Apologies for the Minor Pieces delay, but I had a deadline on another project. It’s now time to return to George Edward Wainwright.

Here he is again. You might recall (it was a long time ago) that, in my previous article, we left him in 1901, an  English international player, previously a member of Twickenham Chess Club, but now living and playing chess in Guildford.

The chess world would change a lot over the next decade, beginning to look a lot more like the world we know today, with a mixture of club and county matches and tournaments. It was, in the spirit of the times, becoming more competitive. George Edward Wainwright was in his element.

At the end of May 1901 he was in Folkestone for the 3rd Kent County Chess Association Tournament, although his result there was rather indifferent. His opponents included Edward Guthlac Sergeant, Joseph Henry Blake and the endgame expert Creassey Edward Cecil Tattersall, the winner of his section. The other section was won by Henry Ernest Atkins, ahead of Lucien Serraillier, father of the novellist Ian Serriallier (The Silver Sword).

His short draw against Tattersall featured an opening that would become the height of fashion a century later. He mishandled it, but on move 15 his opponent missed the win. 119 years later, English IM Jack Rudd reached the same position and made no mistake. (Click on any move in any game in this article and a pop-up window will magically appear.)

[pgn]

[Event “Kent County Championship Folkestone”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “1901.05.??”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Tattersall, Creassey Edward Cecil”]
[Black “Wainwright, George Edward”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “C67”]
[PlyCount “38”]

{[%evp 21,38,39,91,85,278,258,278,302,287,62,52,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. e4 e5 2.
Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8
9. Nc3 Be6 10. Ng5 Bc4 11. Rd1+ Ke8 {[%cal Bd8e8,Be8f7,Bf7e6,Be6d6][%mdl 32]}
12. b3 {White is more active. C67: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence: 4 0-0 Nxe4.} Ba6
{[#]} (12… h6 $16) 13. e6 $18 fxe6 14. Nxe6 {White has a decisive advantage.}
Bd6 15. Bb2 $2 (15. Ne4 $18 Be5 16. Rb1 Kf7 17. N6c5 Rad8 18. Bg5 Rxd1+ 19.
Rxd1 Nd6 20. Nxd6+ Bxd6 21. Nxa6 bxa6 22. Be3 c5 23. g3 Rb8 24. Rd5 a5 25. a4
c4 26. bxc4 Rb4 27. Rxa5 Rxc4 28. Rxa7 Rxc2 29. a5 Rc6 30. a6 Bc5 31. Bxc5 Rxc5
32. Rb7 Kg6 33. a7 Ra5 34. Rxc7 h5 35. h4 Ra2 36. Kf1 Kf6 37. Ke1 g5 38. hxg5+
Kxg5 39. Kd1 Kg4 40. Rf7 Kh3 41. Kc1 Kg2 42. Kb1 Rxa7 43. Rxa7 Kxf2 44. Rg7 {
1-0 (44) Rudd,J (2281)-Taylor,A (2402) Bridgend 2019}) 15… Kf7 $14 {[#]} 16.
Nxc7 Bxc7 {This bishop pair is nice. The position is equal.} 17. Rd7+ Ke6 $1
18. Rxc7 Kd6 19. Rf7 Ke6 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.70/Black=0.33} 1/2-1/2

[/pgn]

In May 1902 Wainwright took part in the 4th Kent tournament, held in Tunbridge Wells: an all-play-all for 10 players won by the Dutch organist Rudolf Loman, ahead of the likes of Reginald Pryce Michell and (later Sir) George Alan Thomas. Perhaps his most interesting opponent here was the mountaineer Edward Douglas Fawcett.

Against Isle of Wight solicitor Francis Joyce he essayed the relatively new and unexplored Albin Counter-Gambit.

[pgn]

[Event “1st Class Open Tunbridge Wells”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “1902.05.??”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Joyce, Francis Albert”]
[Black “Wainwright, George Edward”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “D08”]
[PlyCount “40”]

