/9 (aged only 16)
1980 First Ilford Open
1981 Represented England in Glorney Cup scoring 4.5/5
1981 Fourteenth equal British Championship
1981 IM norm Manchester 5.5/9
1981 Second equal Ramsgate Regency Masters 6.5/9 IM norm with a round to spare
1982 First Equal Guernsey 6/7
1982 First Hamar IM norm and title
1982 Second equal Molde
1982 Second equal Hallsberg Junior
1982 Third equal Phillips and Drew Knights
1982/3 Tenth equal Ohra, Amsterdam 5/9
1982/3 Fifth European Junior
1983 Fourth equal Gausdal
1983 First Portsmouth Open

In the same article Daniel gave the following game as his favourite up to 1983: