Category Archives: Player

Sultan Khan : The Indian Servant Who Became Chess Champion of the British Empire

Sultan Khan: The Indian Servant Who Became Chess Champion of the British Empire
Sultan Khan: The Indian Servant Who Became Chess Champion of the British Empire

Sultan Khan : The Indian Servant Who Became Chess Champion of the British Empire : Daniel King

GM Daniel King
GM Daniel King

“Daniel King (1963) is an English grandmaster, coach, journalist and broadcaster. He has written 16 chess books on topics ranging from opening preparation to the self-tutoring How Good is your Chess? and Test Your Chess.”

From the rear cover :

“Sultan Khan arrived in London in 1929. A humble servant from a village in the Punjab, he created a sensation by becoming the British Empire champion. Sultan Khan competed in Europe with the leading chess players of the era. His unorthodox style often stunned his opponents, as Daniel King explains in his examination of the key tournaments in Khan’s career. King has uncovered a wealth of new facts about Khan, as well as dozens of previously unknown games. Now for the first time the full story can be told of how Khan was received in Europe, of his successes in the chess world and his return to obscurity after his departure for India in 1933.”

Daniel King, well known as a writer and broadcaster, here turns his hand to chess history, and one of the most fascinating stories our game has produced.

It would be remiss of me not to mention at the start that Sultan Khan’s family, whom the author chose not to consult,  are very unhappy about the book. You can read a review by Dr Atiyab Sultan, Sultan Khan’s granddaughter, here.

Dr Sultan and her father also write about Sultan Khan here.

I’ll leave that with you: you can decide for yourself whether or not it will deter you from buying the book. I have my views but prefer to concentrate on the chess.

Malik Mir Sultan Khan
Malik Mir Sultan Khan

What we have is a collection of Sultan Khan’s most interesting games (in some cases only the opening or conclusion) with excellent annotations. It’s not a ‘Best Games’ collection: there are plenty of draws and losses. As you would expect from such an experienced commentator, King knows exactly what, and how much, to tell you. You’ll get clear and concise verbal explanations, with variations only when necessary: an approach entirely suited to Khan’s style of play.

Sultan Khan’s openings were sometimes very poor, even by the standards of the day, on occasion running into trouble by neglecting the essentials of development and king safety, and not always learning from his mistakes. You won’t find a lot of brilliant tactics and sacrifices in his games, either. But he excelled at manoeuvring, and was an outstanding endgame player, winning many points through sheer determination. It was these skills that enabled him to beat Capablanca, draw with Alekhine, and reach, according to Jeff Sonas, the world’s top ten.

Here’s his most famous game, which is treated to six pages of annotations in the book.

King offers a lot more than just the games, though. The descriptions of the events in which Sultan Khan participated are enlivened by contemporary reports from newspapers and magazines which portray a vivid picture of the chess world 90 years ago, and of how Khan was perceived within the chess community. Then as now, newspapers would sometimes send non-playing journalists to write a ‘let’s laugh at the weird chess players’ article. Here, for example, is a Daily Herald reporter visiting Hastings for the 1930-31 congress. “DRAWING THE LONG BROW AT HASTINGS”, chortled the headline. “Moving (sometimes) scenes at chess congress.” Yes, very droll.

Although Sultan Khan was a very popular member of the British chess community, much respected for his quiet and modest demeanour, remarks which would today be considered racist sometimes appeared in the press. The London Evening News on Hastings 1932-33: “Sultan Khan, the British Champion, of course, did well; but he is not English by birth, which makes a difference.”

Malik Mir Sultan Khan (right)
Malik Mir Sultan Khan (right)

King also sketches in the political background behind Sultan Khan’s time in England: the discussions concerning the future of the Indian subcontinent which would eventually lead to independence and the partition in 1947. Writing as someone with embarrassingly little knowledge of the subject, I thought these sections of the book were written with sensitivity and impartiality, but, as the partition is still highly emotive today, I quite understand why others might take a different view.

My main problem with the book is the lack of indexing. There’s an index of names, but I’d also expect indexes of games and openings: something I’d consider essential for a book of this nature. While it was interesting to read something of the history of Western chess in India, a section on John Cochrane would have been useful. I noticed a couple of errors in tournament crosstables (pp 22 and 309), and on p322, EM Jackson mysteriously becomes EM Mackenzie (his middle name).

What you don’t get is a definitive and complete biography and games collection such as McFarland might publish, but Daniel King knows his audience well, and, from the chess perspective, does a thoroughly professional job. If you don’t feel strongly about Sultan Khan’s family’s criticisms, then this book is highly recommended, telling a story full of chess, human and historical interest.

You can see some sample pages on the publisher’s website.

Some more links for anyone interested in finding out more about Sultan Khan:

An article by chess.com blogger simaginfan (Neil Blackburn)

Edward Winter’s feature article about Sultan Khan

A short documentary from 1990 about Sultan Khan and Miss Fatima

Richard James, Twickenham 22nd May 2020

Richard James
. Richard James

Book Details :

  • Paperback : 372 pages
  • Publisher: New In chess (1 Mar. 2020)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9056918745
  • ISBN-13: 978-9056918743
  • Product Dimensions: 17 x 23.1 cm

Official web site of New in Chess

Sultan Khan: The Indian Servant Who Became Chess Champion of the British Empire
Sultan Khan: The Indian Servant Who Became Chess Champion of the British Empire
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Happy Birthday IM John Cox (22-v-1962)

BCN sends best wishes to IM John James Cox on his birthday, this day, in 1962.

John was born in Altrincham, Trafford, Greater Manchester and moved to Shropshire at the age of three.

John attended Eton College playing top board in the Sunday Times National Schools Competition during the 1977 – 1979 period.

John read classics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford and played in the 1982, 1983 and 1984 varsity matches for Oxford versus Cambridge.

He became a FIDE Master in 1982, an International Master in 2002 and obtained a peak rating of 2423 in January of 2006.

John is a solicitor, owning his own practice of 30 years.

He is an expert bridge player and an amateur rock climber / mountaineer.

John plays for Cavendish in the London League, Hackney in other leagues and Barbican in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL).

From the excellent Shropshire Chess web site we have :

John Cox, aged 17, photographer unknown
John Cox, aged 17, photographer unknown

“Probably the best home reared player to come out of the county, John Cox started to play at age 6 with his father Jeff (see above) joining Shrewsbury Chess Club at age 7. At age10 he became joint Shropshire lightning champion. He was 16 when he won the 1979 county championship though much of his early success was outside the county. He gained his first FM norm at the 1980 Lloyds Bank Masters where he became the first Shropshire player to beat a GM (see below), also drawing with IM’s Ligterink and Pytel. In 1981 he gained his third norm and the FM title at Ramsgate together with his first IM norm. Though now based in London, he is still a regular visitor to the local Wrekin Congress.”

Here is his Wikipedia entry

John Cox (first from left) at a Lloyds Bank event.
John Cox (first from left) at a Lloyds Bank event.
John Cox (left, rear)
John Cox (left, rear)
John Cox (left, rear) at a Lloyds Bank Varsity match
John Cox (left, rear) at a Lloyds Bank Varsity match
IM John Cox, courtesy John Upham Photography
IM John Cox, courtesy John Upham Photography
Starting out 1.d4 ! by John Cox
Starting out 1.d4 ! by John Cox
Dangerous Weapons : The Ruy Lopez
Dangerous Weapons : The Ruy Lopez
Starting Out : Alekhine's Defence
Starting Out : Alekhine’s Defence
Dealing with d4 Deviations
Dealing with d4 Deviations
Starting Out : Sicilian Sveshnikov
Starting Out : Sicilian Sveshnikov
The Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall
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Remembering Andrew Thomas (11-x-1904 16-v-1985)

ARB Thomas and Jonathan Penrose at the Hastings Congress
ARB Thomas and Jonathan Penrose at the Hastings Congress
Signature of ARB Thomas from a Brian Reilly "after dinner" postcard from Southsea 1951.
Signature of ARB Thomas from a Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Southsea 1951.

Here is his Wikipedia entry

ARB Thomas in play with FEA Kitto
ARB Thomas in play with FEA Kitto

BCN remembers Andrew Rowland Benedick Thomas (11-x-1904 16-v-1985)

We cannot improve on this excellent article about ARBT on the Chess Devon web site

David Hooper (seated right) in play at the West of England Championships in Bristol, Easter, 1947. His opponent , ARB Thomas , was that year's champion. Among the spectators is Mrs. Rowena Bruce, the 1946 British Ladies' Champion. BCM, Volume 118, #6, p.327. The others in the photo are L - R: H. V. Trevenen; H. Wilson-Osborne (WECU President); R. A. (Ron) Slade; Rowena Bruce; Ron Bruce; H. V. (Harry) Mallison; Chris Sullivan; C. Welch (Controller); F. E. A. (Frank) Kitto.
David Hooper (seated right) in play at the West of England Championships in Bristol, Easter, 1947. His opponent , ARB Thomas , was that year’s champion. Among the spectators is Mrs. Rowena Bruce, the 1946 British Ladies’ Champion. BCM, Volume 118, #6, p.327. The others in the photo are L – R: H. V. Trevenen; H. Wilson-Osborne (WECU President); R. A. (Ron) Slade; Rowena Bruce; Ron Bruce; H. V. (Harry) Mallison; Chris Sullivan; C. Welch (Controller); F. E. A. (Frank) Kitto.
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Happy Birthday IM John Grantley Cooper (14-v-1954)

IM John Cooper, photograph courtesy of John Upham Photography
IM John Cooper, photograph courtesy of John Upham Photography

BCN wishes Happy Birthday to IM John Grantley Cooper (14-v-1954)

From chessgames.com :

“John Grantley Cooper was born in Cardiff, Wales. Awarded the IM title in 1984, he was Welsh champion in 1976 (jointly), 1978 (jointly), 1984, 1985, 1992 (jointly), 1993 (jointly), 1994, 1995 and 1996. He also played for Wales in ten Olympiads, from 1974 to 1992.”

