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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210407
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210408
DTSTAMP:20201224T001334Z
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SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Julius du Mont (15-xii-1881 07-iv-1956)
DESCRIPTION:Signature of J du Mont from a Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Southsea 1951.\nBCN Remembers Julius du Mont (15-xii-1881 07-iv-1956) \nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXXVI\, Number 5\, 1956 we have this obituary written by DJ Morgan : \nIn our February issue we wrote an appreciation of one of the distinguished past editors of this magazine\, R. C. Griffith. He had been followed in the chair in 1938 by our present Games’ Editor\, and when he\, in turn\, was called in 1940 to sterner duties\, he was succeeded by Julius du Mont. During the war years\, and through the difficult post-war period\, till 1949\, he held the reins. As we wrote on another occasion\, “His had been difficult years: the “B.C.M.” had survived when so much else had succumbed during the stress and strain of total war.” lt is with regret that we now record his death on April 7th\, in a Hastings nursing home\, at the age of seventy-four\, after a protracted illness. \ndu Mont was born in Paris-a little-known fact which he himself once disclosed to us-on December 15th\, 1881. lt was there also that he received his education. His early bent and ambitions were musical. The tradition that chess and music have a close relationship may be traced as far back\, at least\, as Philidor’s great eminence in both. du Mont was truly in the line of such dual personalities. He pursued his musical studies at the Frankfort-on-Main Conservatoire and at Heidelberg\, and soon became established as a concert pianist.’ Later he achieved great success as a music teacher\, and among his pupils was the well-known concert pianist\, Edna lles. The French and German background also explains his facility as a linguist. \nHe came to England as a young man and brought with him a considerable talent for chess. Settling in London\, he rapidly improved as a player\, and successes followed. At the Kentish Congress\, Tunbridge Wells\, 1912\, he came equal second and third. He was Champion of the strong Hampstead Club for two years\, and Middlesex Champion in 1913 and 1915. He quickly mastered our language and showed this during the First World War by writing a manual on the Lewis gun. After the war\, music kept its place in his life\, but more and more chess became his main activity. He forsook playing and turned to journalism and authorship\, and his output of books is evidence of his gifts and industry. Titles come readily to mind: Chess Openings lllustrated\, Centre Counter Defence (1919) and Centre and Danish Gambit (1920); The Elements of Chess (1925) ; Ihe Basis of Combination in Chess (1938) ; 200 Miniature Games (1941); More Miniature Games (1953); (with Dr. Tartakower) 500 Master aomes of Chess\, two volumes (1952)\, to which was added a third volume in 1954\, 100 Master Games of Chess. He also translated Edward Lasker’s Chess Strategy\, and Alekhine’s two volumes of My Best Games of Chess (the first with M. E.Goldstein). \nThe wealth of material ready to hand combined with a foreigner’s gift of lucid expression in “the other tongue” made his books very popular. To the great value and importance of these books\, a whole generation of chess-players will readily testify. \nFor some years\, du Mont was chess editor of The Field and of The Manchester Guardian. During the last war he organized chess championships for the Armed Services. We pay tribute to his services to the game\, to his many kindnesses and friendships to its players\, and\, in particular\, to his devotion to this magazine.-D. J. M. \nD. C.\, who enjoyed a long friendship with our late Editor\, writes to us as follows- \nBy the death of J. du Mont\, the chess world has lost an eminent and popular personality. That this popularity was well deserved will be apparent even to those who knew him only slightly.  \nEssentially kind\, he performed many generous acts\, and having\, by his own efforts\, become the best-known British writer on chess\, he not only filled this position with modesty and dignity\, but was liberal in the help he gave to those starting on the road he had so successfully followed. \nIn the tournament room-where his presence was always welcome-he was invariably quiet and courteous\, and although gifted with a fine wit\, he never used it\nunkindly. He *as an excellent companion\, and players at many congresses will recall the happy times they spent in their visits to him at all hours of the evening. It is sad to think that these gatherings have now irrevocably reached their end: to quote A. E. Housman’s beautiful lines- \nThey come and were and ore not\nAnd come no more anew. \nBut as long as a literature of chess remains\, the name of Julius du Mont will not be forgotten. His many friends\, however\, have no need of his writings in order to keep alive their memory of him. \nIn Chess Secrets I learned from the Masters\, Edward Lasker\, Hollis and Carter\, 1952 : \nJ. DuMont became the author of a number of interesting monographs on chess openings\, and for many years he was the Editor of the British Chess Magazine. It was he who translated my own translation of Schachstrategie which I attempted in the summer of 1913. Naturally\, my English was not fit to be printed. DuMont had to rewrite everything I had written\, and except for his untiring labors Chess Strategy might never have been published. He gave the book a certain literary flavor\, which no doubt added greatly to its popularity. It went into fourteen printings before it was replaced by Modern Chess Strategy in 1945.  \nDuMont was a pianist of note and I took lessons from him; however\, the time I took from my chess activities to practise the piano was shamefully meagre. No wonder I have been told more than once that as a pianist I am a good chess player.” \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-julius-du-mont-15-xii-1881-07-iv-1956/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,Hastings,History,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200413
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200414
DTSTAMP:20220413T122248Z
CREATED:20200324T195846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220413T122248Z
UID:3711-1586736000-1586822399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Peter Markland (13-iv-1951)
DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes a happy birthday to Peter Markland born on Friday\, April 13th\, 1951 \nFrom the rear cover of “Sicilian:…e5 : \n“P.R. Markland is a British Master\, and a member of many English international teams\, including those at the 1972 and 1974 Olympiads\, and is also a British correspondence international” \nPeter first qualified to the British Championship in 1967 (Oxford) and obtained an IM and GM norm at Hastings 1971. \nIn 1984 he became a Grandmaster for correspondence chess (GMC). \nPeter became a banker and lives in Woodbridge\, Suffolk\, IP13. \nFrom British Chess (Pergamon Press\, 1983) we have this contribution from Peter himself: \n“1951 seems to have been a vintage year for chessplayers and although I cannot claim to count myself in the company of Andersson\, Karpov\, Ribli and Sax we do all share the same year of birth. \nAlthough I learned the moves at the age of 5\, I only took any real interest in the game at 13 when I began to play schools chess. Compared with such as Nigel Short I was a very late starter! \nI was educated at Bolton School and played for Bolton and Lancashire in my early years. This was fortunate in that all three of these teams enjoyed great success in the late 1960s. In all three teams I played along side Martyn Corden who was to precede my rise to international level himself by playing in the Siegen Olympiad team in 1970. In 1967\, I qualified for the British Championship at my first attempt and I was pleased to score 5/11. The following year the school team won The Sunday Times tournament playing without Martyn Corden in the finals. \nUp to this time I had concentrated chiefly on junior teams and had won the NCCU junior titles. Over Christmas and New Year of both 1966-7 and 1967-8 I travelled down to play at the Devon Junior Congress at Plymouth but in 1968 I decided to try my luck at Hastings. This proved to be one of the turning points of my career. \nI was placed in the Challengers Reserves for 1968-9 and after the first round loss (to the eventual winner) my play gained momentum and I qualified for the Challengers the following year. The intervening year passed quietly with a trip to Ireland in the Glorney Cup. I went up to Balliol College\, Oxford in October 1969. \nThe Scottish Junior International\, Glasgow\, 1969. l-r: David Watt\, Rene Borngässer\, David Levy\, Heinz Wirthensohn\, Peter Markland. Courtesy of Chess Scotland\nThe Hastings Challengers tournament 1969-70 began when I met the same opponent as in the previous year in the first round. This time I managed to come out on top. By the time the last round came\, I had played most of the leaders and had 6/8 including two pleasing wins with my favourite defence at the time – the Sicilian Pelikan variation. \nSicilian:…e5 by TD Harding & PR Markland\, Batsford\, 1976\, ISBN 0 7134 3209 8\nIn the last round I was paired against de Veauce who had a reputation as a good strategist and whom I hoped to unsettle tactically. I had white and my plan failed. He outplayed me in the opening and middlegame and I sacrificed my isolated centre pawn to activate my pieces. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nSo I then had to wait had to wait to see the other results before I could confirm a somewhat lucky place in the Premier. \nIn 1970 I had the opportunity to travel with the student team to the Olympiad in Haifa. My score of 5.5/7 was reasonably pleasing but the standard of opposition was far from good. \nPeter Markland at Hastings 1970-71\nAt the end of the year came the Hastings Premier – a tournament which I can only describe as the highlight of my career. I began nervously and lost a nondescript game to Uhlmann in the first round. My confidence grew with two comfortable draws with Portisch (the eventual winner) and Keene. In round four I met the surprise leader\, Mestrovic (who had 3/3) and perhaps partly due to the fact that this game was played on 1st January I won convincingly in 18 moves. \nPeter Markland during his game with Portisch on December 30th 1970\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nThe next four rounds brought an uneventful draw with Wade and three exciting encounters with Byrne\, Krogius and Gligoric all of which after several reversals of fortune ended in draws. \nPeter Markland at Hastings 1970-71\nIn the last round I was to play Hort who needed to to win to gain a share of first prize. He played a horribly passive opening and by move 14 I was already well on top. To try to compensate he snatched a queenside pawn and gave me the chance to play the type of move one can only dream about! \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nThis victory meant an equal second on 5/9 with Gligoric\, Hort\, Krogius and Uhlmann and both a GM and IM norm. \n\nAs a result of this I became a regular member of the England side. During 1971 my results were erratic\, possibly caused by too much play. I was pleased with my 3.5 score in my first Clare Benedict\, although I lost my first game for England due to nervousness and I was first equal with George Botterill in the Slater Young Masters at Hastings (again). Here I declined a last round draw offer\, blundered almost next move and lost to an up-and-coming junior by the name of Michael Stean! On the debit side my performances in the British Championship\, The Oxford International Congress and the Robert Silk tournament left room for improvement. \nWhilst playing with Bolton in the National Club Championship\, we had never won the competition although we had reached the semi-finals many times. This year\, 1971\, playing for Oxford University\, we won the tournament beating our old rivals Cambridge University in the final on board count. \nThe Hastings tournament of 1971-72 saw me firmly entrenched near the bottom. It is very difficult in this type of international tournament when one becomes marked as an out-of-form player. All the other players make extra efforts to beat you and this drains your strength further. \nMy main problem at Hastings was a lack of defence to 1.e4. I lost five games against this move. In the last round I had a very interesting struggle against Karpov who needed to win this game to tie first with Korchnoi who had beaten him in the previous round\, but the strength of 1.e4 proved too much. \nThe summer of 1972 saw the advent of my University finals and thus I played very little for the first six months of the year – even I had to decline an invitation to the Teeside GM event. Later in the year I played in the student Olympiad in Graz and then in the Olympiad is Skopje. \nIn the preliminaries we had drawn Yugoslavia and Switzerland\, who were the only other teams likely to qualify for the ‘A’ final. We missed qualification narrowly and I think that every team member had one poor result in the qualifying rounds – mine