{[%evp 9,40,0,14,-6,0,0,65,36,173,129,144,39,37,-53,-56,-114,-12,-204,-162,
-348,-332,-610,-569,-684,-655,-652,-653,-866,-867,-875,-876,-875,-829]} 1. d4
d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 {[#]} 4. Bd2 $146 ({Predecessor:} 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 a5
6. Nb3 Bg4 7. a3 Bxf3 8. exf3 a4 9. Nd2 Nxe5 10. f4 Nc6 11. Bd3 Qe7+ 12. Kf1
Nf6 13. g3 {1-0 (60) Alapin,S-Marshall,F Monte Carlo 1901}) 4… Nc6 5. Nf3 Bc5
6. a3 {D08: Albin Counter Gambit.} a5 {Prevents b4.} 7. Bf4 Bg4 (7… Nge7 $11)
8. Nbd2 {Hoping for h3. White is slightly better.} f6 ({Black should try} 8…
Nge7 $14) 9. Ne4 Be7 10. exf6 (10. h3 $16 Bxf3 11. exf3 (11. gxf3 fxe5 12. Bg3
Nf6 $11)) 10… Nxf6 $14 {[#]} 11. Qc2 (11. h3 $1 $14 Bxf3 (11… Bh5 12. Neg5)
12. Nxf6+ (12. gxf3 Nxe4 13. fxe4 O-O $15) (12. exf3 O-O $11) 12… Bxf6 13.
exf3 (13. gxf3 d3 $11)) 11… O-O {[%cal Od4d3] Strongly threatening …d3!}
12. Nxf6+ (12. e3 $1 $15) 12… Bxf6 ({Black should play} 12… Rxf6 $17 13.
Qd2 h6) 13. Bd2 (13. O-O-O $1 $11) 13… Qe7 {[%mdl 1024] And now …Bh5 would
win. Black has strong compensation.} 14. h3 $2 (14. O-O-O {was called for.})
14… Bh5 $19 {[%cal Bg4h5,Bh5g6,Bg6e4][%mdl 32]} 15. g4 $2 {[#]} (15. h4 Rad8
16. Qd3) 15… Bg6 {Black is clearly winning.} 16. Qd1 d3 17. e3 Bxb2 18. Bg2
Bxa1 19. Qxa1 Be4 20. Qd1 Qf7 {Weighted Error Value: White=0.98/Black=0.37} 0-1

[/pgn]

His score of 5½/9 gave him a share of 3rd prize, but he was slightly less successful in the Southern Counties Chess Union Tournament in Norwich, where 4½/11 left him well behind Michell, impressive with 10½/11.

We can see the chess administration we know now coming into shape in this period: county organisations affiliated to regional organisations, who were in turn affiliated to the British Chess Federation. It hasn’t changed very much in the last 120 years: some of us have been saying for years that we need a 21st century rather than a 19th century chess administration in this country.

The 1903 SCCU tournament necessitated a trip to Plymouth (the SCCU covered a much wider area than it does today) where he scored a big success. His score of 7/8 gave him first place ahead of George Edward Horton Bellingham, Wilfred Charles Palmer and Michell.

In October 1903 Wainwright resigned his post as President of Guildford Chess Club, as he had left the area. As we’ll see, he moved to Surbiton, just the other side of Kingston from his previous address in Teddington. Perhaps his job had taken him back from Guildford to Kingston, or perhaps he wanted to be nearer London for both work and chess purposes. Surbiton Station, on the main line into Waterloo, provided – and still provides – regular fast services into the capital. It looks very different now than it would have done in Wainwright’s time: the magnificent Art Deco building dates from 1937 and is considered one of the masterpieces of Scottish railway architect James Robb Scott.

He was soon in action against his former club, who were then, and, to the best of my knowledge, are still on friendly terms. Nearly 120 years later, they’re regular opponents in the Surrey Trophy.

Wainwright drew on top board against William Timbrell Pierce, a problemist and endgame study composer who also gives his name to a variation of the Vienna Gambit. Surbiton came out on top, even though retired architect Henry Jones Lanchester failed to turn up. He certainly wouldn’t have been looking after his baby granddaughter Elsa, who would later become a famous film star – and the wife of Charles Laughton: Henry disowned his daughter Edith (Elsa’s mother) and sent her to a lunatic asylum because of her relationship with a working class Irishman named Shamus.

One of the most important events in London chess for many years up to World War 2 was the City of London Championship, which regularly attracted many of the capital’s finest players. Games took place on weekday evenings, so, now living in Surbiton, he’d be able to get home quickly and easily. He took part for the first time in the 1903-04 season, finishing in midfield behind the largely forgotten William Ward, with Michell in second place.

1904 was a momentous year for British Chess: the first British Championship took place. It’s still, to this day, more or less recognisable. The venue chosen was Hastings: perhaps Wainwright was disappointed not to have been one of the 12 players selected for the championship itself, won by the Anglo-American master William Ewart Napier after a play-off with Atkins. There were three equal First Class sections, and he found himself in Section B, where he shared first place with Charles Hugh Sherrard. Other sections included the British Ladies Championship and sections for Second and Third Class players.

At Southport in 1905 he was promoted to the Championship itself where he scored a very respectable 6/11, finishing in 6th place.

Here’s his exciting victory over the tragic and short-lived Hector Shoosmith, the son of a Temperance Lecturer from Brighton.

