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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200723
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200724
DTSTAMP:20210710T143352Z
CREATED:20190823T190033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210710T143352Z
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SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Sir George Thomas\, 7th Baronet (14-vi-1881 23-vii-1972)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of Sir George Alan Thomas\, 7th Baronet (14-vi-1881 23-vii-1972) \nSignature of GA Thomas from a Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Hastings Christmas Congress\, 1945-1946\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (BT Batsford\, 1977) by Harry Golombek : \n“British international master\, born in Constantinople (previously Byzantium and currently Istanbul : Ed.) His mother (Lady Edith Margaret Thomas : Ed) was one of the strongest English women players\, winner of the first Ladies tournament at Hastings 1895. \n(Ed : his father was Sir George Sydney Meade Thomas) \nThomas was an all-round athlete who excelled at tennis\, hockey and badminton as well as chess. He captained the English badminton team and was All England Badminton Singles champion from 1920 to 1923.” \nSir George Alan Thomas : “During his playing career\, he won 78 national titles in the United Kingdom and a further 12 French titles; he also competed in 29 out of 30 English internationals\, winning 50 matches in the process.”\nHere is an excellent article (albeit stating GT was a Grandmaster and was president of the British Chest Federation!) from the National Badminton Museum. \n\n“Thomas won the British chess championship twice\, in 1923 and 1934 and represented England in the Olympiads of 1927 where he tied with Norman Hansen for the best score – 80% on board 3\, 1930\, 1931\, 1935\, 1937 and 1939. \nPassenger list from RMS Alacantra showing Sir George Thomas arriving at Buenos Aires on September 19th\, 1939\nEntry for Sir George Thomas from above image.\nIn international tournaments his greatest successes were 1st at Spa (ahead of Tartakower) and =1st at Hastings 1934/5 (tied with Euwe and Flohr\, ahead of Capablanca and Botvinnik). \nSir George Thomas\, British Chess Champion\, Southsea Congress\, 1923 Photograph by Gilbert N Fulcher\, Southsea\nHe was known for his keen sense of sportsmanship and for his ability to encourage and inspire younger players. He served for many years on the BCF Junior selection committee and was for a time Games Editor of the British Chess Magazine. FIDE awarded him the titles of international master (1950) and International Judge (1952). (article by Ray Keene)” \nBritish chess champion Sir George Thomas playing at the Annual British Chess Federation Championship in Yarmouth\, England\, July 11th 1935. (Photo by Harry Todd/Fox Photos/Getty Images)\nThomas with the White pieces was predominantly a Ruy Lopez devotee. \nWith the Black pieces against 1.e4 he defended the Lopez and the Queen’s Gambit Declined was his favourite versus 1.d4 \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (Robert Hale 1972 and 1976) by Anne Sunnucks : \n“International Master (1950)\, International Judge (1952) and British Champion in 1923 and 1934. All England Badminton Singles Champion\, All England Badminton Doubles Champion\, Wimbledon tennis player and county hockey player. \nSir George Thomas was born in Constantinople on 14th June 1881. His mother\, Lady Thomas\, won the first ever ladies’ tournament\, which was held in conjunction with the Hastings International Chess Tournament of 1895. \nHe learned the moves at the age of 4\, and as a boy met many of the world’s leading players\, including Steinitz\, Lasker\, Tchigorin and Pillsbury\, in his mother’s drawing-room. \nApart from serving as a subaltern in the Army during the 1914-1918 war\, Sir George has devoted his life to sport. He played tennis at Wimbledon\, played hockey for Hampshire\, captained the English Badminton team and was All England Badminton Singles Champion from 1920-1923 and doubles champion nine times. \nSir George Thomas And Brian ReillySir George Thomas (left)\, leader of the British chess team\, playing Irishman Brian Reilly at the Easter Chess Congress\, Margate\, April 24th 1935. (Photo by Harry Todd/Fox Photos/Getty Images)\nSir George played chess for England regularly from 1910 to 1939. He played for the British Chess Federation in the Chess Olympiads of 1927\,1930\, 1931\, 1933\, 1935\, 1937 and 1939\, and captained the team which withdrew from the Buenos Aires Olympiad in 1939 on the out-break of war. \nA Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Margate 1936.\nThe Grand Hotel\, Cliftonville\, Margate. Venue for the Margate tournaments.\nHis first appearance in the British Championship was in he came 2nd. He also came 2nd in 192l and in 1923 won the first time\, thus becoming British Chess Champion and\nBadminton Champion in the same year. Sir George’s best performance was at Hastings 1934-1935\, when he came =1st. In the last round he needed only a draw against R. P. Michell to come lst\, ahead of Euwe\, Capablanca\, Flohr and Lilienthal\, but he lost and had to be content with sharing lst prize with Euwe and Flohr. \nNice Masters\, 1931. Standing : Daniel Noteboom\, Abraham Baratz\, George Renaud (Organiser)\, John J O’Hanlon\, Marcel Duchamp\, Brian Reilly (winner)\, Seated : Eugene Znokso-Borovsky\,\, Arpad Vajda\, Sir George Thomas\, Jacques Mieses\, Stefano Roselli del Turco\, Jacob Adolf Seitz. British Chess Magazine\, 1931\, page 201\nDuring his career he has beaten Botvinnik\, Flohr and and drawn with Nimzowitsch\, Rubinstein and Capablanca. He been noted for his sportsmanship and for his interest in and encouragement of young players. \nPartie d’échecsSir Georges Thomas\, le célèbre joueur d’échecs britannique\, jouant contre sa plus jeune adversaire âgée de 8 ans\, à Londres\, Royaume-Uni le 24 octobre 1934. (Photo by Keystone-France\Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)\nSince his retirement until the last few years\, Sir George continued to attend tournaments as a spectator. \nHe is the author of The Art of Badminton\, published in 1923. \nThe Art of Badminton\nHe died on 23rd July 1972 in a London nursing home.” \nHere is Part II of GM Matthew Sadler’s appreciation of Sir George. \nMost interestingly we have this this splendid article from Neil Blackburn (SimaginFan) on chess.com \nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nSir George Alan Thomas (14-vi-1881 23-vii-1972)\nand here is Part III of Matthew Sadler’s article \nSir George Alan Thomas\nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess (OUP\, 1984) by Hooper & Whyld : \n“English player. International Master (1950)\, International Arbiter (1952)\, British champion 1923 and 1934. His mother\, who taught him chess\, was winner of one of the first women’s tournaments\, Hastings 1895\, He played in more than 80 tournaments and achieved his best result at Hastings 1934-5 (about category 9)\, when he scored +6-1—2 to share first prize with Euwe and Flohr ahead of Botvinnik and Capablanca. Thomas played in seven Olympiads from 1927 to 1939\, and in the first the highest percentage score was made by him ( + 9=6) and the Dane Holgar Norman-Hansen (1899- ) (+11=2—2). A leading English player for more than 25 years\, Thomas fought many battles at the famous City of London club\, winning 16 of the annual championships from 1913-14 to 1938-9. In his sixty-ninth year he gave up competitive chess when\, after a hard game\, ‘the board and men began to swim before my eyes\,’ He continued his active interest in junior events and his visits\, now as a spectator\, to chess events. \n\nA man of few words\, imperturbable\, of fine manners. Sir George Thomas was respected throughout the chess world for his sportsmanship and impartiality\, and his opinion was often sought when disputes arose between players. The inheritor of both a baronetcy and private means\, he\ndevoted his life to games and sports. Besides his chess he was a keen hockey player\, a competitor in international lawn tennis (reaching the last eight at Wimbledon on one occasion)\, and winner of about 90 badminton titles\, notably the All-England men’s singles championship which he won four times\, from 1920 to 1923.” \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-sir-george-alan-thomas/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Honours,Player
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210724
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210725
DTSTAMP:20210812T153624Z
CREATED:20210124T171654Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210812T153624Z
UID:13455-1627084800-1627171199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Johann Löwenthal (15-vii-1810 24-vii-1876)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary Johann Löwenthal (15-vii-1810 24-vii-1876) \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-johann-lowenthal-15-vii-1810-24-vii-1876/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200726
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200727
DTSTAMP:20210725T154922Z
CREATED:20200409T084318Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210725T154922Z
UID:4243-1595721600-1595807999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of WFM Jessica Gilbert (30-i-1987 26-vii-2007)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of WFM Jessica Laura Corey Gilbert (30-i-1987 26-vii-2007) \nFrom Find A Grave by by Peterborough K: \n“Professional Chess Player. A native of Croydon\, England\, Gilbert became the youngest person ever to win the Women’s World Chess Federation Master Title.  \nA talented chess player since the age of 8\, she also won the Women’s World Amateur Championship when she represented England in 1999 at the age of 11.  \nIn a career that spanned over seven years she played in over 153 matches in such events as the Gibtelcom Chess Festival\, the 7th European Championship\, Ilsan 1st\, 37th Chess Olympiad\, Hastings Chess Congress\, Hastings Master Op\, Coventry Op\, and the Gausdal Byggern Masters.  \nOn July 26\, 2006\, while in Pardubice\, Czech Republic\, to play in the Czech Open\, she mysteriously fell to her death from the balcony of her room on the eighth floor of the Hotel Labe. Gilbert was only 19 years old.” \nInteresting article by Alexander Barron \nHere is Jessie’s entry from Chessgames.com \nHere is Jessie’s extensive Wikipedia article. \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-wfm-jessica-laura-corey-gilbert-26-vii-2007/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210801
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210802
DTSTAMP:20210801T175941Z
CREATED:20190823T104652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210801T175941Z
UID:1079-1627776000-1627862399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of John Driver (21-vii-1928 01-viii-1979)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of John Edward Driver (21-vii-1928 01-viii-1979) \nSee Sunnucks \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Batsford\, 1977)\, Harry Golombek OBE\, John Rice writes: \n“British problemist. Output consists of two-movers\, helpmates and fairy problems. Inventor of the Edgehog\, a fairy piece which moves along Q-lines but always either to or from a square at the board-edge.” \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-john-edward-driver/
CATEGORIES:Composer,Death Anniversary,History,Problemist
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200803
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200804
DTSTAMP:20210801T180718Z
CREATED:20190822T165409Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210801T180718Z
UID:1008-1596412800-1596499199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Captain William Davies Evans (27-i-1790 03-viii-1872)
DESCRIPTION:BCN Remembers Captain William Davies Evans (27-i-1790 03-viii-1872) \nCaptain William Davies Evans (27-i-1790 03-viii-1872)\nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess (OUP\, 1984) by Hooper & Whyld : \n“Inventor of the Evans gambit\, for about half a century one of the most popular attacking weapons. He was born in (Musland Farm in the parish of Saint Dogwells\,) Pembroke\, Wales\, went to sea at the age of 14\, was employed by the Postal Department from about 1815\, and rose to the rank of captain four years later. In 1824\, soon after taking command of the first Royal Mail steam packet to sail from Milford Haven to Waterford\, and while aboard\, he invented his gambit. Evans was a keen player. He gathered a small chess circle in Waterford\, and when on leave in England played chess in London\, notably in 1826 when he showed his gambit to Lewis and McDonnell\, and in 1838 when he played a long series of games with Staunton at the Westminster Chess Club. In Jan. 1840 he was pensioned off on account of ill-health. He went to Greece\, became captain of a steamer that sailed the Mediterranean\, and returned to London at the end of 1842. During the next 13 years there are several accounts of his presence in London\, and then he settled abroad. He died and was buried in Ostend\, \nEvans claimed to have solved the three pawns problem (See below) \, which\, however\, had already been solved by others. His claim to the invention of tri-coloured lighting for ships has not been verified independently\, although he is known to have investigated the subject. For this invention he states that the Tsar of Russia gave him a gold chronometer\, and that he also received money. For a more detailed life of Captain Evans see British Chess Magazine\, 1928\, pp\, 6-18.” \nThe Evans Gambit is a variation of the Giuoco Piano or Italian Game : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nWhen Evans originally devised his gambit the move order was slightly different : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nin which White sacrifices the b-pawn for increased central control and development viz : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (Robert Hale\, 1970 & 1976) by Anne Sunnucks : \n“Inventor of the Evans Gambit\, an opening described by a player in the last century as ‘A yellow fever attack : if you live through the initial stages and avoid any carelessness that may bring on a relapse\, you will come out alright’. \nCaptain Evans discovered the gambit in about 1824. It was a favourite opening during the last century and was adopted by a number of leading players including La Bourdonnais and Morphy. \nFor some years Commander in H.M. Royal Mail Packet Service on the Milford and Waterford station\, Captain Evans later became Commander in the P.& O. Company’s service and agent for the Royal Mail Steampacket Company\, Port Grande. On retirement he lives for many years in Holland and Belgium. \nThe story is told of how\, in 1870\, the Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia\, brother of the Tsar\, was visiting Bruges when he heard that the inventor of the Evans Gambit was living in Ostend. Being a keen chess player he invited Evans to play a game. When Evans had won\, the Grand Duke turned to his adversary and said : ‘I believe you invented the Evans Gambit ?’\, ‘Yes’ replied Evans ‘and it’s not the only thing I’ve invented for which you have not paid me.’ ‘What’s the other?’ asked the Grand Duke.\nEvans then explained that he was the inventor of the ship’s lights which were being used by the Russian Navy\, in which the Grand Duke held the rank of Admiral. Several months later Evans was invited to the Russian Consulate in Ostend\, where he was handed a letter from the Grand Duke\, a gold chronometer\, a gold chain and a draft of money\, ostensibly in payment for the Russia’s rights to use the captain’s invention in her ships. ” \nEnjoy this interesting article from “Introuble2” on chess.com \nEvans analyzed the “Little Game of Chess” (an endgame composition involving only two kings with three pawns each) \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nto independently discover that it actually won for the player who moves first\, not drawn as had been believed for over a hundred years. \nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess (Batsford\, 1977) by Harry Golombek we have : \n“After his retirement Evans went to live abroad and eventually found a haven is Ostend and there\, ill\, and almost blind and in very straightened circumstances\, he dictated a letter on 22 March 1871\, which was published in the Gentlemen’s Journal supplement for June 1872\, along with an appeal for him organised by George Walker. The letter gives the authentic facts of his life and is worth quoting in full\, if only to refute various unfounded reports about a meeting with the Tsar’s brother\, or according to that rich source of misinformation\, the Rev GA MacDonnell\, that the Evans Gambit was discovered off the coast of Africa by a middle-aged lieutenant in the Royal Navy -perhaps the reverend gentleman was confusing Waterford with the Canary Islands. \nThe letter runs : \nWilliams Davies Evans is a native of Pembrokeshire\, South Wales\, and was born on 27 January 1790. He commenced a naval career at the age of fourteen. He was about twenty-eight years of age when he first learnt the moves of the game of Chess. Having the advantage of frequent practise with Lieut H. Wilson\, R.N.\, who was a player of some reputation in his time\, beside corresponding on the subject of the game with the late Mr. W. Lewis\, and also with George Walker\, the able Chess Editor of Bell’s Life \, he made a rapid progress in the game. Captain Evans received at first the odds of a Rook from Lieut. Wilson. After a continuance of play for some years\, the odds were greatly reduced\, until ultimately Captain Evans succeeded in defeating his formidable antagonist playing even. \nAbout the year 1824\, being then in command of a Government Mail Steamer\, the passages between Milford Haven and Waterford were favourable to the study of the game of Chess and at this time he invented the Gambit\, which bears his name. The idea occurred to him while studying a narration of Giuoco Piano in Sarratts’s Treatise on Chess. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nCaptain Evans was the first who gave to the world a true solution of that very difficult end game\, the King and three Pawns unmoved against King and three Pawns also unmoved. This position was handed down to us through a period of some centuries as a drawn game\, but Captain Evans proved that the first player can always win. \nCaptain Evans acquired some celebrity as “Inventor of the System of Tri-Coloured Lights for Ships to Prevent Collisions at Night”\, which has been adopted by all nations possessing a marine. For this invention the English Government awarded him the sum of £1\,500 \, and the Czar of Russia a gold pocket chronometer\, value £160\, together with a donation of £200. \nThe subscription that amounted to over £200 was too late. He died in 1872 and was buried in Ostend where his grave bears the inscription : \nTo the sacred memory of William Davies Evans\, formerly Commander in the Post Office and Peninsular and Oriental Steam Services\, Superintendent In the Royal Mail Shipping Company\, and inventor of the system of tri-coloured light for shipping. Also well known in the Chess World as the author of the Evans Gambit \nBlue Plaque for Captain WD Evans\nHere is his Wikipedia entry. \nRead here of the Plaque in Wolfscastle \nBlue Plaque for Captain William Davies Evans (27-i-1790 03-viii-1872)\nPlay The Evans Gambit (co-author Tim Harding). Cadogan. ISBN 1-85744-119-2.\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-captain-william-davies-evans/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210922