His peak rating was 2395 in January 1985 at the age of 31.

IM John Cooper, photograph courtesy of John Upham Photography
IM John Cooper, photograph courtesy of John Upham Photography
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Remembering Charles Locock (27-ix-1862 13-v-1946)

Charles Dealtry Locock (27-ix-1872 13-v-1946)
Charles Dealtry Locock (27-ix-1862 13-v-1946)

BCN Remembers Charles Dealtry Locock (27-ix-1862 13-v-1946)

From chessgames.com :

“Charles Dealtry Locock was born in Brighton, England. He won the British Amateur Championship in 1887 (after a play-off) and passed away in London.”

From Wikipedia :

“Charles Dealtry Locock (1862 – 1946) was a British literary scholar, editor and translator, who wrote on a wide array of subjects, including chess, billiards and croquet.[1]”

From The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld :

The Locock Gambit is in the Philidor Defence, named after the English player Charles Dealtry Locock (1862 – 1946). The gambit is probably sound; Black should play 4…Be7 instead of 4…h6

Here are some studies from aarves.org

Imagination in Chess by Charles Dealtry Locock
Imagination in Chess by Charles Dealtry Locock

James Pratt informs BCN that CDL was an early trainer of Elaine Saunders. See here for more.

From The Chess Bouquet, (1897), page 212 : (taken from chessgames.com)

“Perhaps many players who are inclined to pooh, pooh the efficacy of problem training will be surprised to find that such an expert player, as Mr. Locock has proved himself to be, is equally at home in the sister art. Yet such is the case, and although his fame rests chiefly upon his many brilliant victories in cross-board encounters, the strategetic qualities of his compositions, and the ease and facility with which he penetrates the inmost recesses of problem, have secured him place in the foremost ranks of British problemists. Born in 1862, and educated at Winchester College and University College, Oxford, Mr. Locock early displayed fondness for chess, and for five years he played for Oxford v. Cambridge.
In 1887 he won the amateur championship tournament of the British Chess Association without losing game. In the Masters’ International Tournament, held at Bradford in 1888, he scored seven antl half games against very powerful array of talent. The Masters’ International Tournament, held at Manchester, in 1890, found him somewhat below par, but in 1801 he won the British Chess Club Handicap without losing game. In 1892 he tied with Bird for fourth prize in the National Masters’ Tournament. Emanuel Lasker (then rapidly forcing his way to the throne, so long and honourably held by Wilhelm Steinitz) won the first prize, with score of nine James Mason second, seven and half; Rudolph Loman third, seven and Messrs. Bird and Locock six and half each. Seven others competing.

During the past four years Mr. Locock has played some twenty-six match games without losing one. In team matches he has only lost one since 1886. These include the two telephone matches, British Chess Club v. Liverpool and also the cable match, British Chess Club v. Manhattan Club, 1895, when Mr. Locock, at board three, drew with Mr. A. B. Hodges; and the cable match, British Isles v. United States, March, 1896, when Mr. Locock again drew his game with Mr. E. mes on board five.

Partially owing to want of practice, Mr. Locock is gradually retiring from serious chess, although we trust many years will elapse ere he finally says good-bye to the scene of his triumphs. Life is generali) voted too short for chess, yet, in addition to the sterling work already alluded to, Mr. Locock has found time to edit the well-known excellent chess column in Knowledge, and enrich the already huge store ot problems with many stategetical positions. His “Miraculous Adjudicator” and Three Pawns ending, published in the B.C.M., having been greatly admired by connoisseurs.

Mr. Locock has favoured us with few humorous remarks on what he terms the vice of problemmaking,” and with these we conclude our sketch of perhaps the strongest living amateur player-problemist “

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Happy Birthday IM Neil H Bradbury (09-v-1964)

IM Neil H Bradbury, photograph by Brendan O'Gorman
IM Neil H Bradbury, photograph by Brendan O’Gorman

BCN wishes Happy Birthday to IM Neil H Bradbury (09-v-1964)

Neil became an International Master in 1988 ans achieved a peak rating at the age of 20 of 2395 in January of 1984.