[pgn]

[Event “British CF-02 Championship”]
[Site “Southport/ Merseyside”]
[Date “1905.08.21”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Wainwright, George Edward Sr”]
[Black “Shoosmith, Hector William”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “C77”]
[PlyCount “119”]
[EventDate “1905.08.14”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “11”]
[EventCountry “GBR”]
[SourceTitle “EXT 2017”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceVersion “1”]
[SourceVersionDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

{[%evp 9,119,8,-14,-128,-47,-42,-37,-39,-4,-60,-42,-110,-74,-84,0,-4,12,-1,61,
54,71,70,54,-10,3,0,41,22,34,-12,0,-39,58,51,33,-84,-37,-134,48,70,96,17,35,47,
96,53,106,32,91,92,207,175,182,175,260,260,258,67,111,69,113,162,163,167,170,
133,162,197,294,313,303,315,335,293,369,318,225,260,465,403,487,460,451,469,
510,352,484,435,523,524,693,452,730,703,755,515,701,492,1025,948,1014,889,994,
889,753,1005,1176,1103,1210,1123,1607,642]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4.
Ba4 Nf6 {[%cal Bg8f6,Bf6d5,Bd5b6][%mdl 32]} 5. d4 exd4 6. Qe2 {C77: Ruy Lopez:
3…a6 4 Ba4 Nf6, unusual lines.} Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. e5 {Black is slightly
better.} Nd5 $146 ({Predecessor:} 8… Ne8 9. Rd1 b5 10. Bb3 d5 11. c3 Be6 12.
cxd4 Qd7 13. Nc3 b4 14. Na4 Na5 {1-0 (29) Napier,W-Michell,R Hastings/ East
Sussex 1904}) 9. Rd1 (9. Bb3 $5 {[%cal Rb3d5]} Nb6 10. c3 $11) 9… Nb6 10. Bb3
d5 {…f6 is the strong threat.} 11. c3 Bg4 12. cxd4 Qd7 13. Nc3 Rae8 14. h3
Be6 15. Ng5 Bf5 16. a4 (16. f4 $5 {[%cal Rg2g4]}) 16… Na5 $36 {[%mdl 2048]
White is under pressure.} 17. Ba2 h6 (17… f6 $5 {[%cal Rf6g5]} 18. Nf3 Bb4
$11) 18. Nf3 Bb4 19. Bd2 Nc6 20. Bb3 a5 21. Be3 f6 22. Bf4 fxe5 23. Nxe5 Bxc3
$2 ({Black should play} 23… Nxe5 $17 24. dxe5 c6) 24. bxc3 $14 Qe6 {[%cal
Of5h3]} 25. Bh2 {White is more active.} Nxe5 26. dxe5 Qg6 27. Kh1 c6 ({Not}
27… Be4 28. f3 Bf5 29. Bg1 $16) 28. Rd4 Kh8 29. f3 Qe6 30. g4 Bh7 31. f4 c5
32. Rd2 ({Resist} 32. f5 $6 Qc6 33. Rd2 d4+ 34. Qg2 Qxg2+ 35. Kxg2 dxc3 $18)
32… Qc6 {[#] White must now prevent …d4+.} 33. Kg1 $2 (33. f5 $1 $18) 33…
c4 34. Bd1 Be4 35. Qe3 Nd7 {[%cal Og7g5]} 36. Bc2 {Strongly threatening Bxe4.}
Nc5 37. Bxe4 Nxe4 38. Rb2 Nxc3 39. Qxc3 Qc5+ 40. Rf2 d4 41. Qd2 d3 42. Rc1 Rc8
43. Rc3 Qb4 $2 (43… b5) 44. f5 $18 Qxa4 45. e6 Qc6 46. Be5 {White wants to
mate with Qxh6+.} Kh7 47. Rc1 {[%cal Bc3c1,Bc1e1,Be1e3,Be3f3][%mdl 32]} Qc5 48.
Bc3 {White is clearly winning.} b6 49. Re1 Qe7 50. Re3 {And now Re5 would win.}
Rc5 (50… b5 $142 51. Bxa5 Qg5) 51. Ref3 Rb5 52. Kg2 {aiming for Qf4.} Qb7 53.
Qe3 Qd5 (53… Rb3 $142 54. e7 Rg8 55. Bxg7 Rxg7 56. e8=Q Rg5 57. f6 Rbb5 58.
Q8e7+ Qxe7 59. Qxe7+ Kh8) 54. e7 Re8 {[#]} 55. Bxg7 $1 {[%mdl 512]} Kxg7 56.
f6+ Kf7 57. Qxh6 Qg5 58. Qh7+ Ke6 59. f7 Rxe7 60. f8=N+ {Source: Manchester
Guardian, Aug 24, 1905. Weighted Error Value: White=0.43/Black=0.47} (60. Qe4+
$142 Kd7 61. Qb7+ Ke6 62. Rf6+ Ke5 63. Qxe7+ Kd4 64. R6f4+ Qxf4 65. Rxf4+ Kc3
66. Qa3+ Rb3 67. Qc1+ Kb4 68. f8=Q+ Ka4 {[#]} 69. Qfa3+ $3 {[%mdl 512]} Rxa3
70. Qxc4#) 1-0

[/pgn]

In 1906 the British Championship took place in Shrewsbury. Atkins and Michell took the first two places, with Wainwright’s 7/11 giving him a share of third place with Francis Lee, Palmer and Shoosmith. The BCM remarked: The play of … Palmer, Shoosmith, and Wainwright has been specially marked by light and shade. Each lost games through blunders and weak moves, but they have all shared in providing some of the brightest and most interesting chess of the tournament. A comment which could, I suppose, sum up Wainwright’s chess career. His oldest son, George Jnr, took part in one of the Third Class sections but without distinction.

