Just over two years ago today we learnt the sad news that popular longtime Arbiter and Organizer David Welch had passed away at the age of 74 after a long illness : he was being cared for in The Royal Liverpool Hospital. The funeral took place at Landican Crematorium, Arrowe Park CH49 5LW at 12 noon on Friday 6th December. Following the funeral, the wake took place at the Grove House Hotel, Grove Road, Wallasey CH44 4BT.
David was born on Tuesday, October 30th 1945 in Brampton, Chesterfield, Derbyshire and attended Chesterfield Grammar School (see below).
He played for Wallasey Chess Club for many years having initially been a member of Liverpool Chess Club.
David attended Queens’ College, Cambridge reading Natural Sciences (Chemistry) and (according to John Swain) David served Cambridge University Chess Club as Junior Treasurer, Librarian and Bulletin Editor.
In 1968 David and Peter Purland started teaching at the same Liverpool school (Liverpool College) on the same day and continued their friendship from there. David also ran the college scout troop.
In the same year David joined Liverpool Chess Club and became a leading light fairly early on.
David Welch (30-x-1945 09-xi-2019), photograph by John Upham at 2012 4NCL
David became a BCF arbiter in the early 1970s eventually becoming the BCFs Chief Arbiter and then the ECFs Chief Arbiter and was heavily involved in many British Championships around the country.
David was curator of ECF equipment for some time and personally funded much of the BCFs and ECFs early equipment stock.
He became a FIDE International Arbiter as early as 1977 and was awarded the FIDE International Organizer title in 2010.
In 2007 David received the ECF Presidents Award from Gerry Walsh. Here is the citation in full (from the 2008 ECF Yearbook) :
“David Welch started chess organisation early being captain of the Chesterfield Grammar School team that played both in the school’s league and in the local adult league. He joined the Liverpool Chess Club after leaving University in 1968 and has held various posts with them , he is now their President. He set-up the Liverpool Chess Congress in about 1978.
Additionally, he was the director of the Liverpool Chess Congress. Although now defunct this was in its day the largest junior event in the UK (perhaps even the world) having 2000 entrants at the time of Spassky-Fisher (sic). He has also been involved in the Liverpool city of culture initiative.
He had also had a considerable involvement with the ECF. He is the the Merseyside representative to the ECF. He has been helping run the British Championships since 1981; starting at one of the arbiting team he has been Director/Manager of the congress since 2005. He has been Chief Arbiter of the Federation since about 1992. He also does the arbiting at a number of congresses and is, in particular, the Chief Arbiter of the 4NCL.”
David Welch receives FIDE Arbiter Award
David shared the exact same date of birth as long time friend and fellow arbiter, Peter Purland.
in 2016 David received recognition from FIDE for his long service as an International Arbiter. David was the third English arbiter to receive the honour, following Stewart Reuben and Gerry Walsh in 2014.
We send our condolences to all of his many family and friends.
Kevin Staveley, BEM at the 2015 British Championships in Warwick courtesy of John Upham Photography
BCN offers Kevin Staveley the warmest congratulations on being awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
The citation reads : “For services to Chess in Wales”
Kevin Charles Staveley was born on December 30th 1955 in Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales and has resided in Treorchy, Glamorgan, Wales. Currently he lives in Cwmparc, Rhondda.
He is a member of Newport Chess Club.
Kevin is Home Director for the Welsh Chess Union and many times Tournament Director of the British Chess Championships.
Kevin is ECF Manager of the British Chess Championships and is Director of the South Wales International Chess Festival, Bridgend and the South Wales Megafinal to name but a few.
He became a FIDE International Arbiter in 1991 and a FIDE International Organiser in 2013.
Kevin is editor of the Welsh Chess Union Yearbook.
IM Malcolm Pein at the 2019 British Championships in Torquay, courtesy of John Upham PhotographyMalcolm Pein signature
BCN sends IM Malcolm Pein best wishes on his 61st birthday.
IM Malcolm Pein at the King’s Place Rapidplay 2013, photograph courtesy of John Upham
Malcolm Bernard Pein was born in Liverpool (South). South Lancashire and his mother’s maiden name is Max. (Gaige, Felice and chessgames.com all incorrectly have Malcolm L. Pein).