being a scraped draw against a Syrian team. \nWe won the ‘B’ final by beating the Israeli team in the last round and I felt pleased by my score of 11.5/16 with no losses. Indeed\, in my last round game with Balshan I was quite rightly instructed to agree a draw in a winning position to secure the team’s first place. \nI feel that this tournament from my point of view aptly demonstrates the difference in title norms in the early 1970s and today. I played five players who had no Elo ratings and only four titled players. Hence an IM norm would not have been available under any circumstances. The main reason for the lack of Elo ratings in 1972 was that the new system had only just been introduced and for many players this was their first Elo-rated tournament. In the last Elo list\, all but one of the sixteen players are rated\, there are now four GMs and five IMs amongst my opponents and the norm figures would be 10.5/16 and 12.5/16 for IM and GM respectively. \nHere is my best game from the Olympiad. It is indicative of an early combination prevailing through into a winning ending. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIn 1973 I was once more plagued by too many invitations and played indifferently throughput the year. The only bright spots were my score of 3/7 on boards 3 and 4 of the European Team Finals and second place in the Woolacombe International. \n1974 was once again an Olympiad year. The England team won the Clare Benedict for the first time in Menorca and I was able to contribute 5/6 winning both a board prize and the best score prize. I was drafted into the Olympiad team as a late replacement and although we qualified easily enough for the ‘A’ finals this was in no way due to my efforts as I had a 50% score in the preliminaries. \nWe had qualified for the ‘A’ final with one round to spare and our last group match against the USE (from which the score was to be carried forward) began the final matches. It had been decided\, as a tactical measure and in our view of our differing styles\, that I should take black whenever we had this colour on the fourth board\, so that Whiteley and Stean could utilize a greater proportion of whites. This worked to a limited extent and indeed\, Stean obtained an IM Norm. Also\, as it worked out I played in matches against seven of the top eight teams (being rested against Yugoslavia) and only three teams below us. In the end\, I was pleased with my +3 =1 -4 with black in the finals to give overall a 50& score. \nDuring 1973 and 1974 I was co-author of two books in the Batsford opening series\, both with Tim Harding on Sicilian Defence variations. \nThe Sicilian Richter-Rauzer\, TD Hardign and PR Markland\, Batsford\, 975\, ISBN 0 7134 2979 8\nI also wrote a best game collection of Karpov which was by far the most interesting of the three books to write. \nThe Best of Karpov\, PR Markland\, Oxford University Press\, 1975\, ISBN 10: 0192175343\nAt about this time\, I decided to embark upon a career in banking and to abandon that of a professional chessplayer. Since then I have concentrated on correspondence chess. \nHaving received  master certificate\, I entered a European and World tournament in both of which I finished first. The second of these two results qualified me for the world Championship Semi-finals. But first attempt in the eleventh championship ended in failure to qualify. \nAs a result of an invitation received by the BPCF I played in the Eino Heilimo Memorial Grandmaster event. I have \, however\, qualified as a postal IM by scoring the required seven points and had an outside chance of trying for first place at one stage. \nHere is my best game from this event. \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 brief Wikipedia entry. \nThe English Chess Forum has discussed Peter. \nPeter’s games are here. \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-peter-richard-markland-13-iv-1951/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Correspondence,English,Hastings,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200416
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200417
DTSTAMP:20210306T140828Z
CREATED:20200408T125741Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T140828Z
UID:4191-1586995200-1587081599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of IM Colin Crouch (14-x-1956 16-iv-2015)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of IM Colin Stamford Crouch (14-x-1956 16-iv-2015) \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-colin-stamford-crouch-14-x-1956/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200417
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200418
DTSTAMP:20210306T141148Z
CREATED:20200401T120920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T141148Z
UID:3925-1587081600-1587167999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Peter Wells (17-iv-1965)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of GM Peter Kenneth Wells (17-iv-1965) \nHere is his very brief Wikipedia entry \nPeter Wells (seated\, far LHS)\nand from chessgames.com : \n“Peter Kenneth Wells was born in Portsmouth\, England and became a FIDE Master in 1982\, an IM in 1987\, and a GM in 1994. He is also a FIDE Senior Trainer (2015).” \nPeter Wells (between Harry Golombek and Ray Keene) takes part in the obligatory “Staring at the board” posed picture during the 1985 Varsity Match\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nPeter Wells (second from right) at a Lloyds Bank event.\nGM Peter Wells\nThe Complete Semi-Slav\nPiece Power\nThe Complete Richter-Rauzer\nThe Scotch Game\nWinning with the Trompowsky\nChess Explained : The Queen’s Indian\nGrandmaster Secrets : The Caro-Kann\nDangerous Weapons : Anti-Sicilians\nGM Peter Wells\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-peter-kenneth-wells-17-iv-1965/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200418
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200419
DTSTAMP:20210306T141648Z
CREATED:20200613T113037Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T141648Z
UID:6263-1587168000-1587254399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Jonathan Rowson (18-iv-1977)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of GM Jonathan Rowson (18-iv-1977)Here is his Wikipedia entry \nGM Jonathan Rowson\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-jonathan-rowson-18-iv-1977/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200425
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200426
DTSTAMP:20210424T091645Z
CREATED:20190823T090733Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210424T091645Z
UID:1056-1587772800-1587859199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM John Nunn (25-iv-1955)
DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes GM John Nunn Happy Birthday (25-iv-1955) \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \nBritish International master and European Junior Champion\, 1975. Born in London\, Nunn learned chess at the age of four and soon revealed a great aptitude for the game. \n  \nGraham Ladds and John Nunn. See full caption below.\nSupplied caption for above picture.\nHe came 6th in the Norwich Junior international tournament in 1970 and went up to Oxford University to take a mathematics degree at a very early age. He played on top board for the University from 1972-6 and is now preparing for a doctorate there. \nJohn DM Nunn\nHe won the European Junior Championship and with it the international master title in Groningen in 1975. In that year too he was equal first in the IBM Master tournament\, and at London in 1975 he reached an international master norm coming 5th in the international tournament there. He played on bottom board at the Haifa Olympiad 1976 and scored 64.2% \nGM John Nunn\nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : \nEnglish player. International Grandmaster (1978)\, British champion 1980. He went to Oxford at the unusually young age of 15\, graduated in 1973. Gained his B.Sc. the following year and his\ndoctorate in 1978. \nGM John Nunn\n  \nA Junior Research Fellow\, he lectured in mathematics until 1981 when he became a professional player. By then he had already achieved several good results in international tournaments: Budapest 1978\, first; Hastings 1979-80\, first (4-5 = 10) equal with Andersson; Baden-bei-Wien 1980\, category 12\, third (+5=10) after Spassky and Belyavsky: Helsinki 1981\, first (+5 = 6) equal with Matulovich; and Wiesbaden 1981\, first (+6=3). In the category 12 Wijk aan Zee tournament 1982\, Nunn came first ( + 5=7 — 1) equal with Balashov ahead of Tal\, Hubner\, and Timman and at Helsinki 1983 he came second (+5 = 6) after Karlsson. \nMaia Chiburdanidze and John Nunn from Lloyds Bank\, 1985\nPossessing a remarkably quick sight of the board\, Nunn is an expert solver: he made the second highest individual score in the world team solving championship\, 1978\, and won the solving championship of Great Britain in 1981. \nLubomir Kavalek and John Nunn\nHere is an excellent article from ChessBase \nPolugayevsky-Nunn European team championship : \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 John Nunn\n\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \n46th USSR Chess Championships 1978\, RD Keene\, JDM Nunn\, RG Wade\, Master Chess Publications\, 1978\, ISBN 0 906634 00 8\n  \nThe Benoni for the Tournament Player\nSolving in Style\nThe Complete Pirc\nSecrets of Rook Endings\nSecrets of Pawnless Endings\nNew Ideas in the Pirc Defence\nBeating the Sicilian 3\nThe King Hunt\nSecrets of Grandmaster Chess\nSecrets of Practical Chess\nNunn’s Chess Openings\nJohn Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book\n101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures\nLearn Chess\nSecrets of Minor-Piece Endings\nUnderstanding Chess Move by Move\nJohn Nunn’s Best Games\nEndgame Challenge\nTactical Chess Endings\nLearn Chess Tactics\nMammoth Book of the World’s Greatest Chess Games\nGrandmaster Chess Move by Move\nUnderstanding Chess Endgames\nNunn’s Chess Endings\nUnderstanding Chess Middlegames\nChess Tactics Workbook for Kids\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nChess Endgame Workbook for Kids\nGM John Nunn\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-john-denis-martin-nunn/
CATEGORIES:4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player,Problemist,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200503
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200504
DTSTAMP:20210503T125607Z
CREATED:20190822T222848Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210503T125607Z
UID:1018-1588464000-1588550399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of David Hooper (31-xiii-1915 03-v-1998)
DESCRIPTION:BCN remembers David Hooper who passed away in a Taunton (Somerset) nursing home on Sunday\, May 3rd 1998. Probate (#9851310520) was granted in Brighton on June 24th 1998. \nPrior to the nursing home David had been living at 33\, Mansfield Road\, Taunton\, TA1 3NJ and before that at 5\, Haimes Lane\, Shaftesbury\, Dorset\, SP7 8AJ. \nFor most of the time between Reigate and Shaftesbury David lived in Whitchurch\, Hampshire. \nDavid Vincent Hooper was born on Tuesday\, August 31st 1915 in Reigate\, Surrey to Vincent Hooper and Edith Marjorie Winter who married in Reigate\, Surrey in 1909. On this day the first French ace\, Adolphe Pégoud\, was killed in combat. He had scored six victories. \nDavid was one of six children: Roger Garth (1910-?)\, Edwin Morris (1911-1942)\, Isobel Mary (12/01/1917-2009)\, Helene Edith (1916-1982) and Elizabeth Anne Oliver (1923-2000) were his siblings. \nRecorded in the September 1939 register David was aged 24 and living at 94\, High Street\, Reigate\, Surrey: \nHistorical Map showing 94\, High Street\, Reigate\, Surrey\nIn 2021 this property appears to be a flat (rather than bridge) over the River Kwai Restaurant: \n94\, High Street\, Reigate\, Surrey\, RH2 9AP\nLiving with David was his sister Isobel who was listed a “potential nurse”. David’s occupation at this time was listed as Architectural Assistant and he was single. We think that three others lived at this address at the time but they are not listed under the “100 year rule”. We know that David was also a surveyor and went on to attain professional membership of the Royal Institution of British Architects (RIBA). \nIn the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette May 27th 1944 there appeared this report of a simultaneous display on Empire Day (May 24th) at Dr. Marsh’s house: \nBath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette\, May 27th 1944\nand from The Western Morning News\, 9th April 1947 we have: \nWestern Morning News\, 9th April 1947\nand then from The Nottingham Evening Post\, 16th August 1949 we have: \nNottingham Evening Post\, 16th August 1949\nIn 1950 aged 35 David married Joan M Higley (or Rose!) in the district of South Eastern Surrey. \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.\nKen Whyld wrote an obituary which appeared in British Chess Magazine\, Volume 118 (1998)\, Number 6\, page 326 as follows : \nDAVID VINCENT HOOPER died on 3rd May this year in a nursing home in Taunton. He had been in declining health for some months. Born in Reigate\, 31st August 1915\, his early chess years were with the Battersea CC and Surrey. \nDavid Hooper (left) in conversation with Alan Phillips. Location and photographer unknown.\nHe won the (ed. Somerset) County Championship three times\, and the London Championship in 1948. His generation was at its chess peak in the years when war curtailed opportunities\, but he won the British Correspondence Championship in 1944. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nHis games from that event are to be found in Chess for Rank and File by Roche and Battersby. \nChess for the Rank and File\nAlso at that time\, he won the 1944 tournament at Blackpool\, defeating veteran Grandmaster Jacques Mieses. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nDavid was most active in the decade that followed\, playing five times in the British Championship. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nHis highest place there was at Nottingham 1954\, when\, after leading in the early stages\, he finished half a point behind the joint champions\, Leonard Barden and Alan Phillips. \nDavid was in the British Olympic team at Helsinki 1952\, and in the same year accidentally played top board for England in one of the then traditional weekend matches against the Netherlands. British Champion Klein took offence at a Sunday Times report of his draw with former World Champion Dr. Euwe on the Saturday and refused to play on Sunday. Thus David was drafted in to meet Euwe\, and acquitted himself admirably. Even though he lost\, the game took pride of place in that month’s\nBCM. \nAlan Phillips plays David Hooper on August 20th 1954 in round five of the British Championships in Nottingham\, photographer unknown\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIn the following game\, played in the Hastings Premier l95l-2\, he found an improvement on Botvinnik’s play against Bronstein in game 17 of their 1951 match\, when 7.Ng3 was played because it was thought that after 7.Nf4 d5 it was necessary to play 8 Qb3. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIn his profession as architect David worked in the Middle East for some years from the mid-1950s\, and when he returned to England he made his mark as a writer. His Practical Chess Endgames \nPractical Chess Endgames (Chess Handbooks)\, David Hooper\, Routledge & Kegan Paul\, London\, 1968\, ISBN 0 7100 5226 X\nhas an enduring appeal. Two of his books appeared in the Wildhagen biographical games series on Steinitz\, and Capablanca. The last was written jointly with Gilchrist. \nWilliam Steinitz : Selected Chess Games\, David Hooper\nWith Euwe he wrote A Guide to Chess Endings; \nA Guide to Chess Endings\, Dover (1976 reprint)\, ISBN 0-486-23332-4\nwith Cafferty\, A Complete Defence to 1.e4; \nA Complete Defence to 1.P-K4 A Study of Petroff’s Defence\, Bernard Cafferty & David Hooper\, Pergamon Press\, 1967\, ISBN 0 08 024089 5\nA Pocket Guide to Chess Endgames; \nA Pocket Guide to Chess Endgames\, David Hooper\, Bell & Hyman Limited\, London\, 1970\, ISBN 0 7135 1761 1\nA Complete Defence to 1.d4; \nA Complete Defence to 1d4: A Study of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted\, Bernard Cafferty & David Hooper\, Pergamon Press\, ISBN 0-08-024102-6\nand Play for Mate; \nPlay for Mate (1990)\, DV Hooper and Bernard Cafferty\, ISBN-13: 978-0713464740\nwith Brandreth The Unknown Capablanca\, \nThe Unknown Capablanca\, David Hooper & Dale Brandreth\, Batsford\, London\, 1975\, ISBN\, 0 7134 2964\nand with Ken Whyld\, The Oxford Companion to Chess. \nThe Oxford Companion to Chess\, 1st Edition\, David Hooper & Ken Whyld\, Oxford University Press\, 1984\, ISBN 0 19 217540 8\nKen Whyld \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \nBritish amateur (an architect by profession) whose best result was =5 in the British Championship at Felixstowe 1949 along with\, amongst others\, Broadbent and Fairhurst. \nHooper abandoned playing for writing about chess and has become a specialist in two distinct areas. He is an expert on the endings and has a close knowledge of the history of chess in the nineteenth century. \nHis principal works : Steinitz (in German)\, Hamburg\, 1968; A Pocket Guide to Chess Endgames\, London 1970. \nHere is an interesting article from Edward Winter \nHere is his brief Wikipedia entry. \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-david-hooper/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200504
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200505
DTSTAMP:20210306T150410Z
CREATED:20191211T164755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T150410Z
UID:2307-1588550400-1588636799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Joe Gallagher (04-v-1964)
DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes Happy Birthday to GM Joseph Gerald Gallagher (04-v-1964) \nStreatham & Brixton becoming BCF National Club Champions in 1989. The team was Tony Kosten\, Mark Hedben\, Daniel King\, Nigel Povah (Captain)\, Joe Gallagher and Julian Hodgson : quite a strong team\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nGM Joseph Gerald Gallagher\n\nGM Joe Gallagher\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 Joe Gallagher\nWinning With the King’s Gambit\, Batsford\, ISBN 0-7134-6944-7\nBeating the Anti-Sicilians\, Batsford/Henry Holt and Company\, ISBN 0-8050-3575-3\nBeating the Sicilian 3\nBeating the Anti-King’s Indians\, Batsford/International Chess Enterprises\, ISBN 1-879479-36-2\nThe Trompovsky\, Chess Press\, ISBN 1-901259-09-9\n101 Attacking Ideas in Chess\, Gambit Publications\, ISBN 1-901983-20-X\nThe Magic of Mikhail Tal\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-266-0\nStarting Out: the Caro-Kann\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-303-9\nStarting Out: King’s Indian\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-234-2\nStarting Out: The Pirc/Modern\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-336-5\nPlay the King’s Indian\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-324-1\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-joseph-gerald-gallagher-04-v-1964/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200504
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200505
DTSTAMP:20210306T150930Z
CREATED:20200409T085032Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T150930Z
UID:4247-1588550400-1588636799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Danny Gormally (04-v-1976)
DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes Happy Birthday to GM Daniel William Gormally (04-v-1976) \n\nDanny won the Southern Counties (SCCU) championship in the 2002-03 and 2010-11 (sharing with David Howell) seasons. \nHere is a ChessBase interview with Danny \nDanny Gormally Caption Competition\nand another interview from Chessbase \n\nGM Danny Gormally\n\nDanny Gormally with the ? Trophy\nInsanity\, Passion and Addiction\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-gm-daniel-w-gormally-04-v-1976/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200506