His game against the veteran Blackburne, by now a shadow of his former self, was marked by a finish which would have been worthy of his opponent.

[pgn]

[Event “British CF-03 Championship”]
[Site “Shrewsbury/ Shropshire”]
[Date “1906.08.06”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Wainwright, George Edward Sr”]
[Black “Blackburne, Joseph Henry”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “D26”]
[PlyCount “59”]
[EventDate “1906.08.06”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “11”]
[EventCountry “ENG”]
[SourceTitle “EXT 2017”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceVersion “1”]
[SourceVersionDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

{[%evp 11,59,3,22,-11,0,-17,-12,-19,-12,-17,58,7,20,-12,12,-4,1,-17,-9,0,-6,
-19,-3,-53,-13,-125,-28,-87,0,-86,56,65,189,165,211,49,110,57,740,725,723,708,
897,882,29995,29996,29996,29997,29997,29998]} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4.
e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6. Bxc4 b5 7. Be2 $146 {D26: Queen’s Gambit Accepted: 4 e3 e6
5 Bxc5 c5 sidelines.} ({Predecessor:} 7. Bb3 Bb7 8. O-O Be7 9. Ne5 O-O 10. Qe2
c5 11. Rd1 Qc7 12. f4 Nc6 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. d5 exd5 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Bxd5
17. Rxd5 {0-1 (56) Burn,A-Janowski,D Barmen 1905}) 7… Nbd7 8. O-O Bb7 {
Against e4} 9. a3 {The position is equal.} Bd6 10. Qc2 Qe7 11. b4 {aiming for
e4.} (11. e4 $5 {[%cal Re4e5]} e5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nd4 $11) 11… e5 12. Bb2
e4 13. Nd2 {[%cal Od4d5]} O-O 14. Rae1 Rfe8 15. f3 exf3 16. Bxf3 Bxf3 17. gxf3
(17. Rxf3 $5 {[%cal Re3e4]} a5 18. bxa5 $11) 17… Nb6 18. Rf2 Qe6 19. Rg2 {
[%cal Od4d5]} Bf8 20. Nce4 Nxe4 21. fxe4 ({Much worse is} 21. Qxe4 Qxe4 22.
Nxe4 Be7 $11) (21. Nxe4 Nd5 $11) 21… f6 22. Rf1 {Threatens to win with d5.} (
{Worse is} 22. Qxc7 Rac8 23. Qg3 Qa2 $11) 22… Kh8 23. Rf5 $2 ({Don’t take}
23. Qxc7 $6 Re7 24. d5 Rxc7 $16) ({White should play} 23. d5 $18 Qd6 24. e5
Rxe5 25. Bxe5 Qxe5 26. e4) 23… Nc4 24. d5 Qb6 {[%mdl 8192]} (24… Nxe3 $14
25. dxe6 Nxc2 26. Rxf6 Kg8) 25. Nxc4 $18 bxc4 26. Qf2 Rxe4 {[#]} 27. Rxf6 $1 {
[%mdl 512]} Qxe3 {[#]} (27… Qxf6 28. Bxf6) 28. Rxf8+ $1 {[%mdl 576] Remove
Defender, Decoy. White mates.} Rxf8 29. Bxg7+ Kg8 30. Be5+ {[%mdl 64] Sources:
Manchester Guardian, 8 Aug 1906; Times Literary Supplement, 14 Sept 1906; BCM
Sept 1906, p364. Discovered Attack. Weighted Error Value: White=0.49/Black=0.
86} 1-0

[/pgn]

As Autumn arrived it was time for the City of London Club Championship, and it was this tournament that provided George Edward Wainwright with perhaps his greatest success. He ran out a clear winner with 14/17, 2½ points ahead of the runner-up, Shoosmith, with many of London’s leading amateurs trailing in his wake. As well as holding the Gastineau Cup for a year, he received the princely sum of £10 and the championship medal.

The news even reached the chess players of Hartlepool, who were informed that he holds a very important official position, and that, according to a leading Chess Master, he is a sporting Chess player of the best type.

George Edward Wainwright had now, in his mid forties, reached the climax of his chess career. Rod Edwards, in his 1907 rating list, gives him a rating of 2407, placing him 71st in the world. Although 100 points or more behind Atkins and Burn, he was one of the strongest of a group of talented English amateurs rated between about 2300 and 2400, all of whom are of interest for both their lives and their games.

Wainwright didn’t have far to travel for the 1907 British Championship in London, where his 6½/11 was enough for a tie for second place with Blackburne, Michell and EG Sergeant behind Atkins. Another outstanding result: press reports remarked on his vivacious and enterprising style.

Here’s how he dispatched Blake.

[pgn]

[Event “British CF-04 Championship”]
[Site “London/Crystal Palace”]
[Date “1907.08.13”]
[Round “2”]
[White “Wainwright, George Edward Sr”]
[Black “Blake, Joseph Henry”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “D05”]
[PlyCount “73”]
[EventDate “1907.08.12”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “11”]
[EventCountry “GBR”]
[SourceTitle “EXT 2017”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceVersion “1”]
[SourceVersionDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

{[%evp 13,73,19,20,17,19,6,75,57,93,93,109,101,119,24,30,1,6,-10,0,0,3,-25,0,0,
108,90,277,247,312,75,305,313,472,316,447,456,700,700,690,684,679,684,669,630,
630,405,609,623,634,579,647,648,853,844,900,883,29992,29993,29993,29994,29994,
29995]} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. Be2 Nf6 5. O-O Bd6 6. dxc5 $146 ({
Predecessor:} 6. c4 O-O 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. a3 Ne4 9. dxc5 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bxc5 11.
cxd5 exd5 12. h3 Bf5 13. Qb3 Rb8 14. Bb2 Be4 15. c4 Bxf3 16. Bxf3 dxc4 17. Qxc4
Qe7 18. Qc3 f6 19. Rac1 Bd6 {1-0 (37) Bonnerjee,M-Cochrane,J Calcutta 1851})
6… Bxc5 7. a3 O-O 8. b4 {D05: Colle System with …e6.} Bd6 9. c4 b6 10. cxd5
{White is better.} exd5 11. Bb2 Bb7 12. Nc3 a6 {Against Nb5} 13. Kh1 Nbd7 {
[%cal Bb8d7,Bd7f8,Bf8g6][%mdl 32]} 14. Qd4 Re8 15. Rad1 Rc8 16. Qh4 Nf8 17. Nd4
Ng6 18. Qh3 Bb8 19. f4 {White is more active. White leaves nothing to chance
now.} Qe7 $2 (19… Bd6 $16 {might work better.}) 20. Nf5 $18 Qe6 {[%cal Od5d4]
} 21. Bf3 $2 (21. Bd3 $1 $18 {Hoping for Ne2.} Ne4 22. Nh6+ $1 gxh6 23. f5 $1
Nf2+ 24. Rxf2 Qxe3 25. Rf3) 21… Rc4 $2 (21… Ne7 $16 22. Nxe7+ Qxe7) 22. Ne2
{[%cal Bc3e2,Be2d4,Bd4f5][%mdl 32]} b5 (22… Bc8 {was worth a try.}) 23. Ned4
Qb6 {[#]} 24. Nxg7 $1 Rxe3 (24… Kxg7 $142 25. Nf5+ Kh8 26. Bxd5 (26. Qh6 Rg8
$18) 26… Bxd5) 25. Ngf5 Bxf4 26. Nxe3 Bxe3 27. Nf5 Bg5 28. Rde1 Kf8 29. Be2
Rf4 (29… Nf4 $142 30. Qb3 Nxe2) 30. Bd3 Bc8 31. Rxf4 Nxf4 32. Qg3 Nxd3 33.
Bd4 {[%cal Og3g5]} (33. Qxg5 {gets mated.} Nf2+ 34. Kg1 Nh3+ 35. Kh1 {[#]} Qg1+
$3 {[%mdl 512]} 36. Rxg1 Nf2#) (33. Qxd3 Qf2 34. Qe2 Qxf5 $17) 33… Qc6 {[#]}
34. Qxg5 $1 {[%csl Gf5][%cal Rg5g7]} Bxf5 (34… Nxe1 35. Bxf6) 35. Qh6+ {
White mates.} ({Weaker is} 35. Qxf5 Nxe1 36. Bxf6 Qc4 $11) 35… Kg8 {[#]} 36.
Bxf6 $1 {[%csl Gf6][%cal Rh6g7]} Nf2+ 37. Kg1 {Sources: The Field, 17 Aug 1907;
Falkirk Herald, Sept 4, 1907; Times Literary Supplement, 6 Sept 1907; BCM,
Sept 1907, p422. Weighted Error Value: White=0.31/Black=0.86} 1-0

[/pgn]

In the 1907-08 City of London Championship he couldn’t quite repeat his success of the previous year, finishing a close third behind Thomas Francis Lawrence (you’ll certainly meet him in a future Minor Piece) and William Ward. He didn’t play in the 1908 British Championship, but continued to compete regularly in club and county matches for both Surrey (qualified by residence) and Yorkshire (qualified by birth). He had also returned to playing in the Anglo-American cable matches.

He didn’t play at the British Championships at Tunbridge Wells in 1908, but he was back again at Scarborough the following year, finishing in midfield

He will be somewhere in this rather splendid group photograph.

In this game he again demonstrated his attacking skills, sacrificing a knight to defeat Liverpool’s Harry Holmes, an aural and ophthalmic surgeon.