Neil stopped playing in 1998 but in 2018 restarted with appearances in Gibraltar, The London Chess Classic and the British Championships in Hull and Torquay.

Neil has played in 4NCL for The ADs

Neil Bradbury (rear, second from left) at a Lloyds Bank event
Neil Bradbury (rear, second from left) at a Lloyds Bank event

Here is a recent game of Neil’s :

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Happy Birthday IM Gavin Crawley (08-v-1963)

IM Gavin Crawley
IM Gavin Crawley

BCN wishes Happy Birthday to IM Gavin Crawley (08-v-1963)

Gavin became an International Master in 1988. His peak rating was 2407 in July 2007.

IM Gavin Crawley
IM Gavin Crawley

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Happy Birthday Dr. Tim Harding (06-v-1948)

From chessgames.com:

“Timothy David Harding was born in London. He has been playing both over-the-board and correspondence chess since the 1960s. Harding played on the Irish team at the 1984 FIDE Olympiad in Thessaloniki, scoring 50%. In 2002 he achieved the title of Senior International Master of Correspondence Chess. He is also a Candidate Master (2015).

As a chess historian, Harding has authored dozens of books on chess since 1973. He is also the author of the “The Kibitzer”, a popular chess column published at ChessCafe.com.

(Tim Harding’s homepage – http://www.chessmail.com/timsite)”

BCN wishes Happy Birthday to Timothy David Harding (06-v-1948)

From Wikipedia :

“Timothy David Harding (born 6 May 1948 in London)[1] is a chess player and author with particular expertise in correspondence chess. He published a correspondence chess magazine Chess Mail from 1996 to 2006[2] and authored “The Kibitzer”, a ChessCafe.com column from 1996 until 2015.[3] In 2002, he was awarded the title Senior International Master of Correspondence Chess by the International Correspondence Chess Federation. Harding has lived in Dublin since 1976,[2] writing a weekly column for The Sunday Press from then until 1995.

In 2009, Harding received a PhD degree in history from University of Dublin, with his thesis on correspondence chess in Britain and Ireland, 1824–1914.[4]

He is credited with coining the name Frankenstein–Dracula Variation in his 1975 Vienna Game book.”

Timothy David Harding (06-v-1948)
Timothy David Harding (06-v-1948)

Tim has written / co-authored at least forty chess books and here is a selection :

The Velimirovic Attack, Sozin Sicilian, TD Harding and RG Wade, Chessman Publications Ltd., 1969.
The Velimirovic Attack, Sozin Sicilian, TD Harding and RG Wade, Chessman Publications Ltd., 1969.
Counter gambits by Timothy D. Harding (1974)
Counter gambits by Timothy D. Harding (1974)
Sicilian:...e5 by TD Harding & PR Markland
Sicilian:…e5 by TD Harding & PR Markland
The Sicilian Sozin, TD Harding, GS Botterill, C. Kottnauer, Batsford, 1974
The Sicilian Sozin, TD Harding, GS Botterill, C. Kottnauer, Batsford, 1974
Sicilian Richter-Rauzer
Sicilian Richter-Rauzer
The Leningrad Dutch, BT Batsford, Tim Harding, 1976
The Leningrad Dutch, BT Batsford, Tim Harding, 1976
Colle, London and Blackmar-Diemer Systems, BT Batsford Ltd, Tim Harding, 1979
Colle, London and Blackmar-Diemer Systems, BT Batsford Ltd, Tim Harding, 1979
French: MacCutcheon and Advance Lines, Batsford, 1979
French: MacCutcheon and Advance Lines, Batsford, 1979
French: Classical Lines, Batsford, 1979
French: Classical Lines, Batsford, 1979
Queen's Gambit Declined : Semi-Slav, Tim Harding, BT Batsford Ltd., 1981
Queen’s Gambit Declined : Semi-Slav, Tim Harding, BT Batsford Ltd., 1981
Guide to the Chess Openings
Guide to the Chess Openings
British Chess Literature to 1914 : A Handbook for Historians
British Chess Literature to 1914 : A Handbook for Historians
Eminent Victorian Chess Players
Eminent Victorian Chess Players
Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography
Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography
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Happy Birthday GM Danny Gormally (04-v-1976)

BCN wishes Happy Birthday to GM Daniel William Gormally (04-v-1976)

Danny won the Southern Counties (SCCU) championship in the 2002-03 and 2010-11 (sharing with David Howell) seasons.

Here is a ChessBase interview with Danny

Danny Gormally Caption Competition
Danny Gormally Caption Competition

and another interview from Chessbase

GM Danny Gormally
GM Danny Gormally
Danny Gormally with the ? Trophy
Danny Gormally with the ? Trophy
Insanity, Passion and Addiction
Insanity, Passion and Addiction

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