BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//British Chess News - ECPv6.17.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:http://britishchessnews.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for British Chess News REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:UTC BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:UTC DTSTART:20190101T000000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200514 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200515 DTSTAMP:20210307T165339Z CREATED:20200408T124910Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T165339Z UID:4183-1589414400-1589500799@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of IM John Cooper (14-v-1954) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM John Grantley Cooper (14-v-1954) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-john-grantley-cooper-14-v-1954/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/jb4_7606_lv-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200515 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200516 DTSTAMP:20200510T093529Z CREATED:20200411T142959Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200510T093529Z UID:4454-1589500800-1589587199@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Matthew D Sadler (15-v-1974) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of GM Matthew D Sadler (15-v-1974) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-matthew-d-sadler-15-v-1974/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200516 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200517 DTSTAMP:20260817T141207Z CREATED:20200427T133527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T141207Z UID:4991-1589587200-1589673599@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Andrew Thomas (11-x-1904 16-v-1985) DESCRIPTION:Signature of ARB Thomas from a Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Southsea 1951.\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nARB Thomas in play with FEA Kitto\nBCN remembers Andrew Rowland Benedick Thomas (11-x-1904 16-v-1985) \nWe cannot improve on this excellent article about ARBT on the Chess Devon web site \nDavid 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.\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/remembering-andrew-rowland-benedick-thomas-11-x-1904-16-v-1985/ CATEGORIES:British Championships,Death Anniversary,History,Official,Organiser,Player,Writer ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/untitled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200517 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200518 DTSTAMP:20200517T100228Z CREATED:20200410T091807Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200517T100228Z UID:4309-1589673600-1589759999@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM James Clifford Howell (17-v-1967) DESCRIPTION:GM James Clifford Howell\nBirthday of GM James Clifford Howell (17-v-1967) \nGM James Howell\nFrom Wikipedia : \nJames Clifford Howell (born May 17\, 1967) is an English chess grandmaster and author. He earned his international master title in 1985 and his grandmaster title ten years later\, in 1995. He reached his peak rating in July 1995\, at 2525.[1] He became inactive in 1996. \nJames Howell as Junior British Chess Captain at Goldmark Books Chess Challenge\, London England 27 May 1986\, Upingham Community College\, Kasparov played the BCF Junior Squad. Photo from Alamy\nOxford’s IM James Howell (l) shapes up against Cambridge’s FM Graham Burgess on top board in the Lloyds Bank Varsity match which Cambridge won 5.5 – 2.5. The players reeled off 19 moves of Yugoslav King’s Indian theory before Howell established a dominant B vs N which won the Lloyds Bank trophy for the best Oxford game. Photograph by Lloyds Bank.\nHere is a game from the European Junior Championship in 1985. The opponent was Mark R. Burgess : \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nJames Howell (fourth from left) in 1978 Varsity match winning Oxford Team. James was from Jesus College.\nJames Clifford Howell (rear\, fourth from left)at a Lloyds Bank event\nEssential Chess Endings\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-james-clifford-howell-17-v-1967/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200517 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200518 DTSTAMP:20200510T094248Z CREATED:20200411T125116Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200510T094248Z UID:4424-1589673600-1589759999@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Alan Pollard (17-v-1947) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Alan Pollard (17-v-1947) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-alan-pollard-17-v-1947/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200518 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200519 DTSTAMP:20210307T175655Z CREATED:20200517T170112Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T175655Z UID:5616-1589760000-1589846399@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Andrew Martin (18-v-1957) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Andrew Martin (18-v-1957) \nFrom ChessBase : \nAndrew David Martin (born 18th May 1957 in West Ham\, London) is an English chess player with the title of international master. Martin has won various national and international tournaments. He has been playing for years in the Four Nations Chess League\, at present (July 2009) for Wood Green Hilsmark Kingfisher\, previously for the Camberley Chess Club. Martin received his title as international master in 1984. He earned his first grandmaster norm in the British Championship of 1997 in Brighton. Martin was a commentator on the chess world championship between Kasparov and Kramnik in 2000.\nOn the 21st February 2004 Martin set a new world record for simultaneous chess. \n\nHe faced 321 chess players at the same time. His result was: 294 wins\, 26 draws and only one loss. Martin is known as a professional chess teacher and head trainer of the English youth team. He trains eight schools (Yateley Manor\, Aldro\, Millfield\, Sunningdale\, Waverley School\, St Michael’s Sandhurst\, Wellington College\, Salesian College). Martin is a chess columnist\, an author of chess books and the author of various instructional videos. He was the publisher of the series Trends Publications. Martin lives in Sandhurst\, England\, is married and the father of two daughters and two sons. His present Elo rating is 2423 (as of July 2009). \nAndrew coaching students\nThe above is somewhat inaccurate and out of date. Andrew came from East Ham rather than West Ham. He was the editor rather than the publisher of Trends Publications and he lives in Bramley\, Surrey with his partner Naomi. \nOn July 23rd 1981 a world record attempt of continuous blitz games was undertaken at the National Film Theatre in London with much support of the membership of London Central YMCA. \nYours Truly (John Upham) plays Andrew Martin at the NFT\nAndrew now plays for Camberley and Guildford clubs in the Berkshire and Surrey Border Leagues and is former member of London Central YMCA (CentYMCA)\, Wood Green and Barbican clubs. \nAndrew plays JJ Ady whilst Simon LeBlanq observes at the London Central YMCA\nAndrew has written many books starting as Editor of the “Trends Series” for Tournament Chess owned by Richard O’Brien (Not of The Crystal Maze). He has authored numerous DVDs for Foxy Videos and ChessBase and has a YouTube Channel focused on young and improving players called “Andrew Martin – Chess Explorations“. \nAndrew’s first book as author was this one : \nWinning With the King’s Indian\, Caissa Publishing\, Andrew Martin\, 1989\nHere is one his favourite games : \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nTrends in the Slav Defence\, Tournament Chess\, Andrew Martin\, 1990\nThe Contemporary Anti-Dutch\, 1990\nHere is a second memorable game : \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nSecret Weapons\, Tournament Chess\, 1991\nShort\, Tournament Chess\, 1993\nAlekhine’s Defence\, 2001\nThe Essential Center-Counter\, 2004\nKing’s Indian Battle Plans\, 2004\nThe Hippopotamus Rises\, 2005\nPlay the Benko Gambit\, 2007\nFirst Steps : Queen’s Gambit\, 2016\nFirst Steps : Caro-Kann Defence\, 2018\nFirst Steps : King’s Indian Defence\, 2019\nChess Hacker\, Andrew Martin\, Thinkers Press\, 2019\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-andrew-martin-18-v-1957/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/jb4_9011_lv.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200519 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200520 DTSTAMP:20200517T120443Z CREATED:20200412T131627Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200517T120443Z UID:4546-1589846400-1589932799@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Isaac B Sanders (19-v-1998) DESCRIPTION:FM Isaac Sanders\nBirthday of FM Isaac B Sanders (19-v-1998) \nIsaac gained his FM title in 2014 and attained his peak rating of 2360 in April 2019 at the age of 21. \nHe plays for 4NCL Barbican\, Hendon\, Oxford University. \nFM Isaac Sanders\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nFM Isaac Sanders\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-isaac-b-sanders-19-v-1998/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200519 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200520 DTSTAMP:20200518T132506Z CREATED:20200518T132128Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200518T132506Z UID:5630-1589846400-1589932799@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Jonathan Parker (19-v-1976) DESCRIPTION:GM Jonathan Francis Parker\, courtesy of John Upham Photography\nBirthday of GM Jonathan Francis Parker (19-v-1976) \nJonathan Parker\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-jonathan-parker-19-v-1976/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200520 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200521 DTSTAMP:20200510T095343Z CREATED:20200410T125931Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200510T095343Z UID:4334-1589932800-1590019199@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Charlie W Kennaugh (20-v-1953) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Charlie W Kennaugh (20-v-1953) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-charlie-w-kennaugh-20-v-1953/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200521 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200522 DTSTAMP:20200510T095516Z CREATED:20200407T202255Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200510T095516Z UID:4145-1590019200-1590105599@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Glenn L Charleshouse (21-v-1963) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Glenn L Charleshouse (21-v-1963) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-glenn-l-charleshouse-21-v-1963/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200521 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200522 DTSTAMP:20200510T132343Z CREATED:20200411T144456Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200510T132343Z UID:4461-1590019200-1590105599@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Kenneth Shovel (21-v-1965) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Kenneth Shovel (21-v-1965) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-kenneth-shovel-21-v-1965/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200522 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200523 DTSTAMP:20210307T175946Z CREATED:20200408T125401Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T175946Z UID:4187-1590105600-1590191999@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of IM John Cox (22-v-1962) DESCRIPTION:IM John Cox\nBCN sends best wishes to IM John Cox on his birthday\, this day\, in 1962. \nJohn was born in Altrincham\, Trafford\, Greater Manchester and attended Eton College playing top board in the Sunday Times National Schools Competition. \nHe became a FIDE Master in 1982\, an International Master in 2002 and obtained a peak rating of 2423 in January of 2006. \nHe is an expert bridge player and an amateur rock climber / mountaineer. \nJohn plays for Cavendish in the London League\, Hackney in other leagues and Barbican in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL). \nFrom the excellent Shropshire Chess web site we have : \nJohn Cox\, aged 17\, photographer unknown\n“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.” \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nJohn Cox (first from left) at a Lloyds Bank event.\nJohn Cox (left\, rear)\nJohn Cox (left\, rear) at a Lloyds Bank Varsity match\nIM John Cox\nStarting out 1.d4 ! by John Cox\nDangerous Weapons : The Ruy Lopez\nStarting Out : Alekhine’s Defence\nDealing with d4 Deviations\nStarting Out : Sicilian Sveshnikov\nThe Berlin Wall\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-john-j-cox-22-v-1962/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/jb6_7809_lv.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200523 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200524 DTSTAMP:20200522T104009Z CREATED:20200410T164946Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200522T104009Z UID:4360-1590192000-1590278399@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Andrew Ledger (23-v-1969) DESCRIPTION:IM Andrew Ledger\, Courtesy of John Upham Photography\nBirthday of IM Andrew Ledger (23-v-1969) \nAndrew plays for Blackthorne Russia in Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) plus Woodseats\, Sheffield and Yorkshire CA in other leagues and the English Counties Championship. \nAndrew has two chess playing brothers\, FM David Ledger and Stephen Ledger. \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-andrew-ledger-23-v-1969/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200525 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200526 DTSTAMP:20210307T180824Z CREATED:20200407T182451Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T180824Z UID:4139-1590364800-1590451199@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of FM Neil Carr (10-iii-1968 25-v-2015) DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of FM Neil Leslie Carr (10-iii-1968 25-v-2015) \nHere is his obituary from Stewart Reuben \nHere is an article from Kingpin Magazine by Jon Manley \nHere is an article from EssexChess \nThe Neil Carr Scholarship Prize \nHere is a game courtesy of Kingpin & the Ilford Recorder \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nNeil Carr (far right) at Paul Buswell’s house\nHere is a tribute from long time friend and London Central YMCA fellow club member\, IM Andrew Martin : \n\nNeil Carr (front right)\nNeil Carr (right) with Neil Fox\, Stuart Conquest\, Paul Buswell and ?\nNeil Carr (rear right) at a BCF National Club Final (1992)\nNeil Carr\, (foreground\, right) at London’s South Bank\, Peter Sowray in the background.. Photo by Clive Field\, London Chess Association\nFM Neil Carr\, London Chess Classic 2013\, courtesy pf John Upham Photography\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-fm-neil-leslie-carr-10-iii-1968-25-v-2015/ CATEGORIES:British Championships,Death Anniversary,History,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/JUA6454-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200529 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200530 DTSTAMP:20210307T181503Z CREATED:20200402T172328Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T181503Z UID:3981-1590710400-1590796799@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Chris Baker (29-v-1958) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Christopher Wallace Baker (29-v-1958) \nChris was born in Coventry\, West Midlands and played in the Staffordshire Open in 1975 (the earliest games held in MegaBase 2020). \nChris has played for Guildford in Four Nations Chess League (4NCL). \nHe has been the trainer of the Welsh junior team and is a fully-qualified arbiter. \nHe has taught chess in many schools in the Farnham area of Surrey. \nIM Chris Baker\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nHe has authored and co-authored a number of books including the following : \nA Startling Chess Opening Repertoire\nSimple Winning Chess\nLearn From Your Chess Mistakes\nDynamic Black Opening Repertoire\nA Startling Chess Opening Repertoire\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-christopher-wallace-baker-29-v-1958/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Chris-Baker-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200601 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200602 DTSTAMP:20210601T090806Z CREATED:20190824T104545Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210601T090806Z UID:1161-1590969600-1591055999@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Nigel Short (01-vi-1965) DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes Nigel Short a happy birthday on this day (June 1st) in 1965. \nIn the 1999 Queen’s Birthday Honours List Nigel was awarded the MBE. The citation read simply : “For services to Chess”. \nHere is his extensive Wikipedia entry. \nFor the 1979 Spassky vs the BCF Junior Squad simultaneous display this was written : “Rating 213. World No.1\, 13 year old. First Evening Standard under-10s\, 1975. First under-14s\, 1976. First under-21s\, 1978. \nBritish Men’s Lightning (10 seconds per move) champion 1978 – the youngest National Men’s Champion in chess history. Bronze medallist world under-17 championship 1979. \nIn simuls Nigel has beaten Korchnoi and Petrosian. World Nos. 2 and 4. Now he plays Spassky\, World No.3.” \nNigel Short plays Joel Benjamin at Lloyd’s Bank\, 1976. 1-0\, Maroczy Bind\nAnatoly Karpov plays Nigel Short\, London\, Philips & Drew\, French Winawer\, 1/2-1/2\, Stewart Reuben looking on\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nNigel Short\nNigel analyses with Viktor Korchnoi\, unknown date and venue\n\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nNigel Short\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nNigel Short Simultaneous display at the 2012 London Chess Classic\, courtesy of John Upham Photography\nNigel Short : Chess Prodigy (1981)\nNigel Short’s Chess Skills (1989)\nNew Ideas in the French Defence (1991)\nNigel Short\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-nigel-davis-short/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,History,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/jb6_7547_lv.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200602 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200603 DTSTAMP:20210307T181643Z CREATED:20200409T075757Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T181643Z UID:4229-1591056000-1591142399@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Tamas Fodor (02-vi-1991) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of GM Tamas Fodor Jr. (02-vi-1991) \nTamas was born in Kalocsa\, in Bács-Kiskun county\, Hungary. \nHe became a FIDE Master in 2003 and a GM in 2013. \nHe reached a peak rating of 2533 in June 2019 at the age of 28. In the FIDE rating list we have also Tamas Fodor and Tamas Fodor Sr. \nAccording to Chessgsames.com : \n“Grandmaster (2012).\nWon a double GM norm during the 13th European Individual Championship (2012) where he scored 6/11 and followed with another norm at the Caissa GM event in September 2012\, gaining his GM title on 23 September 2012 at the age of 21 years 3 months and 21 days. (1) \nWon the 3rd 4NCL Congress in July 2015. (2) \nSon of Tamas Fodor Sr.” \nTamas plays for 4NCL Cheddleton\, Wood Green (in the London League) and Hendon. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nGM Tamas Fodor\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-tamas-fodor-02-vi-1991/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/dresden14-17.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200603 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200604 DTSTAMP:20210307T181753Z CREATED:20200530T124532Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T181753Z UID:5844-1591142400-1591228799@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Jonathan Levitt (03-vi-1963) DESCRIPTION:From Wikipedia (Dutch version) : \nJonathan Levitt \, Jon\, (born in 1963) is a British chess player . In 1984 he became a FIDE International Master and in 1994 a FIDE Grand Master. \nGM Jonathan Levitt\, photograph by Cathy Rogers\nLevitt wrote chess anecdotes on the (no longer existing) chess portal kasparovchess.com . He also has a chess column in “Oxford Today”. Levitt is also known for his talent tests and he is also a chess teacher. Moreover\, he is a master in endgame studies. He takes chess photos\, some of which can be seen in Wikipedia. \nJonathan Levitt in play with Michael Adams\, Lloyds Bank\, 1990\, Philidor\, 1/2-1/2\nLevitt is also the author of several chess books: “Secrets of Spectacular Chess”\, “Genius in Chess”\, “Advice on Improving Your Game”. He also makes chess videos for the internet. \nFrom chessgames.com : \n“Jonathan Paul Levitt was born in Southwark (London)\, England. Awarded the IM title in 1984\, he is now a GM (1991) and a composer of problems. Winner of the Staunton Memorial in 2005. His notable works as an author include “Secrets of Spectacular Chess” and “Genius in Chess”.” \nJonathan achieved a peak rating of 2495 in January 1989 at the age of 26 and lives in Ipswich. \nHe shared 1st place the GLC Masters in 1986 with 10.5/15 with Neil McDonald : \nJonathan Levitt\, ? and Neil McDonald at the 1986 GLC Masters\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nGLC Masters crosstable\, 1986\nand was first equal with Jonathan Speelman in the Third Staunton Memorial in 2005 : \nThird Staunton Memorial\, 2005\nGM Jonathan Levitt\, photographer unknown\n\nHere is his personal web site \nGenius in Chess\nSecrets of Spectacular Chess\nGM Jonathan Levitt\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-jonathan-levitt-03-vi-1963/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_1019.