[pgn]

[Event “British CF-06 Championship”]
[Site “Scarborough/ North Yorkshire”]
[Date “1909.08.19”]
[Round “10”]
[White “Wainwright, George Edward Sr”]
[Black “Holmes, Harry”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “C45”]
[PlyCount “87”]
[EventDate “1909.08.09”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “11”]
[EventCountry “ENG”]
[SourceTitle “EXT 2006”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2005.11.24”]
[SourceVersion “1”]
[SourceVersionDate “2005.11.24”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

{[%evp 13,87,-37,-7,-4,-16,-4,-9,-21,7,0,98,91,120,73,98,75,134,67,84,77,472,
458,461,443,527,534,523,548,538,386,394,345,29994,700,865,853,821,828,814,669,
653,677,677,676,661,669,669,669,662,637,662,662,665,640,662,630,638,631,1195,
1172,769,615,596,493,574,561,29985,700,29986,29981,29982,29979,29978,29979,
29979,6523]} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 {[%cal Bg8f6,Bf6d7,
Bd7c5,Bc5d3][%mdl 32]} 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bd3 d5 7. Qe2 Be7 ({But not} 7… Nxe4
8. f3 $16) 8. e5 {C45: Scotch Game.} Nd7 9. O-O Nc5 10. f4 {The position is
equal.} Nxd3 11. cxd3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11. Qxd3 g6 12. Nc3 Bf5 13. Qe2 Qd7
14. Na4 c5 15. b3 Qc6 16. Bb2 O-O 17. Rae1 {1-0 (55) Mason,J-Brody,M Paris 1900
}) 11… Bc5+ 12. Be3 d4 13. Bc1 {[%cal Be3c1,Bc1d2,Bd2g5,Bg5f6][%mdl 32] Nd2
is the strong threat.} O-O 14. Nd2 Re8 15. Ne4 Bf8 16. Bd2 {White is more
active.} Be6 $2 {[%mdl 8192] Loses the game.} (16… Bf5 $16) 17. f5 $18 Bd5 {
[#]} 18. Bg5 $1 Qd7 {[#]} 19. Nf6+ $1 {[%mdl 512]} gxf6 20. Bxf6 h6 21. Qg4+
Kh7 22. Rae1 {[%cal Ba1e1,Be1e4,Be4g4][%mdl 32]} (22. e6 Bxe6 23. Rf3 (23. fxe6
Qxe6 24. Rf5 Qe3+ 25. Kh1 Qe1+ 26. Rf1 Qe6 $16) 23… Bxf5 24. Rxf5 Rab8 $16)
22… Bxa2 (22… Reb8 $18) 23. e6 (23. Rf3 $142 Rxe5 24. Rxe5 Qxf5 25. Qxf5+
Kg8 26. Rg3+ Bg7 27. Qg4 Kh8 28. Qxg7#) 23… Bxe6 24. fxe6 fxe6 25. Qe4+ Kg8
26. Qg6+ Bg7 27. Re4 {Black must now prevent Rxd4.} ({Weaker is} 27. Bxg7 Qxg7
28. Rxe6 Qxg6 29. Rxg6+ Kh7 30. Rxc6 Rab8 $16) 27… Rf8 28. Rg4 Rf7 29. Qxh6 {
Bxg7 would kill now.} Raf8 30. Rf3 {[%cal Of3g3] White threatens Rfg3! and
mate.} Rxf6 31. Rxf6 Rxf6 32. Qxf6 {[%mdl 4096] Endgame KQR-KQB} e5 33. Qg6 c5
34. Rg3 Qe7 35. h4 {[%cal Bh2h4,Bh4h5,Bh5h6][%mdl 32]} c4 36. h5 {And now h6
would win.} cxd3 37. Qxd3 {Strongly threatening h6.} Kh8 38. Qe4 c5 39. Rg6 {
Hoping for h6.} a5 40. Rc6 (40. h6 $142 Bf6 41. Qf5 Bh4 42. g3 Bg5 43. Rxg5 e4
44. Qc8+ Qe8 45. Qxe8+ Kh7 46. Qg8+ Kxh6 47. Qg7#) 40… Kg8 41. h6 {White
mates.} Bf8 42. Qg6+ Kh8 43. Rc8 c4 44. Re8 {Source: BCM, Sept 1909, p408.
Weighted Error Value: White=0.63/Black=1.02} (44. h7 $142 Qg7 45. Qf5 c3 46.
Rxf8+ Qxf8 47. Qxf8+ Kxh7 48. bxc3 Kg6 49. c4) 1-0

[/pgn]

He had previously finished 3rd in the 1908-09 City of London Chess Club Championship, and, coincidentally, the 1909-10 event saw the same three players taking the first three places: Ward, Blake and Wainwright.

This game, against the problemist Percy Healey, was described by Frederick Winter Markwick, in the Essex Times, as one of the prettiest games I have had the pleasure of watching.

[pgn]

[Event “City of London Championship”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “1910.??.??”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Healey, Percy Ewen”]
[Black “Wainwright, George Edward”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “D08”]
[PlyCount “58”]

{[%evp 10,58,125,34,93,79,165,83,118,56,106,-18,-1,-73,0,-82,99,112,94,-24,-47,
-33,102,50,81,75,71,51,74,60,108,47,60,0,0,-193,-182,-739,-730,-717,-707,-719,
-746,-1081,-1058,-29992,-29993,-29995,-29996,-29996,-29997]} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5
3. dxe5 d4 4. a3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Bf4 {[#]} (6. g3 $16) 6… Qd7 $146 {
D08: Albin Counter Gambit.} (6… Nge7 $14) ({Predecessor:} 6… Nge7 7. Nbd2
Ng6 8. Bg3 a5 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Nxf3 Bc5 11. Qd3 O-O 12. h4 Qe7 13. Qf5 f6 14.
exf6 Rxf6 {1-0 (34) Pillsbury,H-Mieses,J Monte Carlo 1902}) 7. Nbd2 O-O-O (7…
Nge7 $16 {was called for.}) 8. Qa4 (8. h3 $18 Bxf3 9. Nxf3) 8… Qf5 {White is
better.} 9. Bg3 (9. g3 $1 $16) 9… f6 10. exf6 ({White should try} 10. h3 $16
Bxf3 11. gxf3 (11. Nxf3 fxe5 12. b4 e4 $14) (11. exf3 Kb8 $11)) 10… Nxf6 $11
{With the idea …Bd6.} 11. h3 (11. b4 $1 $11) 11… Bh5 (11… Bxf3 $17 12.
gxf3 (12. Nxf3 Ne4 $17) 12… Bd6) 12. Bh2 (12. b4 $1 $11) 12… Qe6 $2 {
Black is much more active. White has bad knights.} (12… Bxf3 $17 {and life
is bright.} 13. gxf3 (13. Nxf3 Bd6 $15) 13… Bd6) 13. g4 $1 $16 Be8 14. Ng5 (
14. Bg2 $1 $16) 14… Qe7 $1 $11 15. Bg2 h6 {[#]} (15… Kb8 $15 {keeps the
upper hand.} 16. Qb3 (16. Nge4 d3 $15) 16… Nxg4 17. hxg4 Qxg5) 16. Nge4 (16.
Ngf3 $1 $16) 16… Nxe4 17. Bxe4 Kb8 18. Qb3 g5 19. O-O-O Bg7 20. Bd5 ({
Better is} 20. f4 $16) 20… Rf8 $14 21. Nf3 ({White should play} 21. Bg3 $14)
21… Qc5 $11 {And now …Rxd5 would win.} (21… Qxe2 $2 22. Rhe1 Qxf2 {[#]}
23. Re7 $3 {[%mdl 512]} (23. Rxe8 Rdxe8 24. Bxc6 Qe3+ 25. Qxe3 Rxe3 $17) 23…
Rxd5 24. Rxc7 $18) 22. Kb1 $2 (22. Qc2 $11 {and White stays safe.}) 22… Bg6+
$19 23. Ka2 $2 {[#]} (23. Ka1 Na5 24. Qb4) 23… Rxd5 $1 {[%mdl 512]} 24. cxd5
{[#]} Bc2 $1 25. Qxc2 Qxc2 26. dxc6 {[#]} Rxf3 $1 {[%mdl 576] Deflection} 27.
exf3 (27. Rd3 Rxf2) 27… d3 {[%csl Gg7][%cal Rc2b2] Black mates.} 28. Rb1 Qc4+
29. Ka1 Qb3 {Weighted Error Value: White=1.10/Black=0.34} 0-1

[/pgn]

In March 1910 he represented the City of London Chess Club against a visiting team from the Dutch Chess Federation, drawing his game on board 3 against Abraham Speijer, The Dutch team fielded the brothers Arnold and Dirk van Foreest on boards 1 and 7. Arnold is the great great grandfather of GMs Jorden and Lucas van Foreest and their sister Machteld.

The 1910 British Championships took place in Oxford, where he again performed well, sharing 4th place on 6½/11, and beating both Blackburne and the up and coming Fred Dewhirst Yates, who tied for second place behind Atkins.

Here’s how Wainwright beat his fellow Yorkshireman.  I guess they were half way towards a comedy sketch!

[pgn]

[Event “British CF-07 Championship”]
[Site “Oxford/ Oxfordshire”]
[Date “1910.08.19”]
[Round “5”]
[White “Wainwright, George Edward”]
[Black “Yates, Fred Dewhirst”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “D37”]
[PlyCount “119”]
[EventDate “1910.08.15”]
[EventType “tourn”]
[EventRounds “11”]
[EventCountry “ENG”]
[SourceTitle “EXT 2017”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceVersion “1”]
[SourceVersionDate “2016.10.25”]
[SourceQuality “1”]

{[%evp 12,119,-3,-18,8,0,38,0,4,-23,39,-8,-8,-37,37,-14,48,40,73,51,66,16,48,
61,225,210,297,295,306,281,484,363,512,500,494,505,588,619,720,692,853,520,525,
504,507,504,517,512,523,464,453,365,346,298,469,477,476,474,538,529,584,533,
530,389,448,369,474,468,479,438,415,276,287,199,353,96,510,507,450,470,776,730,
880,880,869,596,916,917,915,900,898,895,818,746,814,809,738,685,730,678,683,
599,700,574,1020,976,1202,1202,7226,7226]} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. c4
Be7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Qc2 b6 7. b3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 7. Bd3 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bb7 9.
e4 Nbd7 10. O-O c5 11. Bd3 h6 12. Rd1 Rc8 13. Qe2 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Nc5 {1-0 (72)
Reti,R-Exner,G Szekesfehervar 1907}) 7… Bb7 {D37: Queen’s Gambit Declined: 5
Bf4.} 8. Bb2 Nbd7 9. Be2 Rc8 {The position is equal.} 10. O-O {[%cal Bh1f1,
Bf1d1,Bd1d2,Bd2d4,Bd4c4][%mdl 32]} Ne4 11. Ne5 Nxc3 12. Qxc3 Nf6 13. Bf3 c5 (
13… Ne4 $5 {[%cal Re4c3]} 14. Qc2 Ng5 $11) 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Rfd1 {White is
more active.} Qc7 16. Rd2 Rfd8 17. Rad1 d4 {White stays focused until the end.}
18. exd4 Bxf3 19. Qxf3 {Hoping for d5.} cxd4 {[#]} 20. Rxd4 $1 Bd6 (20… Rxd4
21. Bxd4) 21. Qe2 Nd5 22. cxd5 Bxe5 {[#]} 23. Rc4 Bxh2+ 24. Kh1 Qb8 25. Rxc8
Rxc8 26. g3 Bxg3 27. Rg1 ({Weaker is} 27. fxg3 Qxg3 28. dxe6 Qh3+ 29. Kg1 fxe6
$18) 27… Qd6 28. Rxg3 Qxd5+ 29. Kh2 g6 30. Rd3 Qf5 {game to this point given
in Manchester Guardian, 20 Aug 1910} 31. Qd2 {Threatening mate with Rd8+.} e5
32. Kg2 Kg7 33. Qe3 {[%csl LRa7,LRe5]} Re8 34. Rd5 f6 35. Qxa7+ Kh6 {aiming
for …Qe4+.} 36. Qe3+ Kg7 37. Qd2 Re7 38. Ba3 Rc7 39. Bc5 Qg4+ 40. Kf1 Qh3+
41. Ke1 g5 42. Be3 {Qd3 is the strong threat.} h5 43. b4 $2 (43. Rd6 $18 {
has better winning chances.}) 43… Qf5 {[%mdl 8192]} (43… h4 $16 {is a
better chance.}) 44. Qd3 $18 {White is clearly winning.} Qg4 45. b5 {[%cal
Bb4b5,Bb5b6][%mdl 32]} e4 (45… h4 $142 46. Qd1 Rc4 47. Rd7+ Kg6 48. Qd3+ Qe4
49. Qxe4+ Rxe4) 46. Qd1 Qe6 47. b6 Rb7 48. Qd4 Kg6 49. Rd6 Qf5 50. Qd5 Qxd5 51.
Rxd5 {[%mdl 4096] Endgame KRB-KR} h4 52. Kf1 f5 53. Kg2 f4 54. Bd4 g4 55. Rd6+
Kf5 56. Rd8 h3+ 57. Kh2 Rh7 {[%cal Oe4e3]} 58. Rf8+ Kg5 59. Rg8+ Kf5 60. Rg7 {
Source: The Times, 22 Aug 1910. Weighted Error Value: White=0.49/Black=0.66}
1-0

[/pgn]

Wainwright wasn’t quite so successful in the 1910-11 edition of the City of London Club Championship, but, now approaching his half century, a slight decline was only to be expected.

Meanwhile, on 2 April 1911 it was time for the census enumerator to call. Let’s see who was at home.

There he was, at 1 St Andrew’s Square, Surbiton, very convenient for the station and trains to London. Very nice it looks, too. George Edward Wainwright and his family seemed to be doing very well for themselves.

He’s described, rather modestly, as a Principal Clerk working for the Local Government Board. His wife is also at home, as are their two middle children. Philip is a business pupil for a photographic requisites supply company, while Constance has no occupation listed. They also have a visitor, 19-year-old Julie Ross from Glasgow, as well as a cook and a housemaid.

George Jnr was following in his father’s footsteps in more ways than one. He had moved to his father’s home town of Ilkley, where he was also working for the Local Government Board, as a district auditor. 16-year-old David, though, had chosen a different career path: he was a naval cadet undergoing officer training in Dartmouth.

Here, having followed George Edward Wainwright through his forties, the busiest decade of his chess career, is a good place to pause.

Come back soon for the third and final episode of the chess career of the man who, although not a member for long, was by far the strongest player in the first Twickenham Chess Club. Our friends at Surbiton can also claim him as one of their finest players.

 

Ackowledgements:

ancestry.co.uk

findmypast.co.uk

EDOChess – GE Wainwright

Yorkshire Chess History: GE Wainwright

Britbase

Game analysis generated by ChessBase using Stockfish 14.