Malcolm Pein
This was written about Malcolm aged 19 just prior to the 1979 Spassky vs the BCF Junior Squad simultaneous display :
” London University and Liverpool, Rating 199. British under-18 co-champion, 1977. Currently No.1 player for London University.”
Malcolm hard at work
Malcolm studied Chemical Engineering at University College, London entering in September 1978. He won The University of London championship in February 1979. The runner-up was John Upham also from UCL.
He became an International Master in 1986 and is a FIDE Delegate (for England) and an International Director.
Malcolm’s peak rating was 2450 in January 1992 at the age of 32.
Malcolm Pein (third from right) and a victorious Wood Green team. Trophy presented by Magnus Magnusson
With the white pieces Malcolm prefers the Queen’s Gambit almost exclusively with 1.e4 rarely seeing the light of day scoring 62%
As the second player, Malcolm champions the Pirc, Modern and Grunfeld defences scoring 49% which MegaBase 2020 claims is “above average”.
{[%evp 0,53,16,28,27,-16,-9,4,4,-78,-50,-91,-47,-47,-29,-14,41,9,10,8,23,12,34,
27,55,5,-11,12,10,9,9,20,20,32,32,38,147,186,22,66,85,82,123,47,3,-17,-18,-12,
29987,29988,29989,29990,29991,29992,29993,29994]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 (6… O-O 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. e4 Nxc3 9. Qb3 Qxd4
10. Bb2 Qe3+ 11. Be2 Nd5 12. Qxe3 Nxe3 13. Kf2 Nd5 14. exd5 exd5 15. Rc1 $16)
7. cxd5 Nxd5 {[#]} 8. Qd2 {According to ECO this move has not been played for
20 years! In comparison with Qd3 the queen is not exposed on a6 f1 diagonal
but the Bc1 is restricted} f5 (8… Qa5 9. e4 $1 Nxc3 (9… Qxc3 10. Rb1 Qxd2+
11. Bxd2 Nc7 12. dxc5 Nd7 13. Bb5 {White is slightly better}) 10. Bb2 cxd4 11.
Ne2 {White regains one pawn and gets an attack} e5 12. Nxc3 dxc3 13. Bxc3 Qc7
14. Bb4 Nc6 15. Bd6 Qd8 (15… Qa5 16. Qxa5 Nxa5 17. Bxe5) 16. Bb5) 9. e3 O-O
10. Nh3 $146 {This is a theoretical novelty the old move was 10.Bd3 intending
Ne2 but after Black plays Nc6 and e5 he stands well.} b6 11. Bb2 cxd4 (11…
Ba6 12. c4 (12. Bxa6 Nxa6 13. O-O Nac7 14. e4 {Is also good}) 12… Nf6 13. Nf4
{With advantage to White so Black switches plans}) 12. cxd4 Nc6 {Now 13..Na5
is going to be annoying so White gets going} 13. e4 $1 (13. Bd3 Na5 14. Rd1 Bd7
{With lots of play on the white squares}) 13… fxe4 14. fxe4 Nf6 (14… Qh4+
15. Nf2 Rxf2 (15… Nf4 16. g3 {Wins}) (15… Nf6 16. g3) 16. Qxf2 Qxe4+ 17.
Qe2 {Black has insufficient compensation}) 15. Nf2 Na5 16. Qe3 Bb7 17. Bd3 Rc8
18. Qh3 $1 {Black finds the only defence} Qe8 19. O-O {Now both e5 and d5 are
threatened} (19. e5 Nh5) 19… Nh5 {It was very tempting to play 20.Ng4 but it
does not quite work} 20. e5 {Threat g4} (20. Ng4 Nf4 21. Rxf4 Rxf4 22. e5 Be4
23. Nh6+ Kh8) 20… Nc4 21. Bc1 h6 {[#]} (21… g6 22. Bh6 Nf4 23. Bxf4 Rxf4
24. Bxc4 Rxc4 25. Ng4 {Nf6+ will win material}) 22. Bxh6 $1 {Winning} gxh6 (
22… Rxf2 23. Rxf2 gxh6 24. Raf1 {Winning}) (22… Qc6 23. Be4) 23. Ng4 {
Threatening 24.Rxf8+} Qc6 (23… Nf4 24. Qxh6 Nxd3 25. Rxf8+ Qxf8 26. Nf6+) (
23… Rc7 24. Nxh6+ Kg7 25. Qg4+ Kxh6 26. Rxf8) (23… Ng7 24. Nxh6+) 24. Nxh6+
Kh8 25. Nf7+ $1 Kg8 26. Bh7+ Kg7 (26… Kxh7 27. Qxh5+ Kg7 28. Qh6+ Kg8 29.