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210923
DTSTAMP:20260817T135339Z
CREATED:20210924T195734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T135339Z
UID:18921-1632268800-1632355199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Colin Russ (19-iii-1930 22-ix-2021)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of Colin Russ (19-iii-1930 22-ix-2021) \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-colin-russ-19-iii-1930-22-ix-2021/
CATEGORIES:Composer,Death Anniversary,Problemist,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200518
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200519
DTSTAMP:20200517T135203Z
CREATED:20190823T160941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200517T135203Z
UID:1082-1589760000-1589846399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Brian Harley (27-x-1883 18-v-1955)
DESCRIPTION:Brian Harley (27-10-1883 18-v-1955)\, from chesscomposers.com and Chess Notes\nDeath Anniversary of Brian Harley (27-x-1883 18-v-1955) \nFrom chesscomposers.com : \n“Brian Harley composed mostly two- or threemovers and wrote many books to make chess problems more popular: for instance his “Mate in Two Moves” inspired Geoff Foster’s first steps into problemdom.\nHarley’s “The Modern Two-move Chess Problem” written in collaboration with Comins Mansfield is probably the best known of his efforts. \nBrian Harley was the inventor of the term “mutate” for the block problems with changed mates. He was the president of the British Chess Problem Society from 1947 until 1949. In his honour\, each year the British magazine “The Problemist” awards the best twomover problem with the “Brian Harley” award.” \nand Edward Winter writes about Brian Harley (scroll down a little).  \nHere is BHs obituary from British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXV\, Number 9\, pages 284 – 287 written by S. Sedgwick : \n“With the death of Brian Harley on May 18th\,1955\, the chess problem is the poorer by an authoritative exponent\, and a writer of unusual clarity and popular appeal. His sudden passing at his home at Bognor Regis will be mourned. by a very wide circle of friends; to his wife and son\, with whom he enjoyed an enduring happiness\, we extend our deep-felt sympathy. \nBorn at Saffron-Walden\, Essex\, on October 27th\,1883\, Harley was educated at Wellingborough and Haileybury. Qualifying as an actuary he entered the National Provident Institution\, in whose employment\, apart from War Service\, he passed his professional life\, until his retirement in 1947.  \nAs a player he had initially a considerable reputation\, above that enjoyed as a problemist. Two books\,  Chess and its Stars and Chess for the Fun of it\, reflect this aspect of his chess work. When playing was eventually renounced for problems he still retained his love of annotation\, bringing to this a wide knowledge\, larded by the apt witticism and an approach that was neither superficial yet avoided the pitfalls of pedantry. \nChess and its Stars\nHis first problem appeared at the age of fifteen\, in 1898. Whilst Harley’s early period has some noteworthy items\, it lacks the verve and distinction of his later output\, following his awakening of interest in the mutate in 1916_and the fertile years following his appointment as Chess Editor of The Observer\, London\, in 1919. In England under the lead o[ Phillip Williams in the Chess Amateur\, the mutate had sprung into\,popularity during and after the Great War\, with Harley among its ardent exponents. He continued the cult in his Observer column\, where he did much to popularize it. It is possibly symbolic that when Williams died in 1922 his travelling board and men should pass to Harley; it would be difficult to find a comparable instrument that has witnessed the genesis of so much concentrated chess devilry\, implicit in all mutates\, as this board used first by Williams and then by Harley. \nIn July\, 1919\, Harley published his system in the Good Companion folder. This paper\, the outcome of much thought\, attempted to evaluate the constituent parts of a chess problem on a semi-mathematical basis. Point values were set down for the elements in White keys\, Black defences thereto\, and the resultant White mates\, the summation giving values for comparison with other works similarly treated. In an accompanying paper on the block-change it was here that Harley introduced the term “mutate\,” the word passing\, without cavil\, into the current idiom. Under the evocative power of Harley’s work and pen his Observer feature from 1919 onwards has come to rank with the great columns of the past. No composer of substance was absent from its pages and the result is a collection of works and descriptive criticism that has enriched the chess literature of the world. Early on\, Harley came to know the late Godfrey Heathcote\, and the welcome presence of the great composers name in the column gave it a sublimity possessed by no other comparable English journal. Harley’s comments on his contributors work was one of the many attractive features of his column. He kept the popular approach very much in mind without unduly over-weighting it; this\, blended with a brand of humour all his own (often literary in character)\, and a grasp of essentials drove home the salient points of a problem to the uninitiated solver with a peculiar vividness. He could ‘be incisive when wanted\, technical when he pleased\, his gentle rebuke for the inferior production or undetected flaw could not be other than well taken\, authoritative without ostentation\, his succinct criticisms are now legendary to be treasured and repeated when the occasion demands. An incorrigible faddist in his regard for the short threat in the three-mover\, Harley seldom admitted this type to his pages\, pleading aversion by solvers. He conducted over one hundred solving contests during his column’s life; these weekly battles of wits affording enormous pleasure to all concerned. \nChess for the Fun of It\nTo his column came the established composer and the hesitant\, possibly young\, beginner. To this last group Harley gave every encouragement and unreservedly of his advice and help. There must be few British composers who have not felt his benefit directly\, through the medium of his wonderful letters\, lit all the way through by the warm glow of an endearing personality. \nHarley’s constructive powers brought him to the front rank of the world’s composers. His output of 450 includes long range work in four and five moves and in later years\, sui-mates. In the chess-men he found a pliable medium for the realization of an unusual vision and creative gift. In the two-mover he gave to the mutate much substantial and classic work. He appears to have given to this type more specialized attention than any other in the two-move field. Elsewhere in this length his work covers a wide variety of themes with a strong liking for task renderings. A composer with few serious constructive foibles\, his mode of expression\, in consequence suffered little. His was not the temperament to linger with one theme and squeeze it dry. One or two renderings of the theme on hand and he would pass to the next. Hence the diversity of his work which imbues it with especial charm. To underline this point one could indicate\, almost at random\, Harley’s entries in the multimate tourney of the Cleveland Chess Bulletin. Certainty the theme had few attractions for him but his entries showed how superbly such problem ideas could be clothed. \nIn the three-mover Harley has graced both sides of the aesthetic fence\, and that with distinction\, giving equally to the strategic and model-mate.genre. His friendship with Heathcote however influenced him considerably here and one is inclined to the view\, that in this length\, Harley held firmly to the eternal values in chess art. In both types Harley attained especially in task renderings\, rare heights of complexity and construction. His lighter mood showed to the full-to the incipient solver much of the low cunning of which the three-mover is capable. \nHe came to the sui in the late forties. When Heathcote was convalescing in London\, following an operation\, Harley took some specimens with him when he visited his friend The ensuing discussion stimulated Harley to further experiments and the authentic touch of the great master of technique is evident in his work here also. Harley gave many of his works to his own “Observer” column but did not neglect the other sources of publication. To quote his own words his ideal problem was “a mixture of art\, science\, humour\, and puzzlement.” His best work shows brilliantly his love for the integration of the beautiful and the true inner essence and spirit of chess. \nHis contribution to the literary and technical side of chess problems outside his journalistic work is seen in his two books Mate in Two (1931) and Mate in Three (1943).\nMate in Two is stamped with all Harley’s inimitable style and remains a mine of information for all levels. Standing\, as it does\, mid-way between the old and the new\, the book\, apart from an absorbing chapter on changed play\, reflects and even labours under the influence of the “Good Companion” period. Harley in later editions to a certain extent remedied this deficiency and the book\, now long out of print\, lies on our shelf\, its fundamentals unimpaired\, as one of the classic expositions in the art. Mate in Three\, written from a’ narrower viewpoint\, proved another successful publication. Here Harley entered more controversial ground\, crossing swords. with hitherto established theory. The book\, although not evoking absolute technical authority\, gives a broad and eloquent outline\, written from the artistic standpoint\, of three-move work fundamentally\, with few significant omissions. Made memorable by the inclusion of many works both by Harley and Heathcote\, the book is that of a true artist\, and is of great importance theoretically as the one modern work devoted to this length by an English author. \nA further important contribution to chess problem theory was his thesis on “Black Correction” read before the British Chess Problem Society on November 29th\, 1935. In the mid thirties\, this thesis\, more than anything else\, was instrumental in precipitating a flood of work on correction and associated ideas. Readers of this magazine will recall this period\, and I trust that this short recapitulation will still the tiresome arguments regarding the choice between “correction” and “continued defences.” Harley’s choice is at once apt and descriptive and it should not be forgotten that here\, he touched upon White Correction\, an esoteric aristocrat\, greeted by ten years or so of utter silence before systematic investigation by the moderns. \nElected President of the British Chess Problem Society in 1947-1949 it so happened that I was its Secretary at the time. We exchanged hundreds of letters on problematic subjects\, the scope of his knowledge always affording surprise. The Society benefited enormously from his advice and counsel\, and during the somewhat delicate situation arising from the arbitration in the two-move section of the 1948 Olympic Tourney it was with alacrity that one turned to a mind of the calibre of Harley. Coming to the man he was widely read\, a Latin scholar\, and his knowledge of Dickens was above average; a keen bridge player\, an instrumentalist (piano)\, all the varied facets of his character would come out at some time in his chess writings. His physical presence at any gathering gave it stature. Of medium height\, lovable\, somewhat dapper\, the shrewd contemplative face of this chess Barrie with its ever present cigarette holder and fund of anecdote has enriched and enlivened many a dull Committee Meeting. \nMate in Two Moves\nOn the death of Anthony Guest in 1925\, Harley succeeded as Problem Editor of the Morning Post until 1932. In addition he was Problem Editor of Empire Review\, 1923-1926\, and Time and Tide\, from 1951 until his death. Lesser appointments included several technical journals where he acted under pseudonyms. Amusing were the anagrammatical pseudonyms used occasionally for composing in Hilary Bream and Harry Blaine. \nBrian’s integrity and character endeared him to innumerable correspondents and solvers. Most of us nourish a characteristic Brian Harley story; one must suffice here. It concerns the time when Brian was introduced to the late Sir John Simon who made the delightful response “l need no introduction for I meet him every Sunday and for years hive wrestled with his problems\, eventually solving them in the House of Commons.” For this weekly enrichment of our lives we have much to thank him for. \nIn middle life Brian married Ella Margaret Beddall; there is one son\, Nigel. With his wife\, Brian shared many problematic triumphs and it was to her that his various\nbooks were dedicated.  \nMate in Three Moves\nBefore closing this brief review of Brian’s achievements a word should be said regarding the summary end of his work in the Observer and a tribute paid by one of his many solvers in this column. On the former it will be regarded with universal regret by all problemists that no arrangements have been made to continue Brian’s incomparable’work in the journal he  served with such distinction. Regarding the latter am very grateful to Halford W. L. Reddish\, Esq.\, for an appreciation that admirably epitomizes the feelings of us all on this melancholy occasion. \nMr. Halford Reddish writes- \n“l am one of thousands of solvers\, from the expert to the merest tyro\, who will miss our weekly battle with Brian Harley in the Observer. In the world of chess and chess problems his name and fame are secure. His characteristically titled Chess for the Fun of It is a delightful exposition of the game: his Mate in Two Moves and Mate in Three Moves are classics in their particular field. \nTo those of us who knew Brian personally his passing leaves an unfillable gap. I had known him and admired him and loved his witty\, cheery\, kindly personality for many years. He was one of those rare beings who became a close friend even before our first meeting-for we had corresponded for a long time before we first came face to face. And although chess and chess problems were our primary link he had many other interests which kept him young and keen in mind after his retirement from business and which enlarged and enriched his correspondence. It is typical of him that no letter came from him without some mention of his dear wife\, who shared to the full his varied interests. To her and to his only son to the deep sympathy of his many friends.” \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-brian-harley/
CATEGORIES:Composer,Death Anniversary,History,Problemist
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