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200604 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200605 DTSTAMP:20260817T141159Z CREATED:20200411T183138Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T141159Z UID:4485-1591228800-1591315199@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Martin Taylor (04-vi-1981) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Martin R Taylor (04-vi-1981) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-martin-r-taylor-04-vi-1981/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200606 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200607 DTSTAMP:20210307T181841Z CREATED:20200409T084619Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T181841Z UID:4245-1591401600-1591487999@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Philip Giulian (06-vi-1951) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Philip Maurice Giulian (06-vi-1951) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-philip-maurice-giulian-06-vi-1951/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200606 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200607 DTSTAMP:20210307T181934Z CREATED:20200410T163046Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T181934Z UID:4355-1591401600-1591487999@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of WIM Ingrid Lauterbach (06-vi-1960) DESCRIPTION:Here is Ingrid’s German Wikipedia entry \nBirthday of WIM Ingrid Lauterbach (06-vi-1960) \nIngrid became a WIM in 1987 and her peak rating was 2205 in July of 2000. \nIngrid plays for 4NCL Barbican. \nWIM Ingrid Lauterbach\, 4NCL 2014\, courtesy of John Upham Photography\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nWIM Ingrid Lauterbach\, 4NCL 2012\, courtesy of John Upham Photography\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-wim-ingrid-lauterbach-06-vi-1960/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/lauterbachingrid.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200607 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200608 DTSTAMP:20210307T182043Z CREATED:20200530T130144Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T182043Z UID:5854-1591488000-1591574399@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Dharshan Kumaran (07-vi-1975) DESCRIPTION:From Wikipedia : \nDharshan Kumaran (born 7 June 1975) is an English chess grandmaster.[1] He won the World Under-12 Championship in 1986\, the World Under-16 Championship in 1991\, and finished 3rd equal in the World Under-20 Championship in 1994. He currently works as a neuroscience research scientist at DeepMind.[2] \nGM Dharshan Kumaran\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-dharshan-kumaran-07-vi-1975/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_0615.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200610 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200611 DTSTAMP:20210307T182210Z CREATED:20200410T091453Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T182210Z UID:4307-1591747200-1591833599@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Jovanka Houska (10-vi-1980) DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes many Happy Returns to IM Jovanka Houska ! (10-vi-1980) \nFrom Wikipedia : \nJovanka Houska is an English chess player with the titles International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She is an eight-time winner of the British Women’s Chess Championship. \nJovanka Houska\, photographer unknown\nJovanka was born in London and became a Women’s International Master in 1999\, a Woman’s Grandmaster in 2000 and an International Master in 2005. Her peak rating was 2443 in July 2010 at the of 30. \nJovanka Houska\, photographer unknown\nShe plays for 4NCL Wood Green and her brother is IM Miroslav Houska. Her father Mario plays for Slough. \nJovanka Houska and family members\nIM Jovanka Houska\, courtesy of John Upham Photography\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nDangerous Weapons : Caro-Kann\nStarting Out : The Scandinavian\nPlay the Caro-Kann\nOpening Repertoire : The Caro-Kann\nThe Mating Game\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nIM Jovanka Houska\, courtesy of John Upham Photography\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-jovanka-houska-10-vi-1980/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/jb4_8040_lv.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200611 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200612 DTSTAMP:20210607T091420Z CREATED:20200411T130419Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210607T091420Z UID:4433-1591833600-1591919999@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday for FM Emmanuel Rayner (11-vi-1958) DESCRIPTION:Birthday for FM Emmanuel Rayner (11-vi-1958) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-for-fm-emmanuel-rayner-11-vi-1958/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/24828192-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200612 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200613 DTSTAMP:20210607T091539Z CREATED:20200411T135757Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210607T091539Z UID:4437-1591920000-1592006399@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of WIM Natasha Regan (12-vi-1971) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of WIM Natasha K Regan (12-vi-1971) \nFrom Amazon : \n“Natasha Regan was born in 1971 in London\, the elder daughter of two Australian doctors. She studied Maths at Cambridge University\, earned a half blue for chess\, and edited the chess magazine “Dragon”. She debuted in the English Women’s chess Olympiad team in Manila\, 1992.” \nFrom Gambit Publications : \n“Natasha Regan is a Women’s International Master from England who achieved a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University. While pursuing a successful career as an actuary in the insurance industry\, she has raised a family and maintained a strong interest in chess and other board games\, including Go.” \nWIM Natasha Regan\, photographer unknown\nWIM Natasha Regan\, courtesy of John Upham Photography\, King’s Place Rapidplay\, 2013\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nNatasha Regan\, Lloyds bank Open\, Unknown photographer\nChess For Life. Gambit. ISBN 978-1910093832.\nGame Changer. New In Chess. ISBN 978-9056918187.\nWIM Natasha Regan\, courtesy of John Upham Photography at the Keith Richardson Memorial\, 2017\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-wim-natasha-k-regan-12-vi-1971/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/JUA3839.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200613 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200614 DTSTAMP:20210608T101753Z CREATED:20200613T092948Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210608T101753Z UID:6252-1592006400-1592092799@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Paul Motwani (13-vi-1962) DESCRIPTION:FM Paul Motwani (See full caption in photograph below) \nCaption for photograph above\nBCN wishes GM Paul Motwani Happy Birthday (13-vi-1962) \nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nGM Paul Motwani has just played a brutal double check in the 1990 Scottish Lightning Championship. Photograph by Alistair Mulhearn\nPaul Motwani plays Bent Larsen at the 1990 Watson\, Farley and Williams International Chess Challenge. The game was a 3.Lb5 sicilian which was drawn\nPaul Motwani during a simultaneous display\nGM Paul Motwani demonstrates one of his games\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nColin McNab and Paul Motwani in post mortem analysis\nC.O.O.L. Chess\nH.O.T. Chess\nS*T*A*R* Chess\nThe Most Instructive Games of the Young Grandmasters\nChess Under the Microscope\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-paul-motwani-happy-birthday-13-vi-1962/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/img_0724_lv-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200614 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200615 DTSTAMP:20200601T143019Z CREATED:20200410T170103Z LAST-MODIFIED:20200601T143019Z UID:4368-1592092800-1592179199@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Richard Lobo (14-vi-1955) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Richard Lobo (14-vi-1955) \n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-richard-lobo-14-vi-1955/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200619 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200620 DTSTAMP:20210616T140325Z CREATED:20200407T202114Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210616T140325Z UID:4143-1592524800-1592611199@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Terry Chapman (19-vi-1956) DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Terence PD Chapman (19-vi-1956) \nTerry became a FIDE Master in 2013. His peak rating was 2331 in October 2013. \nThe ever youthful Terry represents Barbican Youth in 4NCL. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nFM Terence PD Chapman (19-vi-1956)\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-terence-pd-chapman-19-vi-1956/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Sponsor ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bct_4747_lv.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200620 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200621 DTSTAMP:20210616T140110Z CREATED:20200412T102259Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210616T140110Z UID:4536-1592611200-1592697599@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Johannes Zukertort (07-ix-1842 20-vi-1888) DESCRIPTION:BCN Remembers Johannes Hermann Zukertort (07-ix-1842 20-vi-1888) \nJohannes Hermann Zukertort (07-ix-1842 20-vi-1888)\, from the Illustrated London News\nFrom the July 2012 editorial in British Chess Magazine we had this report : \n“Johann Hermann Zukertort’s (1842-1888) grave was rededicated last month in London’s crowded Brompton Cemetery\, largely thanks to an initiative led by Stuart Conquest. The resting place of one of the leading players of the nineteenth century was recorded but the grave had fallen into terrible dis-repair. See BCM 1888\, pp.307-8 and p.338-340 for the obituary of the great man. We read that his death ‘was terribly sudden’\, that he was buried on 26th June\, 1888 and that ‘several pretty wreaths were laid on the coffin …’” \nGM Stuart Conquest at the re-dedication of Zukertort’s grave at Brompton Cemetery in June 2012\, photograph by Ray Morris-Hill\nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : \nPolish-born Jew\, from about 1871 to 1886 second player in the world after Steinitz. From about 1862 to 1866 Zukertort\, then living in Breslau\, played many friendly games with Anderssen\, at first receiving odds of a knight but soon meeting on even terms. They played two matches in Berlin\, Zukertort losing the first in 1868 (+3 = 1—8) and winning the second in 1871 (+5 — 2). \nIn 1872 a group of London players\, anxious to find someone who could defeat Steinitz\, paid Zukertort 20 guineas to come to England. He came\, he stayed\, but he failed to beat Steinitz. \nZukertort took third place after Steinitz and Blackburne at London 1872\, the strongest tournament in which He had yet played\, and later in the year was decisively beaten by Steinitz in match play ( + 1=4—7). Zukertort settled in London as a professional player. \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nHe won matches against Potter in 1872 ( + 4=8—2)\, Rosentalis in 1880 ( + 7=11-1)\, and Blackburne in 1881 ( + 7=5-2)\, He also had a fair record in tournament play: Leipzig 1877\, second equal with Anderssen after L. Paulsen ahead of Winawer:-* Paris 1878\, first ( + 14=5—3) equal with Winawer ahead of Blackburne (Zukertort won the play-off\, +2=2); Berlin 1881\, second alter Blackburne ahead of Winawer; and Vienna 1882\, fourth equal with Mackenzie after Steinitz\, Winawer\, and Mason. \nJohannes Herman Zukertort (07-ix-1842 20-vi-1888)\nThe world’s nine best players were among the competitors in the double-round London tournament of 1883 when Zukertort achieved his greatest victory: first prize (+22—4) three points ahead of Steinitz\, the second prize winner\, in seven weeks and a day he played 33 games (seven draws were replayed) and towards the end he relieved the strain by taking opiates\, the cause of his losing his last three games. This victory led to the first match for the world championship\, a struggle between him and Steinitz\, USA\, 1886. After nearly ten weeks of relentless pressure by his opponent Zukertort lost (- 1 – 5=5 —10) i winning only one of the last 15 games. His spirit crushed\, his health failing\, he was advised to give up competitive chess\, but there was nothing else he could do. I am prepared\, he said\, l to be taken away at any moment.’ Seized by a stroke while playing at London’s famous coffee-house\, Simpson’s Divan\, he died the next day. \nJohannes Zukertort playing Wilhelm Steinitz\nLike Anderssen\, his teacher\, Zukertort had a direct and straightforward style\, and in combinative situations he could calculate far ahead. Having a prodigious memory he could recollect at will countless games and opening variations\, a talent which may have limited his vision. (For his match with Steinitz in 1872 his extensive opening preparations brought him only one win. Steinitz was the better player in unfamiliar situations.) As an annotator and analyst Zukertort was outstanding in his time\, and much of his work in these fields appeared in the Chess Monthly which he and Hoffer edited from 1879 to 1888. \n\nZukertort read widely and what he read became\, as he said ‘iron-printed in my head’. Hoffer recalls Zukertort holding a visitor from India spellbound with a convincing and detailed account of a tiger-hunt\, although it must have been outside his experience. Zukertort’s own account of his early life was reported in the Norfolk News\, 16 Nov. 1872\, He claimed aristocratic (Prussian and Polish) descent\, and fluency in nine languages. “He learnt one language to read Dante\, another to read Cervantes\, and a third\, Sanskrit\, to trace the origin of chess\,’ Besides the study of theology\, philology\, and social science he is also an original thinker on some of the problems that perplex humanity \, ” He is ‘an accomplished swordsman\, the best domino player in Berlin\, one of the best whist players living\, and so good a pistol shot that at fifteen paces he is morally certain to hit the ace of hearts . \, \, has found time to play 6\,000 games of chess with Anderssen alone … a pupil of Moscheles\, and in 1862-6 musical critic of the first journal in Silesia … is also a military veteran … he served in the Danish\, in the Austrian\, and in the French campaign \, \, \, he was present at the following engagements\, viz\, in Denmark\, Missunde\, Duppcl\, and Alsen; in Austria\, Trauienau\, Koniginhof\, Kdniggratz (Sadowa)\, and Blumcnau; in France\, Spicheeren\, Pange (Vionville)\, Gravelotte\, Noisevillc\, and all other affairs before Metz\, Twice dangerously wounded\, and once left for dead upon the field\, he is entitled to wear seven medals besides the orders of the Red Eagle and the Iron Cross\, . . . He obtained the degree of M.D. at Breslau in 1865\, having chiefly devoted his attention to chemistry under Professor Bunsen at Heidelberg\, and to physiology at Berlin under Professor Virchow … is now on the staff of Prince Bismarck’s private organ\, the Allgemeine Zetiling\, and is chief editor of a political journal which receives “officios’” from the Government at Berlin. He is . . . the author of the Grosses Schach Handbuck and a Leitfaden \, and \, . . was for several years editor of the Neue Berliner Schachzeitung. ’ There is some truth in the last sentence: he was co-author of the books\, co-editor of the chess magazine. \nA. Olson\, J. H. Zukertort (1912) is a collection of 201 games with Swedish text. \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 by Anne Sunnucks \n“One of the leading players of the last century\, Zukertort was born in Riga on 7th September 1842. His father was a Prussian and his mother a Pole. When he was 13\, his family moved to Breslau. After studying chemistry at Heidelberg and physiology at Berlin\, he obtained his doctorate of medicine at Breslau University in 1865. He served as a doctor with the Prussian Army during his country’s wars against Denmark\, Austria and France and was decorated for gallantry. \nZukertort was a man of many talents. He had a prodigious memory\, and it was said that he never forgot a game he had played. He spoke 11 languages\, and he was an excellent pistol shot and fencer but it was journalism and chess that he chose for a career. \nZukertort learned to play chess when he was 18\, and two years later he met Anderssen and became his pupil. Within three years he had become one of the strongest players in North Germany. He first drew attention to himself as a blindfold simultaneous player. In 1868\, he gave a simultaneous blindfold display against seven players in Berlin. This was his first blindfold performan@\, and it was so successful that he gave several further performances\, almost immediately increasing the number of his opponents to 12. \nBetween 1867 and 1871\, he was joint editor with Anderssen of the Neue Berliner Schachzeityng. In 1871 he played a match against Anderssen\, probably the second strongest player in the world at that time\, and beat_him by 5-2. Following this victory\, he was invited to take part in the 1872 London Tournament. He came 3rd and\, probably because he was disappointed at his result\, immediately challenged – the winner\, Steinitz\, to a match for the title of World Champion. Steinitz had claimed this title after his victory over Anderssen in 1866. Zukertort lost the match by + 1 -7 :4. \nA Zukertort Postage Stamp from Guinea\nMeanwhile\, Zukertort had decided to make England his permanent home and became a naturalised Englishman in l878. \nZukertort tied with Anderssen for 2nd prize in a master tournament in Leipzig in 1877\, but his first major international event was Paris 1878\, when he tied for lst place with Winawer and won the play-oft. In 1880 he beat the French champion\, Rosenthal\, in a match 7-1\, and the following year he beat Blackburne +7 -2 – 5. The greatest performance of his career came in 1883\, when in the London Tournament he won lst prize\, three points ahead of Steinitz\, who came 2nd. His victory was certain two weeks before the end of the tournament when he had a score of  22 out of 23. With victory secure\, he went on to lose his last three games\, the strain having proved too much. \n\nZukertort was advised by his doctor to give up serious chess but he refused and within a short time left England for a chess tour of the United States\, Canada and Europe. On his return from this tour\, he left almost immediately to play a second match for the world title against Steinitz. This took place in 1886. Zukertort was in no fit state of health\nfor such a match\, and it proved too much for him. He lost by +5 -10 =5 and returned to England a physical and nervous wreck. \nZukertort never fully recovered. He continued to play chess\, but with little success. He died at Charing Cross Hospital on 20th June 1888 of cerebral haemorrhage\, following a game at Simpson’s ‘Divan’.” \nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \n“One of the most talented players of all time and possibly an English Prussian Polish Jewish grandmaster\, the antecedents and early career of Zukertort are shrouded in mystery\, a mystery that was the more complete in that the only account of these comes from Zukertort with a lack of corroboration so great that perhaps he really was telling the truth. Whatever the truth may be it is certain that he was a great chess player\, one of those who carry with them the aura of certain genius. According to Zukertort\, then\, he was born in Lublin of mixed Prussian and Polish descent and his mother was the Baroness Krzyzanovska. The name of his mother sounds incredibly like an invention of W. C. Fields and it is difficult to believe that his father’s name\, Zukertort\, was not Jewish. \nAgain according to Zukertort he studied chemistry at Heidelberg and physiology at Berlin\, claiming to have obtained his doctorate of medicine at Breslau University. His versatility was astonishing. He spoke nine languages including Hebrew and was acquainted with several more. He had been a soldier\, having fought in several campaigns for Prussia against Austria\, Denmark and France; and once had been left for dead on the battlefield. \nA music critic\, editor of a political paper\, on the staff of Bismarck’s newspaper\, the Allgemeine Zeitung; gifted with a memory so colossal that he never forgot a game he played; a consummate fencer\, a blindfold simultaneous player of undoubted repute (he had played as many as fifteen simultaneously blindfold) and a grandmaster with justified pretensions towards the world title: most of these attributes we have to take on Zukertort’s word. But there is enough left that is substantiated to show his great importance in the history of chess. \nHis early chess career had much to do with Anderssen whom he beat in a match\, when Anderssen had grown old\, in 1871 in Germany by +5-2\, having lost a previous match to him in Berlin in 1868 by +3 -8 =1. On the strength of his win over Anderssen in the second match he was invited to play in a small but strong tournament in London in 1872 where he came 3rd below Steinitz and Blackburne. Immediately afterwards he played a match with Steinitz in which he was overwhelmingly defeated by +1-7 =4.It is unlikely that this was for the World Championship since no mention was made of the title at the time and the stakes were small\, £2O for the winner and £l0 for the loser. \nDespite this disastrous loss\, which contained the seeds of further disasters\, Zukertort felt that London was his true home and decided to stay in England\, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1878. His results in tournament and match play from then on showed a steep upward curve. He was 2nd in London 1876\, lst in a small tournament in Cologne 1877 and :2nd at Leipzis that year. He came lst in a big tournament at Paris 1878 where he tied with Winawer and won the play-off. \nIn 1880 he won a match in London against Rosenthal by +7 -l =11 and in the following year he was 2nd to Blackburne in Berlin. He was no less than 3 points behind Blackburne but he avenged this by beating him in a match in London the same year by +7 -2 =5. \nA comparative setback came in a great tournament at Vienna in 1882 when he tied for fourth place with Mackenzie\, below Steinitz\, Winawer and Mason but in 1883 came the peak of his career when\nhe won lst prize in the great London tournament\, 3 points ahead of Steinitz and 5.5 points ahead of Blackburne who came 3rd. \nThe remarkable nature of his victory is to be seen from the fact that he was sure of first prize with some two weeks still to go when he had a score of 22/23. But\, ominously\, his health was giving way and he had been sustaining himself by the use of drugs. He lost his last three games. It is very probable that this high point in his career was also the time when his health began to deteriorate under the excessive nervous strains by his conscious efforts to out rival Steinitz. \nThus\, though he had been warned by his doctor he refused to abandon serious play and in 1886 he played his match for the World Championship against Steinitz in the USA\, losing by +S -10 =5. The strain was this time too great an and he returned to England with his health completely shattered. \nThis was reflected in his subsequent results. =7th in London 1886 and =3rd in a smaller tournament at Nottingham that year\, he had disastrous results throughout 1887: =l5th at Frankfurt-am-Main\, 4th in a small tournament in London and a match loss there to Blackburne by +1-5:8. \nIn the last year of his life he was =7th in London in 1888 playing to the last possible moment\, he died from a cerebral haemorrhage after a game at Simpson’s Divan. \nDespite a career that stopped as if it were halfway\, Zukertort is clearly one of the chess immortals and there is about his best game a sort of resilient and shining splendour that no other player possesses.” \nZukertort was buried in the Brompton Cemetry. He are details. \nThe grave was rededicated in 2012 thanks to the efforts of many chess enthusiasts. \n\nSeveral opening variations have been named after Zukertort : \nThe Zukertort Defence in the Vienna Game\, a variation advocated by Zukertort from 1871. \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nAfter 6 exd5 Bg4T 7 Nf3 Black castles\, sacrificing a piece for counterattack : \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nThe Zukertort Opening\, 1.Nf3 abhorred by Ruy Lopez\, used by Zukertort always as a preliminary\nto 2.d4\, now the fourth most popular opening move\, after 1.e4\, 1.d4\, and 1 c4. \nThe Zukertort variation\, in the Spanish opening\, favoured by Zukertort in the 1880s : \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nbut laid to rest soon after. \nThe Zukertort Variation in the Philidor Defence : \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nPossibly the Colle-Zukertort Opening is the most well-known \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nand still continues to be written about to this day. \nHe was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame in 2016. \nHere is an interesting article from the ruchess web site. \nDominic Lawson wrote this article in 2014. \nAn interesting article from chess.com \nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nJohannes Zukertort: Artist of the Chessboard\nEminent Victorian Chess Players\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-johannes-zukertort-07-ix-1842-20-vi-1888/ CATEGORIES:Birthday,Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/img_2166_lv-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200622 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200623 DTSTAMP:20210623T063812Z CREATED:20190823T185016Z LAST-MODIFIED:20210623T063812Z UID:1114-1592784000-1592870399@britishchessnews.com SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Howard Staunton (??-iv-1810 22-vi-1874) DESCRIPTION:Here is his Wikipedia entry \nBCN remembers Howard Staunton (??-iv-1810 22-vi-1874) \nA curious article about Staunton \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper and Whyld : \nThe world’s leading player in the 1840s\, founder of a school of chess\, promoter of the world’s first international chess tournament\, chess columnist and author\, Shakespearian scholar. Nothing is known for certain about Staunton’s life before 1836\, when his name appears as a subscriber to Greenwood Walkers Selection of Games at Chess \, actually played in London\, by the late Alexander McDonnell Esq. He states that he was born in Westmorland in the spring of 1810\, that his father’s name was William\, that he acted with Edmund Kean\, taking the part of Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice\, that he spent some time at Oxford (but not at the university) and came to London around 1836. Other sources suggest that as a young man he inherited a small legacy\, married\, and soon spent the money. \nEdmund Kean (4 November 1787 – 15 May 1833)\nHe is supposed to have been brought up by his mother\, his father having left home or died. He never contradicted the suggestion that he was the natural son of the fifth Earl of Carlisle\, a relationship that might account for his forename\, for the Earl’s family name was Howard: but the story is almost certainly untrue\, not least because in all probability Howard Staunton was not his real name. A contemporary\, Charles Tomlinson (18O8- 97)\, writes: ‘Rumour . . . assigned a different name to our hero [Staunton] when he first appeared as an actor and next as a chess amateur. \nA stamp printed in Guinea-Bissau shows Howard Staunton\, Chess players serie\, circa 1988\nAt the unusually late age of 26 Staunton became ambitious to succeed at chess; a keen patriot\, his motivation may in part have sprung from a desire to avenge McDonnell’s defeat at the hands of a Frenchman. A rook player in 1836 (his own assessment)\, Staunton rose to the top in a mere seven years. In 1838 he played a long series of games with W. D. Evans and a match of 21 games with Alexandre in which he suffered ‘mortifying defeat’ during the early sittings; but he continued to study and to practise with great determination. \nIn 1840 he was strong enough to defeat H. W. Popert\, a leading German player then resident in London. In the same year he began writing about the game. A short-lived column in the New Court Gazette began in May and ended in Dec. because\, says G. Walker\, there were ‘complaints of an overdose’. More successful was his work for the British Miscellany which in 1841 became the Chess Player’s Chronicle\, England’s first successful chess magazine\, edited by Staunton until 1854\, Throughout 1842 Staunton played several hundred games with John Cochrane\, then on leave from India\, a\nvaluable experience for them both. \nJohn Cochrane\nIn 1843 the leading French player Saint-Amant visited London and defeated Staunton in a short contest -(+3 = 1—2)\, an event that attracted little attention; but later that year these two masters met in a historic encounter lasting from 14 Nov. to 20 Dec. This took place before large audiences in the famous Café de la Régence. Staunton’s decisive victory ( + 11 = 4—6) marked the end of French chess supremacy\, an end that was sudden\, complete\, and long-lasting. From then until the 1870s London became the world’s chess centre. In Oct. 1844 Staunton travelled to Paris for a return match\, but before play could begin he became seriously ill with pneumonia and the match was cancelled. Unwell for some months afterwards\, he never fully\nrecovered: his heart was permanently weakened. In Feb. 1845 he began the most