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200507
DTSTAMP:20210306T151808Z
CREATED:20200409T172437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T151808Z
UID:4274-1588723200-1588809599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of Dr. Tim Harding (06-v-1948)
DESCRIPTION:From chessgames.com :“Timothy David Harding was born in London. He has been playing both over-the-board and correspondence chess since the 1960s. Harding played on the Irish team at the 1984 FIDE Olympiad in Thessaloniki\, scoring 50%. In 2002 he achieved the title of Senior International Master of Correspondence Chess. He is also a Candidate Master (2015). \nAs a chess historian\, Harding has authored dozens of books on chess since 1973. He is also the author of the “The Kibitzer”\, a popular chess column published at ChessCafe.com. \n(Tim Harding’s homepage – http://www.chessmail.com/timsite)” \nBCN wishes Happy Birthday to Timothy David Harding (06-v-1948) \nFrom Wikipedia : \n“Timothy David Harding (born 6 May 1948 in London)[1] is a chess player and author with particular expertise in correspondence chess. He published a correspondence chess magazine Chess Mail from 1996 to 2006[2] and authored “The Kibitzer”\, a ChessCafe.com column from 1996 until 2015.[3] In 2002\, he was awarded the title Senior International Master of Correspondence Chess by the International Correspondence Chess Federation. Harding has lived in Dublin since 1976\,[2] writing a weekly column for The Sunday Press from then until 1995. \nIn 2009\, Harding received a PhD degree in history from University of Dublin\, with his thesis on correspondence chess in Britain and Ireland\, 1824–1914.[4] \nHe is credited with coining the name Frankenstein–Dracula Variation in his 1975 Vienna Game book.” \nTimothy David Harding (06-v-1948)\nTim has written / co-authored at least forty chess books and here is a selection : \nThe Velimirovic Attack\, Sozin Sicilian\, TD Harding and RG Wade\, Chessman Publications Ltd.\, 1969.\nCounter gambits by Timothy D. Harding (1974)\nSicilian:…e5 by TD Harding & PR Markland\nThe Sicilian Sozin\, TD Harding\, GS Botterill\, C. Kottnauer\, Batsford\, 1974\nSicilian Richter-Rauzer\nThe Leningrad Dutch\, BT Batsford\, Tim Harding\, 1976\nColle\, London and Blackmar-Diemer Systems\, BT Batsford Ltd\, Tim Harding\, 1979\nFrench: MacCutcheon and Advance Lines\, Batsford\, 1979\nFrench: Classical Lines\, Batsford\, 1979\nQueen’s Gambit Declined : Semi-Slav\, Tim Harding\, BT Batsford Ltd.\, 1981\nGuide to the Chess Openings\nBritish Chess Literature to 1914 : A Handbook for Historians\nEminent Victorian Chess Players\nJoseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-timothy-david-harding-06-v-1948/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,History,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200513
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200514
DTSTAMP:20210306T152627Z
CREATED:20191027T141129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T152627Z
UID:1681-1589328000-1589414399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Charles Locock (27-ix-1872 13-v-1946)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of Charles Dealtry Locock (27-ix-1872 13-v-1946) \nFrom < Wikipedia : \n“Charles Dealtry Locock (1862 – 1946) was a British literary scholar\, editor and translator\, who wrote on a wide array of subjects\, including chess\, billiards and croquet.[1]” \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : \nThe Locock Gambit is in the Philidor Defence\, named after the English player Charles Dealtry Locock (1862 – 1946). The gambit is probably sound; Black should play 4…Bey instead of 4…h6 \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-charles-dealtry-locock-27-ix-187213-v-1946/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200517
DTSTAMP:20210516T144229Z
CREATED:20190823T085838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210516T144229Z
UID:1054-1589587200-1589673599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Harold Murray (24-vi-1868 16-v-1955)
DESCRIPTION:BCN remembers Harold Murray who passed away on Monday\, May 16th\, 1955. \nHarold James Ruthven Murray was born on Wednesday\, 24th June 1868 in Camberwell\, London. He was the eldest son of Sir James Augustus Henry Murray 1837–1915 and  Ada Agnes Ruthven 1845–1936. Sir James was famously the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXV (125\, 1955)\, Number 8 (August)\, pp. 233-4 we have this obituary from DJ Morgan: \n“The great historian of chess died in May last\, at the age of eighty-six. Some of the early results of his researches into the origins of the game were published in this magazine\, and a reference to the “B.C.M.” volumes for the first fifteen years of this century will reveal a wealth of articles of permanent value. A tribute to our late and\ndistinguished contributor has been unavoidably delayed. \nMurray was the eldest son of Sir James A. H. Murray\, the pioneering editor of the great Oxford English Dictionary\, and was born in Camberwell on June 24th\, 1868. He went to Mill Hill School\, took an Open Mathematical Exhibition to Balliol College\, Oxford\, and left the University\, in 1890\, with a First Class in the Final Mathematical School. Subsequently\, teaching engagements took him to Taunton\, Carlisle\, and Ormskirk. From 1891 to 1900 he was Headmaster of Ormskirk Grammar School\, which he left to become a Board of Education Inspector of Schools. \nTaunton gave him an enthusiasm for chess. At Ormskirk he helped to found a club\, which he captained from 1896 to 1900. His interest in the history of the game had been aroused in 1893\, and when\, in 1897\, he received encouragement from such a notable authority as Baron von der Lasa\, historical research became his ruling passion. In his own words his aim was to trace the development of the modern European game from the first appearance of its ancestor\, the Indian chaturanga\, in the beginning of the seventh century of our era. \nMany books had been written on the history of chess\, but none had covered exactly the whole story as he envisaged it. Hyde\, in 1694\, and another Englishman\, Forbes\, in 1860\, had in the main confined their attention to Oriental chess. Other investigators\, such as Sir William Jones on Indian chess (1790)\, Cox on Burma chess (1803 and 1807)\, and Bland on Persian chess (1852)\, had published their conclusions in journals of Asiatic studies. The great German writer\, von der Lasa\, in 1897\, treated almost exclusively of the European game. Van der Linde alone had dealt with both Oriental and European chess\, but it was in three distinct works (1874-81). \nVan der Linde was able to incorporate the results of Weber’s examination of the early references to chess in Sanskrit literature\, and to show that Forbes’s History was both inaccurate and misleading. \nSince the publication of Linde’s Geschichte there had been many additions to our knowledge of various aspects of chess history\, mostly scattered in isolated papers. So\, continues Murray\, he set about collecting and collating all available material and making it easily accessible to English readers. \nMurray was able to call on the help of acknowledged scholars in the many languages\, obsolete and obsolescent\, into which his researches led him. Above all\, his work was largely based upon his own studies of original materials. The manuscripts and rare books in the unrivalled collections of J. G. White\, of Cleveland\, Ohio\, and of J. W. Rimington Wilson in this country\, were placed unreservedly at his disposal\, as were the resources of other collectors and libraries. \nAs an example of his devotion to his work\, he made a thorough study of Arabic\, and it was his knowledge of this language which enabled him to make his remarkable discovery of the chess-work of Allajlaj\, a Mohammedan chess master of the tenth century. The fascinating story of the recovery of these oldest recorded games is told in the “British Chess Magazine” of November\, 1903. \nMurray thus brought a fine scholarship to his immense task. He had\, in addition\, the true historian’s gifts of meticulous research\, of grasp of detail\, of the critical sifting of evidence; to this scientific technique was added the art of lucid exposition.\nIn his hands\, it can be said\, the chess-player’s elements of time\, space\, and material were used to range through most of the centuries of the Christian era. \nA History of Chess\nThe History appeared in 1913\, from the same University Press\, he was proud to think which\, more than 200 years before\, had published Thomas Hyde’s Mondragorios seu Historia Shohiludii. The huge volume of 900 pages\, lavishly illustrated and with scores of chess diagrams\, was received with world-wide acclamation. From ancient “Indian Board-games” to “Steinitz and his School\,” the vast field had been covered with great authority. The book is in two parts\, “Chess in Asia” and “Chess in Europe\,” but through it all runs the absorbing story of how the game\, in play and in problem\, in its practice and in its laws\, has developed and spread. From India to Persia\, to Islam as a result of the Mohammedan conquest of Persia\, from Islam to Spain\, and thence to Christian Europe\, chess has followed the great political and religious movements. It is very improbable that chess was played in England before the Norman Conquest. That it was familiar to the Norman Kings in the eleventh century is certain from the evidence of the word exchequer\, which was applied to the table “upon which the accounts were worked out by means of a cloth divided into strips about a footwide\, on which counters\, representing the moneys\, were placed and moved.” \nThis must suffice. The work is one to browse in and to dip into through the years. Murray has left an enduring monument\, the greatest book ever written on the game. We can but touch briefly on other aspects of his varied and active life. Following his retirement from the Board of Education\, in 1928\, he took an active interest in Local Government work. He became Chairman of the Fernhurst Parish Council\, and was a member of the Midhurst R.D.C.\, 1931-55\, being Chairmain of its Housing\nCommittee from 1938 to 1948. \nIn 1952 he published A History of Board Gomes Other Than Chess. \nA History of Board Games other than Chess\nHe also wrote a Shorter History of Chess and a History of Draughts (both unpublished)\, and spent much time working on mathematical problems connected with Knights’ Tours and Magic Tours. His work on these investigations is also unpublished\, but a good deal remains in typescript in fairly complete form. \nApart from his interest in board games and mathematics\, he was interested in genealogy\, and did research on his own and his wife’s families. Up to his death he was working on local history and was writing a history of Heyshott\, the village to which he retired. Walking\, in his younger days\, and bird-watching in his middle years\, were amongst his otter recreations. \nA game of chess he. always enjoyed\, but not under the rigorous conditions of matches and tournaments. \nHis son\, Major D. M. J. Murray\, Royal Engineers\, was killed in Hong Kong in 1941. The chess world’s sympathy with his second son Mr. K.C. Murray of the Antiquities Service\, Nigeria\, and with his daughter\, Miss K. M. E. Murray\, M.A.\, Principal of the Bishop\nOtter College\, Chichester\, is but a small expression of its sense of indebtedness to their distinguished father.-D. J. M.” \nFollowing this obituary a letter from Alex Hammond appeared in British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXV (125\, 1955)\, Number 9 (September)\, page 270 as follows: \n“Dear Mr. Reilly\,\nMurray was\, indeed a very great man\, though a few of us were privileged to know him intimately\, as his nature was shy and retiring. \nFor myself\, I shall always treasure his memory\, as when I wrote my The Book of Chessmen he gave me freely of his knowledge\, and saved me from many errors. \nAny person who attempts to write on chess history will always find real difficulty in discovering anything of interest which does not appear in his monumental “History.” \nProbably his like will not be seen again\, as such patient industry\, deep knowledge\, and tremendous perseverance are unlikely to be combined in a single personage again. \nYours sincerely\,\nAlex Hammond\n16 Burlington Arcade\, London\, W1 \nThe Book of Chessmen\, Alexander Hammond\, Arthur Barker Ltd.\, London\, 1950\nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess (Oxford University Press\, 1984 & 1996) by Hooper & Whyld: \n“Foremost chess historian\, school inspector. His A History of Chess (1913)\, perhaps the most important chess book in English\, was the result of about 14 years of research inspired by Lasa\, and grounded on van der Linde’s work. During that period Murray contributed 35 articles to the British Chess Magazine \, some of which outlined his discoveries. Most of the 900-page History is concerned with the evolution of modern chess from its oriental precursor up to the 17th century. He learned Arabic so that he could read important manuscripts\, and in addition to his own circle he was able to solicit help from colleagues of his father Sir James A. H. Murray\, editor-in-chief of the Oxford English Dictionary; who was also aided by J. G. White\, with both advice and the loan of rare books from the Cleveland collection\, and by many others. His book includes an authoritative account of both Mansubat and medieval problems. (See also history of chess.) In 1952 he published a companion volume\, A History of Board Games other than Chess. \nWhile the scholarship of his chess book has never been questioned it is too detailed for the average chess-player. Aware of this problem\, Murray wrote a briefer work approaching the topic in a more popular way. The manuscript\, unfinished at his death\, was completed and published in 1963 as A Short History of Chess. (See Civis Bononiae.) \nA Short History of Chess\nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Batsford\, 1977)\, Harry Golombek OBE : \n“Chess historian and a Board of Education Inspector of Schools. Appropriately enough\, a son of the pioneering editor of the great Oxford English Dictionary\, he became interested in the history of chess in the early 1890s. Up to this time the historical writings on chess in English had been unhistorical. In order to fit himself for the task Murray learned several languages including Arabic and he also studied the true historians of chess\, the German writers\, Van der Linde and Von der Lassa. \nIn his own words his aim was to trace the development of the modern European game from the first appearance of its ancestor\, the Indian chaturanga\, in the beginning of the seventh century of our era. This he did in a vast work of some 900 pages published in Oxford in 1913. An immense amount of painstaking research had gone into the work and only a man of Murray’s great learning could have attempted it. \nIt at once became the standard book on the subject and has remained so ever since. Murray left behind among his papers an unfinished work A Short History of Chess which took the history of the game up to 1866 which gave a clearer and more readable account of the history of the game than his main work. This was brought up to date by Goulding-Brown and Golombek and published in Oxford in 1963.” \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Robert Hale\, 1970 &1976)\, Anne Sunnucks : \n“The chess historian who wrote the History of Chess\, published by Oxford University Press in 1913. Murray was born in Camberwell on 24th June\, 1868\, the eldest son of Sir James Murray\, the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. After graduating from Balliol College\, Oxford\, with a First Class in the Final Mathematical School\, in 1890 Murray became a master at Queen’s College\, Taunton\, where he learned to play chess. He later taught at Carlisle Grammar School and in 1896 became the headmaster of Ormskirk Grammar School. About 1893 his interest in the history of the game was aroused\, and four years later\, encouraged by the great German writer and authority on the game\, Baron Von der Lasa\, his historical researches began.\nFrom 1901-1928 he was a Board of Education Inspector of Schools\, an appointment which made it difficult for him to play much chess. He began to turn his attention more and more to the history of the game\, contributing articles to The British Chess Magazine and Deutsches Wochenschach. He made the acquaintance of J. J. White of Cleveland\, Ohio\, owner of the largest chess library in the world\, and was given access to this collection\, as well as one owned by J. W. Rimington Wilson in England. White’s library contained a number of Arabic manuscripts\, and\, in order to be able to study them\, Murray learned Arabic. The History of Chess took him 13 years to complete. \nOn his retirement from the Board of Education\, Murray served as Chairman of Fernhurst Parish Council and was a member of Midhurst R.D.C. from 1931-1955 and was Chairman of its Housing Committee from 1938-1948. His other interests\, apart from chess\, were genealogy\, local history\, walking and bird watching. In 1952 he published A History of Board Games Other than Chess. \nAfter his death A Short History of Chess was found uncompleted among his papers. Additional chapters were added by B. Goulding Brown and H. Golombek\, and it was published in 1963.” \n(Bertram Goulding Brown was a tournament chess player and a contributor to British Chess Magazine. He was born 5 July 1881 and died 22 August 1965 in the United Kingdom.) \nYou may read the entire book here \nFrom Amazon : \n“Harold James Ruthven Murray was born on 24 June 1868. His first book A History of Chess was published by Oxford University Press in 1913. Murray covered the first 1\,400 years of the game’s history in definitive detail. He died on 16 May 1955. He left several more manuscripts which are being held by Oxford University.” \nAccording to Edward Winter in Chess Notes HJRM lived 53 Hagley Road\, Edgbaston\, Birmingham\, England (Ranneforths Schach-Kalender\, 1915\, page 71). \nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nand here is an excellent article from Edward Winter. \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-harold-james-ruthven-murray/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Remembering,Writer
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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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200517
DTSTAMP:20210307T175542Z
CREATED:20200517T135858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T175542Z
UID:5582-1589587200-1589673599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of Mark Crowther (16-v-1966)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of TWIC founder\, Mark Crowther (16-v-1966) \nFrom Wikipedia : \nThe Week in Chess (TWIC) is one of the first\, if not the first\, Internet-based chess news services. It is based in the United Kingdom. \nTWIC has been edited by Mark Crowther since its inception in 1994.[1] It began as a weekly Usenet posting\, with “TWIC 1” being posted to Usenet group rec.games.chess on 17 September 1994.[2] Later it moved to Crowther’s personal web site\, then to chesscenter.com in 1997\,[3] and in 2012 it moved to theweekinchess.com.[4] \nIt contains both chess news\, and all the game scores from major events. \nTWIC quickly became popular with professional chess players\, because it allowed them to quickly get results and game scores\, where previously they had relied on print publications.[5] \nTWIC still exists as a weekly newsletter\, although for important events the TWIC website is updated daily. It remains a popular site for up-to-date chess news.[6] \n Save as PDF
URL:http://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-mark-crowther-16-v-1966/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Writer
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