Qh8#) 27. Qg4+ 1-0
[/pgn]
IM Malcolm Pein at the Bristol heat of the British Blitz Qualification event in 2019
In addition to his newspaper column and magazine editorial, Malcolm has written a number of chess books and booklets, including :
Grunfeld Defence (Batsford, 1981) – ISBN 978-0713435948Blumenfeld Defence [with Jan Przewoznik] (Everyman, 1991) – ISBN 978-0080371337Daily Telegraph Guide to Chess (Batsford, 1995) – ISBN 978-0713478143
The Exchange Grunfeld [with Adrian Mikhalchishin] (Everyman, 1996) – ISBN 978-1857440560]
Nigel Short’s Chess Skills (1989)(was ghost written by Malcolm)
“Malcolm Pein’s contribution to English Chess is well known. He is CEO of Chess in Schools and Communities, has been largely involved in the organisation of the London Chess Classic and is currently the ECF’s Delegate to FIDE and International Director. On top of all that he is also an IM, writes the ‘Daily Telegraph’ Chess Column, and edits CHESS Magazine.”
IM Malcolm Pein at the London Chess Classic 2013, photograph courtesy of John Upham
Malcolm is also owner (and a director) of the London Chess Centre (a company incorporated on May 1st 1997) which has relocated to 44, Baker Street, former home of the British Chess Magazine retail premises. This was purchased from Stephen Lowe and Shaun Taulbut in 2010 when the leasehold on the Euston Road premises expired. Another director is Henry Gerald Mutkin who is the main organiser of the annual Varsity match.
Malcolm has a son, Jonathan who is a strong player and he resides in London, NW7.
In 2021 Malcolm stood as an alternative to Mike Truran in the contested election for CEO. On October 9th 2021 following “detailed and amicable discussions” with Mike a away forward was agreed and Malcolm agreed to remain as International Director of the ECF and Mike remained as CEO.
IM Nigel Povah, courtesy of John Upham Photography
BCN wishes IM Nigel Edward Povah all the best on his birthday, July 17th in 1952.
Nigel Povah, from Knightmare, Volume 2 (1976-77) drawn by Chris Jones.
Nigel was born in Wandsworth, London.
He became a FIDE Master in 1980, an International Master in 1983 and an International Correspondence Master in 1983. He became England’s 7th ICCF GM in 1989. His predecessors were :
210048 Markland, Peter Richard ENG GM 1984
210060 Penrose, Dr. Jonathan ENG GM 1983
210178 Webb, Simon ENG GM 1983
210011 Clarke, Peter Hugh ENG GM 1980
210029 Hollis, Adrian Swayne ENG GM 1976
210062 Richardson, Keith Bevin ENG GM 1975
Nigel has been Southern Counties (SCCU) champion for the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons.
Nigel Povah, circa 1979
Nigel has played for Streatham & Brixton Club (see the Andrew Martin video below) and was part of this very strong London club which developed many original opening ideas.
Nigel was a strong opening theoretician and developed ideas in the Sicilian Lasker-Pelikan, Sveshnikov and English Openings amongst others.
Knightmare magazines are a valuable source of information about the club and it’s members.
Below we have the game Berg-Povah, Wijk aan Zee, 1979 annotated by Streatham & Brixton team mate, IM Andrew Martin :
Nigel continues to play for Guildford in the Surrey League and in the Surrey Border League as well as Guildford in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL).
Nigel started the highly successful 4NCL teams sponsored by his company Guildford A&DC (Assessment & Development Consultants) and the 4NCL team(s) are now run by Roger Emerson and Julien Shepley having taken a back seat since June 2017.
His peak rating was 2385 in January 1980 aged 28.
Nigel is married to Gill and has a daughter Lucy and a son, Jonathan.
In recent times Nigel has been playing more nationally and internationally and and has become a specialist in the Accelerated London System (with 2.Lf4) and is a regular on the International veterans circuit.
Here is an article written by Richard W. O’Brien from British Chess, Pergamon Press, 1983 :
“Nigel Povah was for the majority of the seventies a chess professional. He mixed playing with teaching in various schools and also coached individuals. He is a BCF qualified coach. Danny King (our second youngest international master) and the late Ian Wells were two who clearly benefited from his teachings.
On the playing front he won numerous congresses including Hammersmith 1970, Paignton 1974, LARA 1974, Evening Standard 1974, LARA(again) 1978 and Charlton 1979. In 1975 he won the SCCU Championship and again in 1976. He first played in international tournaments in 1973 when as one of the weaker players in the tournament he produced excellent annotations for the bulletin, even for the games he lost. These were the first signs of becoming a chess writer. To date he has shared first place in four international tournaments Robert Silk 1976, Malta 1976, Malta(again) 1979 and Wijk aan Zee Master Reserves 1979. It can be seen that 1979 was a good year. He also shared 4th place in the British Championship and represented
England at senior level against Denmark in the same year.
{[%evp 0,19,20,27,51,51,99,86,88,36,33,31,97,58,58,42,44,31,38,13,47,-1]} 1. e4
c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O
9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. h4 h5 13. Nd5 $5 $146 {My own idea
against the then new 12…h5!? (Nigel’s idea does not appear in MegaBase 2020
until 1983 so he was way ahead of his time.)} ({The 2020 main line is} 13. Bg5
Rc5 14. Kb1 b5 15. g4 hxg4 16. h5 Nxh5 17. Nd5 Re8 18. Rxh5 gxh5 19. Qh2 Rxd5
20. Bxd5 Qb6 21. Nf5) 13… Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Nc4 $2 (14… e6 {is better}) 15.
Bxc4 Rxc4 16. g4 hxg4 17. h5 g5 $6 ({An alternatve is} 17… e5 $5) 18. h6 Be5
19. b3 Rc8 20. h7+ Kh8 21. Bxg5 gxf3 $2 (21… Qb6 $1 {was a better try.}) 22.
Bh6 f2 23. Qxf2 Qb6 {[#]} 24. Qg1 $1 f5 $1 {forced} ({(a passing move such as)
} 24… a6 {as White was threatening} 25. Qg8+ $3 Rxg8 26. hxg8=Q+ Kxg8 27.
Rdg1+) 25. Rd2 $1 Bxd4 26. Rg2 $3 Bb2+ 27. Kxb2 {and Black resigned and there
is no answer to 28. Rg8+ Rxg8 29. hxg8=Q+ Rxg8 30. Bg7#. Not surprisingly this
game collected a brilliancy prize.} 1-0
[/pgn]
His road to the lM title has been long and hard. On several occasions he got close to the norm requirement just to fail. At Lloyds Bank in 1978 and 1980 and Lewisham 1981 he got the necessary three norms. Had he then ceased playing (with an Elo of 23751 he would automatically have had the lM title confirmed at Lucerne in 1982. He however continued playing and became the victim of some complicated and, with respect, unfair FIDE regulations, and his title was delayed until 1983. Clearly had the General Assembly met between January 1982 and June 1982 he would have been awarded the title at least a year earlier!
He has written several books-Chess Training published by Faber, English:Four Knights Batsford, How to Play the English Batsford and was co-author of Sicilian: Lasker-Pelikan Batsford. These last three Batsford publications indicate his interest in current theory. Two of the games which follow- v Berg (see 16…Rb8) and v Speelman (see 12 NgS)certainly confirm this. The Streatham and Brixton club owe much to Nigel Povah in becoming one of the strongest clubs in the country. At one time an average second division side (London league) they have since won the league and been in contention more than once. For several years he was one of the main three organisers at the club and even today still continues to play for them and is currently their National Club match-captain although he now lives some twenty miles away in Guildford.
In 1979 he organised the First Regency International at Ramsgate. In conjunction with Ian Josephs (sponsor) and Bob Wade (controller) this has become a highly successful annual event.
Now married, his wife Gill presented him with a daughter Lucy shortly after the completion of the Regency International in 1982.
He now works for ICL as training consultant and limits his over the board chess to club chess for Streatham.
He has recently taken up postal chess and in 1983 after competing in the BPCF Jubilee he became a correspondence International Master.
He has a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Occupational Psychology.”
{[%evp 0,22,19,31,14,-14,-11,0,0,6,24,26,18,8,46,51,56,35,70,53,53,39,42,32,36]
} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8.
cxd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. a3 Nc6 11. Bd3 Bb6 ({As Black plays Bc7 later maybe
} 11… Bd6 {is a better choice now.}) (11… h6 12. Bc2 {with Qd3 to follow
and White stands better.}) 12. Ng5 $1 ({White had threatened} 12. Bxh7+ Kxh7
13. Qc2+ {(with the bishop on c5)}) (12. O-O Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. b4 Re8 15. Rc1
a6 16. g4 Bg6 17. Bxg6 hxg6 18. Qd3 d4 19. e4 {Speelman – Geller, Philips &
Drew, London, 1982, 1/2-1/2.}) 12… h6 13. Qh5 Bc7 $6 {It looks obvious that
Black should seek to exchange bishops in order to rule out ideas such as Nh7
and Bxh6 etc.} ({He should try} 13… Qf6 $1 {with the idea of …Bf5 to
follow.} 14. Nh7 Ba5+ (14… Qxb2 15. O-O $16) 15. Kf1 Qxb2 16. Rd1 Re8 17.
Bxh6 gxh6 18. Qxh6 Bd8 19. Nf6+ Bxf6 20. Bh7+ Kh8 21. Bg6+) 14. g3 $1 Bxf4 $2 {
Opening the g-file} ({but if} 14… d4 15. Nxf7 Rxf7 16. Bc4 $16) ({or} 14…
Ne5 15. Bxe5 Bxe5 16. Nxf7 Qf6 17. Nxe5 Qxf2+ 18. Kd1 $16) 15. gxf4 d4 16.
O-O-O Qd5 17. Rhg1 Bd7 ({Not} 17… f6 $4 18. Ne6 $3 Qxh5 (18… Qxe6 19. Rxg7+
Kxg7 20. Qg6+ $16 Kh8 21. Qh7#) 19. Rxg7+ Kh8 20. Rh7+ Kg8 21. Rg1+ $16) 18.
Kb1 Rac8 19. e4 Qb3 20. e5 Nb4 $2 {Short of time and with Whte preparing to
sacrifice on g7, Black gets desperate.} (20… Ne7 {was better} {when} 21. Nf3
$1 {threatens Nxd4 and 22.Rxg7+ Kxg7 23.Rg1+ Ng6 24.Rxg6+}) 21. axb4 Bb5 22.
Qe2 $1 Bc6 23. Ne4 {Black lost on time but as his solitary threat of} Bd5 {
is answered by} 24. Nf6+ Kh8 {and} 25. Nxd5 {he is quite lost.} 1-0
[/pgn]
Streatham & 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
According to Chess Training : “Two of his pupils were members of England’s victorious 4-man team in the World Under-16 team event.”
{[%evp 0,54,19,31,25,27,56,5,64,34,58,56,58,59,57,50,42,23,22,30,30,38,25,27,
39,-26,-38,-66,-83,-45,-39,-71,-18,-7,-9,4,24,26,46,48,30,59,101,85,68,-127,
-34,-204,-219,-380,-414,-414,-443,-443,-426,-672,-708]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3.
c3 b6 $5 {It is customary to play 3…e6 before playig b6 in order to
recapture on c5 with the bishop.} ({i.e.} 3… e6 4. dxc5 Bxc5) 4. dxc5 bxc5 5.
e4 Bb7 ({Naturally not} 5… Nxe4 $2 6. Qd5 $18) 6. e5 Nd5 7. Bb5 {This
position resembles the c3 variation of the Sicilian Defence, where White’s
pawn on c3 would normally be on d4, and Black’s pawn c5 would be on b6; in
such circumstances the move Bb5 is not normally played since Black intends to
continue with e6 and not d6.} e6 8. O-O Be7 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Ne4 f5 11. exf6
Nxf6 12. Neg5 ({If} 12. Nd6 $6 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Bxd6 14. Qxa8 Qb6 {followed by
Nc6 wins}) 12… Qc7 $1 13. g3 (13. a3 $2 {Black threatened} h6 14. Nh3 Ng4 {
winning}) ({If} 13. Qe2 h6 14. Nxe6 dxe6 15. Qxe6+ Kh8 16. Nh4 Be4 $17) 13…
h6 14. Nh3 Nd5 {threatening 15…Nxc3 16.bxc3 Bxf3} ({If instead} 14… Ng4 15.
Nf4 g5 16. Nxg5 hxg5 ({or here} 16… Nxh2 17. Nfxe6 Nf3+ 18. Qxf3 $18) 17.
Qxg4 $16) (14… Nh5 15. Nh4 $1 $16) 15. Ne1 {[#]} c4 $5 {to prevent the
bishop retreating and to vacate the c5 square for Black’s pieces. however,
overlooking White’s reply.} 16. Qg4 Nb6 $1 {The c-pawn is more important than
the h-pawn.} 17. Bxh6 Rf7 18. Be3 ({If} 18. Ng5 Bxg5 19. Bxg5 a6 $19) 18… Qe5
({If} 18… a6 19. Bxb6 Qxb6 20. Bxc4) 19. a4 $2 (19. Bxb6 $142 Qxb5 20. Bd4
Qxb2 $13) 19… Qd5 20. f3 Bc5 21. Ng2 a6 22. a5 $5 (22. Ng5 axb5 (22… Rf5
23. Ne4 $1 $16) 23. Nxf7 Kxf7 {with obscure complications}) 22… axb5 23. axb6
{[#]} Rxf3 $1 (23… Rxa1 $143 24. Rxa1 Rxf3 25. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 26. Qd4 (26. Kh1))
24. Rxa8 (24. Rxf3 Rxa1+ 25. Kf2 Bxe3+ {wins the exchange}) 24… Rxf1+ 25.
Kxf1 Qxg2+ 26. Ke1 Bxa8 27. Bxc5 $2 ({White’s last hope was} 27. Qh5 Bf3 28.
Qe8+ Bf8 29. Nf4 Qh1+ {and Black just wins.}) 27… Bf3 0-1
[/pgn]
Sicilian Lasker-PelikanChess Training : Nigel PovahEnglish : Four KnightsHow to play the English OpeningAssessment Centres and Global Talent ManagementIM Nigel Povah, courtesy of John Upham Photography
IM Lawrence Hugh Cooper, photograph from Cathy Rogers
BCN wishes Happy Birthday to IM Lawrence Cooper (16-vii-1970)
Lawrence was born in Stone, Staffordshire and attend Walton High School, Stafford.
Lawrence Cooper, Demis Hassabis, Cathy Haslinger and Dharshan Kumaran in around 1986. Possibly at a Lloyds Bank event.
He became a FIDE Master in 1989 and then an International Master in 2001.
Lawrence was awarded the FIDE International Organiser title in 2011 and the FIDE Arbiter title in 2016.
Tim Dickinson and Lawrence Cooper at the 2012 London Chess Classic, Olympia
His peak rating was 2430 in January 1988.
Lawrence plays for Wood Green in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) plus Newport (Shropshire), Stafford, Bushbury and Worcestershire CCA in other competitions.
Lawrence Cooper (centre with trophy) being presented with 1992 BCF Counties Championship trophy by WIM Cathy Forbes. Others in the group include Michael Gough, Alan A Smith, Gerald Acey, Mike P Townsend, Malcolm Armstrong, Martin Costley, Alan Crombleholme, Graeme N Buckley, Paul Wallace, Mark A . Wheeler, Dave Carless, Darren P Wheeler, Keith Thompson, Ralph MA Allen and Graham Smith
William Lewis, George Walker and Augustus Mongredien
BCN Remembers George Walker (13-iii-1803 23-iv-1879)
From The Encyclopedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks :
“Leading organiser and chess columnist in the last century. Born on 13th March 1803. Founded the Westminster Chess Club in 1831. Published New Treatise on Chess in 1832 and Chess and Chess Players in 1850. Edited the chess column in Bell’s Life of London from 1835 to 1870. Died on 23rd April 1879.
From The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld :
“English chess writer and propagandist. Born over his father’s bookshop in London he later became a music publisher in partnership with his father. At a time when he was receiving odds of a rook from Lewis he had the temerity to edit a chess column in the Lancet (1823-4); the first such column to appear in a periodical, it was, perhaps fortunately, short-lived. He tried his hand at composing problems, with unmemorable results; but his play improved. In the early 1830s he was receiving odds of pawn and move from McDonnell, after whose death (1835) Walker was, for a few years, London’s strongest active player.
Walker’s importance, however, lies in the many other contributions he made to the game. He founded chess clubs, notably the Westminster at Huttman’s in 1831 and the St George’s at Hanover
Square in 1843. From 1835 to 1873 he edited a column in Bell’s Life , a popular Sunday paper featuring sport and scandal. Many of his contributions were perfunctory, but on occasion he wrote at length of news, gossip, and personalities in a rollicking style suitable for such a paper. As with many of his writings he was more enthusiastic than accurate. He edited England’s first chess magazine The Philidorian (1837-8). Above all, Walker published many books at a low price: they sold widely and did much to popularize the game. The third edition of his New Treatise (1841) was as useful a manual as could he bought at the time and its section on the Evans gambit was praised by Jaenisch, Walker established the custom of recording games, and his Chess Studies (1844), containing 1,020 games played from 1780 to 1844, has become a classic. For the first time players could study the game as it was played and not as authors, each with his own bias, supposed it should be played. Throughout his life Walker helped chess-players in need. He raised funds for La Bqurdonnais, Capt. W. D. Evans, and other players, and often for their destitute widows.
After his father died (1847) Walker sold their business and became a stockbroker, reducing his chess activities but continuing ‘his many kindnesses. With an outgoing personality he enjoyed the company of those, such as La Bourdonnais, whom he called “jolly good fellows’, an epithet which might well be applied to himself. He was occasionally at odds with Lewis, who was jealous of his own reputation, and Staunton, imperious and touchy; but it seems unlikely that the easy-going Walker, who believed that chess should be enjoyed, intentionally initiated these disputes. He left a small but excellent library of more than 300 books and his own manuscript translations of the works of Cozio, Lolli, and other masters. He should not be confused with William Greenwood Walker who recorded the games of the Bourdon-nais-McDonnell matches 1834, and died soon afterwards “full of years’.
Walker is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, also known as All Souls Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green, London Borough of Brent, Greater London, W10 4RA England.
The Walker Attack is a variation of the Allagier Gambit :
[fen]rnbq1bnr/pppp1k2/7p/8/2B1PppP/8/PPPP2P1/RNBQK2R b KQkq – 0 1[/fen]
We remember IM Michael Basman who passed away on October 26th, 2022
Mike J. Basman on the right as he is to-day; in the centre with the cup he won by taking the London under-14 championship. Left : admiring sister in 1960. From CHESS, August 1973, page 322.
Mike attended The University of Leeds as an undergraduate reading history.
Joel Benjamin plays Mike Basman in round 2 of the 1978 Lloyds Bank Open
“Michael John Basman was born in St Pancras, London, England. He was awarded the IM title in 1980 and having dual nationality won the Erevan Championship whilst living there in the early 1970s. He was also a pioneer in the production of audio tapes for chess.
He is noted for his use of unorthodox flank openings, such as 1.g4, 1.h3, 1.e4 g5, etc. He expanded on the work of Henri Grob with his book on the topic of 1.g4, The Killer Grob.
He created the UK Chess Challenge, a tournament for juniors of all standards and ages progressing over four stages.(1)”
We send best wishes to WFM Sarah Natasha Longson (née Hegarty) on her birthday this day, (October 2nd) in 1988.
WFM Sarah Longson, courtesy of John Upham Photography
From Sarah’s web site :
“I have played competitive chess since the age of 7 when I became UK U7 Girls Chess Champion and appeared on Blue Peter where I met the then world champion Garry Kasparov. Since then I have represented England in many international competitions and in 2013 won the British Ladies Championship.”
In 2016 Sarah and partner FM Alex Longson made a successful bid for ownership of the UK Chess Challenge which was auctioned by the bankruptcy receiver of IM Mike Basman, the previous owner.
Sarah and Alex have modernised the UKCC considerably especially in the areas of communications an usage of IT.
WFM Sarah Longson
According to the ECF Sarah’s nominal club is Marple but she also plays for Stockport and 4NCL 3Cs.
![Blumenfeld Defence [with Jan Przewoznik] (Everyman, 1991) – ISBN 978-0080371337](http://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/51NJRP63K8L._SX322_BO1204203200_.jpg)