important of his journalistic tasks\, one that he continued until his death: in the Illustrated London News he conducted the world’s most influential chess column. Each week he dealt with a hundred or more letters; each week he published one or more problems\, the best of the time. In 1845 he conceded odds of pawn and two moves and defeated several of his countrymen and in 1846 he won two matches playing level: Horwitz (+14=3 — 7) and Harrwitz (+ 7). In 1847 Staunton published his most famous chess book\, the Chess Player’s Handbook\, from which many generations of English-speaking players learned the rudiments of the game: the last of 21 editions was published in 1939. He published the Chess Players Companion in 1849. \nIn 1851 Staunton organized the world’s first international tournament\, held in London. He also played in it\, an unwise decision for one burdened with the chore of organization at the same time. After defeating Horwitz (+4=1—2) in the second round he lost to Anderssen\, the eventual winner. Moreover he was defeated by Williams\, his erstwhile disciple\, in the play-off for places. Later that year Staunton defeated Jaenlsch ( + 7=1 — 2) and scored +6 = 1—4 against Williams\, but lost this match because he had conceded his opponent three\ngames’ start. In 1852 Staunton published The Chess Tournament\, an excellent account of this first international gathering. Subsequently he unsuccessfully attempted to arrange a match with Anderssen\, but for all practical purposes he retired from the game at this time. \nThe Chess Tournament London 1851\nAmong his many chess activities Staunton had long sought standardization of the laws of chess and\, as England’s representative\, he crossed to Brussels in 1853 to discuss the laws with Lasa\, Germany’s leading chess authority. Little progress was made at this time\, but the laws adopted by FIDE in 1929 are substantially in accordance with Staunton’s views. This trip was also the occasion of an informal match\, broken off when the score stood +5=3-4 in Lasa’s favour. Staunton took the match seriously\, successfully requesting his English friends to send him their latest analyses of the opening. \nOriginal Staunton chess pieces\, left to right: pawn\, rook\, knight\, bishop\, queen\, and king. Photo used by permission of Frank A. Camaratta\, Jr.; The House of Staunton\, Inc.; houseofstaunton.com\nStaunton had married in 1849 and\, recognizing his new responsibilities\, he now sought an occupation less hazardous than that of a chess-player. In 1856. putting to use his knowledge of Elizabethan and Shakespearian drama\, he obtained a contract to prepare an annotated edition of Shakespeare’s plays. This was published in monthly instalments from Nov. 1857 to May 1860\, a work that ‘combined commonsense with exhaustive research’. (In 1860 the monthly parts ready for binding in three volumes were reissued\, in 1864 a four-volume reprint without illustrations was printed\, and in 1978 the original version was published in one volume.) Staunton\, who performed this task in a remarkably short period\, was unable to accept a challenge from Morphy in 1858: his publishers would not release him from his contract. After the proposal for a match was abandoned Frederick Milnes Edge (c. 1830-82)\, a journalist seeking copy\, stirred up a quarrel casting Staunton as the villain. Morphy unwisely signed some letters drafted by Edge\, while Staunton\, continuously importuned by Edge\, was once driven to make a true but impolitely worded comment about Morphy. Generally however these two great masters behaved honourably\, each holding the other in high regard; but Edge’s insinuations unfairly blackened Staunton’s reputation. \nSubsequently Staunton wrote several books\, among them Chess Praxis (I860) and the Great Schools of England (1865)\, revised with many additions in 1869. At the end of his life he was working on another chess book when\, seized by a heart attack\, he died in his library chair. \nStaunton was no one’s pupil: what he learned about chess he learned by himself. For the most part he played the usual openings of his time but he introduced several positional concepts. Some of these had been touched upon by Philidqr\, others were his own: the use of the ranch mo for strategic ends\, the development of flank openings specially suited to pawn play. He may be regarded as the precursor of the hypermodern movement\, the Staunton system the precursor of the Reti opening. In his Chess Players Companion Staunton remarks that after 1 e4 e5 Black’s game is embarrassed from the start\, a remark anticipating Breyer’s ideas about the opening by more than half a century\, Fischer wrote in 1964: “Staunton was the most profound opening analyst of all time. He was more theorist than player but none the less he was the strongest player of his day. Playing over his games I discover that they are completely modern.\nWhere Morphy and Steinitz rejected the fianchetto. Staunton embraced it. In addition he understood all the positional concepts which\nmodern players hold so dear\, and thus with Steinitz must be considered the first modern player. \nTall\, erect\, broad-shouldered\, with a leonine head\, Staunton stood out among his fellows\, walking like a king’. He dressed elegantly\, even ostentatiously\, a taste derived perhaps from his\nbackground as an actor. G. A. Macdonnell describes him: “… wearing a lavender zephyr outside his frock coat. His appearance was slightly gaudy\, his vest being an embroidered satin\, and his scarf gold-sprigged with a double pin thrust in\, the heads of which were connected by a glittering chain . . .’ A great raconteur\, an excellent mimic who could entertain by his portrayals of Edmund Kean\, Thackeray\, and other celebrities he had met\, he liked to hold the stage\, ‘caring for no man’s anecdote but his own’. He could neither understand nor tolerate the acceptance of mediocrity\, the failure of others to give of their best. \nHoward Staunton (01-iv-1810 22-vi-1874)\nA man of determined opinions\, he expressed them pontifically\, brooking little opposition. Always outspoken\, he often behaved\, writes Potter\, ‘with gross unfairness towards those whom he disliked\, or from whom he suffered defeat\, or whom he imagined to stand between himself and the sun’; ‘nevertheless’\, he continues\, ‘there was nothing\nweak about him and he had a backbone that was never curved with fear of anyone.’ Widely disliked\, Staunton was widely admired\, a choice that would have been his preference. Reminiscing in 1897\, Charles Edward Ranken (1828-1905) wrote: “With great defects he had great virtues; there was nothing mean\, cringing\, or small in his nature\, and\, taking all in all\, England never had a more worthy\nchess representative than Howard Staunton. \nR. D. Keene and R. N. Coles Howard Staunton the English World Chess Champion (1975) contains biography\, 78 games\, and 20 parts of games. \nHoward Staunton\, The English World Chess Champion\nThe Staunton Defence has remained a completely playable gambit versus the Dutch Defence : \n\n\n \n\n\n \n \n You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization. \n \n \n \n\n\n \n\nBlue Plaque for Howard Staunton\nHoward Staunton’s tombstone\n Save as PDF URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-howard-staunton/ CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img_0111_smaller.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR