From CHESS, July 1946 (and also The Anglo-Soviet Radio Chess Match) :
Since Ernst Klein came to England in 1935 his play has earned our ungrudging admiration. Born in Vienna, 1910, he learned chess at the age of eleven. His grandmother taught him the moves, his father having died when he was eight. Steinitz was a frequent guest in his grandparents house. At eighteen, he shared first, second and third prizes in the Championship of Vienna. Before coming to England, he had lived for some years in Switzerland, France and Italy and his French, German and English are equally impeccable. In his last tournament at Bournemouth, in 1939, he finished equal with Flohr after Euwe ahead of König, Landau, Aitken and others. He met his wife, who is an Englishwoman, during the blitz. They were married in 1944. He holds a London University degree and teaches mathematics in Southend.
Scene at London. From left to right – Seated : Fairhurst, List and Winter in play. Standing König and Sir George Thomas
About 1940, he offered to give any opponent in Great Britain the odds of the draw.; his challenge was never taken up, no doubt owing to the conditions of the moment, but we imagine there would be many “takers” if it were repeated now.”
Later, Klein clarified matters by writing What I said was: “I am ready to accept the challenge of any player in this country and am prepared to give the odds of a draw in a contest at least twelve games if he so wishes. That is, I offered to concede victory on a score of 6 : 6 draws counting, which is the necessary and sufficient condition to justify my offer. It is still open.
See below photograph for captionCaption for above photograph
On the “glorious twelfth” of August we celebrate the birthday of one of England’s most popular chess players and writers, IM Bill Hartston.
William Roland Hartston was born in Willesden, Middlesex on Tuesday, August 12th, 1947. His father was William Hartston, a significant member of the Royal College of Physicians who was married to Mary Roland. Bill has a sister.
Bill Hartston
He studied at the City of London School and then studied mathematics at Jesus College, Cambridge and graduated with a BA in 1968 and an MA in 1972, but did not complete his PhD on number theory.
An early Bill Hartston, event unknown
While studying for his PhD at Cambridge, Hartston developed an intricate system for balancing an entire chess set on top of a single rook. Here is an article with an explanation letter from Bill.
Some of the participants in the Paul Keres display on November 25th, 1962, at St Pancras Town Hall, London WC1. Back row : AJ. Whiteley, D, Floyer, PJ Collins, PJ Adams, RC Vaughan, KB Harman, D. Parr, DNL Levy, Front row : MV Lambshire, AE Hopkins (selector) Paul Keres, Miss D. Dobson, RE Hartley, BC Gillman, WR Hartston and PN Lee. Photograph by AM Reilly. Source : BCM, 1963, page 13
Bill married Dr. Jana Malypetrova in January, 1970 in Cambridge. In 1978 Bill married Elizabeth Bannerman, also in Cambridge and from that marriage he had two sons, James and Nicholas.
Bill and Dr. Jana Hartston (née Malypetrova)
Bill became an International Master in 1972 and his highest FIDE rating was 2485 in January 1979.
William Hartston
With the white pieces Bill almost exclusively played 1.e4 and the Ruy Lopez.
With the black pieces Bill played the Sicilian Taimanov and the Czech Benoni.
Bill plays his trusty Sicilian Taimanov against an unknown opponent
Bill is a self-proclaimed follower of Prof. AJ Ayer (See the Acknowledgements in “Soft Pawn”) Clint Eastwood and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Bill and Jana Hartston are shown with some of their many chess sets. CHESS, August 1973, page 323
Bill was the chess correspondent of The Independent and The Mail on Sunday. He was also a regular presenter and commentator for television. He worked with Jeremy James on the BBC’s Master Game.
In modern times Bill has made regular appearances with World Cluedo champion, Josef Kollar on Channel Four’s Gogglebox with a pair of painted breasts as background.
In modern times Bill has made regular appearances with World Cluedo champion, Josef Kollar on Channel Four’s Gogglebox
Bill revived the Beachcomber column in the Daily Express.
The Master Game, Series 6&7 with Jeremy James and Bill Hartston
Bill is an industrial psychologist.
Curiously the 1984 edition of the usually reliable The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper and Whyld does not have an entry for the twice British Champion : was this simply an oversight ? Jana is also not mentioned.
Bill wrote about himself in British Chess (Pergamon, 1983) :
“To summarise more than 20 years of playing competitive chess in a few hundred words is an impossible task. My attitude to the game has changed a great deal, especially in recent times, but I have always enjoyed and felt at home in the tense and lively atmosphere of chess tournaments, whether as a competitor, spectator or journalist.
Caption as per photograph belowCaption for above photograph
I consider myself lucky to have been a ‘promising junior’ just at the time when chess was beginning to be taken seriously as a sport in England. The English team consisted mainly of amateurs and there were clear opportunities for anyone willing to work at the game.
As a result of the changing attitudes to the game in this country, the development between 1965, when I first played for the national team, and 1975 was far greater than in any other decade.
One statistic which I have always found personally amusing is that I progressed from youngest player in 1967 for the Clare Benedict tournament to become the oldest in the 1971 team. From promising junior to veteran in four years = is this a record ?
Bill Hartston commentating on games from the Phillips & Drew King’s 1982
Since my second British Championship win in 1975, I have been writing more and playing less. I always realised that I was not going to become a sufficiently strong player to be happy just wandering round the tournament circuit, but giving up chess entirely is, of course, unthinkable.
I believe now that the time is ripe for chess to be presented to far wider audiences and I like to think that some of what I do will help in that aim. If the Master Game television series and “Soft Pawn” cannot sell chess to the masses then nothing will.”
Bill was always a keen supporter of junior chess. Here at the Teachers Assurance National Schools Championships in 1980
{[%evp 0,57,19,38,30,51,38,32,32,44,31,32,25,31,25,15,30,3,25,25,26,10,17,10,
15,30,13,-5,0,25,20,-11,-11,-18,32,-11,-4,-17,-9,-51,-57,1,4,-3,20,49,36,102,
594,624,29991,29992,29993,29994,29995,29996,29997,29998,29999,-30000]} {
Bill described this game as one of four nice Nice games in the British Chess
Magazine Games Department of Volume XCIV (94), Number 9 (September), 1974.
Additional comments were from Bill’s entry in “British Chess”, by Botterill,
Levy, Rice and Richardson, Pergamon Press, 1983.} 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 {This is
just a joke really, but usually worth between 20 seconds and five minutes on
the clock.} d5 ({White invites Black to change his mind and play a Sicilian
with} 2… c5) 3. d4 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 $1 {One of the most horrible things
about playing Portisch is that it is almost impossible to avoid his detailed
opening preparation without playing something dubious., with which he is also
well equipped to deal. Hartston goes straight into the critical line. The
exclamation mark is for bravery.} Bxc3+ ({The unusual} 5… Ba5 {is much
better than its reputation. The Swiss master, Werner Hug, always obtains good
positions against me with that move.}) 6. bxc3 Ne7 (6… Qc7 {is a good move
order for those} {fear} 7. Qg4 {when} f6 $1 8. Nf3 c4 $1 {takes the sting out
of the attack. But, what are you playing the Winawer for if you ever
considered Qg4 to be a threat !}) 7. Nf3 ({The complications arising from} 7.
Qg4 {have never been fully solved, but nowadays (1974) most players prefer the
positional continuation chosen} Qc7 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4 10. Ne2 Nbc6 11.
f4 Bd7 12. Qd3 dxc3 13. Nxc3 a6 14. Rb1 Na5 15. h4 Nf5 16. Rh3 O-O-O 17. h5 Nc4
18. h6 Rg6 19. h7 Rh8 20. Rb4 {is the way to go in 2020.}) (7. a4 {is another
decent option.}) 7… Bd7 {[%cal Gd7a4]} (7… Qc7 8. a4 b6 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bd3
Nbc6 11. O-O {is the move usual order referred to after Whites 11.Bd3!? below.
}) ({In 2020} 7… Nbc6 8. a4 Qa5 9. Bd2 Bd7 10. Bb5 c4 11. O-O {is the way to
go in 2020.}) 8. a4 {Already necessary before Black stifles the queen’s win
with Ba4} Nbc6 ({More usual is} 8… Qa5 {when} 9. Bd2 {is the fashionable
response} ({though I still believe in} 9. Qd2)) 9. Be2 ({After} 9. Bd3 Qc7 10.
O-O {Black may elect for the plan of castling long} {with} c4 11. Be2 O-O-O ({
or attacking the centre with} 11… f6 {I usually prefer to discourage this by
leaving the bishop on e2 but it may be that 9.Bd3 is the better move.})) 9…
Qc7 10. O-O b6 11. Bd3 $5 {I played this move because it transposed into a
position I had analysed and played a great deal about three years ago.
Unfortunately,as the game demonstrates, I had forgotten almost all of this
analysis!. The more usual move order is referenced above after 7…Qc7} (11.
Re1 Na5 12. Bd3 h6) 11… h6 {having played b6, Black is less ready to castle
long since his King’s position would be more vulnerable; the text move
prepares 0-0} ({if} 11… O-O $2 {immediately} {then} 12. Bxh7+ Kxh7 {and} 13.
Ng5+ {with the standard mating attack.} Kg6 14. h4 $18 (14. Qg4 $5 f6 15. exf6
Kxf6 16. Qh5 $16) (14. Qd3+ Nf5 15. g4 f6 $16) 14… Qc8 15. Qg4 $18) 12. Ba3
$5 {This whole variation was thoroughly tested at Hastings 1971-2 when Peter
Markland lost a lot of games with the black pieces from this position.
Possibly Byrne’s continuation is the strongest; white has good chances of
sacrificing the bishop on h6 for a mating attack in the middlegame.} ({Robert
Byrne played} 12. Re1 Na5 13. Be3 (13. Qd2 {Mecking and Karpov} Rc8 (13… O-O
14. Qf4 f5))) 12… Na5 13. Re1 $6 {An “innovation” – because I could not
remember what I had played in the earlier game. The point of 12.Ba3 I soon
remembered is to continue 13.Nd2! 00 14.dc bc 15.Nb3 with some advantage to
White as in Hartston – Markland, Hastings 1971-2 and Williams-Keene , British
Championship, 1973.} O-O 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Nd2 {[%cal Gd1g4,Gd1h5] An
important move to allow White’s queen to enter the attack.} Ng6 $1 {And
meeting with the correct reply.} ({The obvious} 15… f6 {would have
completely justified the White move order} {when} 16. exf6 Rxf6 17. c4 $16) (
15… Bxa4 {fails to} 16. Qg4 $1 Bd7 17. Nf3 Kh8 18. Bc1 $1 {with a dangerous
attack.}) 16. Qh5 {Apparently aggressive but really the only way to defend the
King’s pawn.} Be8 {The move played threatens f5 embarrasing the white queen.
She hastens to get out of the way.} (16… Nf4 17. Qg4 Nxd3 18. cxd3 {is a
little better for White since his bishop is more effective. With the text move
Black threatens …f6 or …f5 with a veiled attack on the queen. According
to “Excellent notes” from Krogius this position is fantastic for White who has
at a stroke created the opportunity for direct attack with Re3 – g3 or h3
depending on circumstances.}) (16… Bxa4 {was more double-edged but, here too
in all lines White keeps the initiative viz :} 17. Bxg6 fxg6 18. Qxg6 Bd7 (
18… Qc6 19. Bc1) (18… Rae8 19. Bc1 Bd7 20. Nf3) ({and probably Black’s
best try should be} 18… Qe7 19. Nf3 (19. Bc1 Be8 20. Qg3 Nc6 21. Nb3 {
with the idea of Ba3}) 19… Be8 20. Qg3 Nc4 21. Bc1 Kh7) 19. Nf3 Nc4 20. Bc1)
17. Qe2 {The third consecutive queen move along the same diagonal It’s lucky I
won this game or my play would have been open to terrible criticism.} {After
an hour’s thought Portisch played} Bxa4 $2 {which I had not even considered.
Perhaps I was so used to losing the a pawn in this line that I did not see
that it was en prise.} ({More prudent was} 17… f6 {giving White no chance to
develop an attack.}) ({Black should have been consistent and maintained his
vigil with} 17… f5 18. exf6 Rxf6 {when he has good chances. Hartston now
launches a dangerous attack.}) 18. Qg4 $1 Bd7 19. Nf3 $1 ({All methods of
winning the pawn back such as} 19. Bxg6 fxg6 20. Qxg6 {leave Black with some
advantage owing to the weaknesses remaining in the white camp. In this
position the initiative is of far more importance; after all Blacks a pawn
will not be serious threat for some time.}) 19… Nc4 {Perhaps Black’s
position is already untenable. The threat of Bc1 and an eventual sacrifice on
h6 is difficult to prevent.} (19… Bc8 20. Bc1 Nc6 21. Bxg6 fxg6 22. Qxg6 Qf7
23. Qg3 $16) 20. Bc1 Bc8 $2 {The decisive mistake} (20… Ncxe5 21. Nxe5 Nxe5
22. Qg3 f6 23. Bxh6 Rf7 24. Bf4 {looks just as bad}) ({The only chance for
defence was pointed oout by Krogius.} 20… Ngxe5 21. Nxe5 Nxe5 22. Qg3 f6 23.
Bxh6 Be8 24. Bf4 c4 25. Bf1 a5 {and Black can create enough detours to keep
White at bay. Now he is flattened.}) 21. Qh5 {Suddenly it is all over; there
is really no defence to 22. Bxh6!} Rd8 22. Bxh6 $1 gxh6 23. Qxh6 Nb2 {Keene
wrote that even at this stage Portisch was still moving rapidly and looking
confident. One can imagine his feelings when the knight appeared on h7!} 24.
Ng5 Nxd3 25. Nh7 $1 {Black resigns. I was specially pleased by this game
because I had lost the previous day to Hort also in 25 moves. A fighting game
by Bill Hartston} {26.Nf6 mate can only be prevented by} f5 {when} 26. Nf6+ Kf7
27. Qh7+ Kf8 28. Qg8+ $1 Ke7 29. Qg7# {is even stronger than winning a queen.}
1-0
[/pgn]
Harry Golombek wrote the following in a 1980 Dataday chess diary :
“Hartston played hardly at all during the period from my last entry of him in the 1977 diary and that little, though respectable, was hardly the performance of an active master. His equal 3rd to 5th at the big Aaronson’s Masters Tournament (a swiss system event with 72 players) did not really affect his rating and indeed he finished up without changing his Elo rating at all.
Tony Miles & Bill Hartston admire a Rolls-Royce
Nevertheless, this glimpse of his true powers was impressive as can be seen in the following game which was played in the 6th round of the Aaronson tournament.”
From The Encyclopedia of Chess(Robert Hale, 1970 & 1976) by Anne Sunnucks :
“International Master (1972) and British Champion (1973) William Hartston was born in London on the 12th August 1947. He was taught to play chess by his father when he was seven and five years later joined Enfield Chess Club. His results in junior events included 1st in the London Boys’ Under 16 Championship and 2nd in the British Boys’ Under 15 Championship in 1962 and =2nd in the British Boys Under 18 Championship in 1963.
Bill had a keen interest in computer chess and technology
In 1965, Hartston made his first appearance in the British Championship and came =5th. In the same year he won the Ilford and Paignton Premier tournaments. Playing on board 3 for England in the 1966 Olympiad. Hartston scored the best result of any British player, 66.7%.
England plays Italy at Haifa 1976. Miles played Tatai, Keene played Toth, Hartston played Grinza and Mestel played Micheli
In the Olympiad of 1970, he had the best overall score on board 3, 12.5 out of 16 and in the Olympiad of 1972 he won the prize for the 3rd best score on board 2, 12.5 out of 18. In 1972 he narrowly failed to qualify for the Interzonal tournament, when he came 3rd in the Zonal tournament at Vranjacka Banja.”
Mike Basman plays Bill during the play-off for the 1973 British Championship
From The Encyclopedia of Chess (Batsford, 1977) by Harry Golombek :
“British International Master and twice British Champion. Hartston was born in London and his early chess was played there., where he became London Boy (Under-16 Champion in 1962.
He was educated at the City of London School and Jesus College, Cambridge, where he took a degree in mathematics.
Bill Hartston (far left) at the Lloyds Bank Masters
It soon became clear that he was one of the leading young players in England and a rivalry developed between him and Raymond Keene in which first one and then the other obtained the upper hand.
After a number of near misses he won the British Championship at Eastbourne in 1973 and again at Morecambe in 1975.
Jana & Bill Hartston celebrate a family double at the British Championships in 1973 at Eastbourne
Internationally he has already had a distinguished career and has been especially good and consistent in his representation of England at the Olympiads. At Havana in 1966 he scored 66.7% on board 3 but did not play at Lugano in 1968. Again on board 3 at Siegen in 1970 he obtained the best score on board 3 with 78.1%.
From the 1985 Varsity Match : Laura Cohen (Newnham), Brian Reilly (BCM), Bill Hartston (Cambridge), Adrian Hollis (Oxford), Anita Rakshit (St. Hilda’s), Leonard Barden (The Guardian etc) and Bob Wade (BCF)
At Skopje 1972 he fulfilled the second norm of the international master title with 12.5 points out of 18 on second board. Playing on first board at Nice 1974 he attained 52.7% and had a most meritorious and well fought draw with the World Champion, Karpov.
Bill Hartston draws with Anatoly Karpov at Nice 1974
He achieved a breakthrough in the field of international tournament chess when he came third in a strong Premier tournament at Hastings 1972/3
Hastings, England, 4th January 1972, Chess, Russian Grand Master Viktor Korchnoi (right) is pictured in a match with William Hartston (UK) during the 47th Hastings International Chess Tournament (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
{[%evp 0,53,30,18,18,17,17,25,39,20,4,26,70,47,39,58,134,140,152,131,190,180,
185,116,121,122,163,285,285,187,187,190,263,250,333,54,58,38,-3,-36,73,184,184,
138,138,138,161,210,224,379,375,387,29991,29992,29995,29994]} 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4
Nf6 3. d3 Be7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. f4 exf4 6. Bxf4 c6 {the threat of 7…d5 is
awkward since White’s king is liable to be trapped in the centre.} 7. e5 d5 $6
(7… Nd5 8. Bxd5 cxd5 9. Nxd5 Qa5+ 10. Nc3 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6) 8. exf6 Bb4 {
Black wins his piece back and hopes that his active pieces will also give him
a strong attack, but he has not calculated with sufficient precision.} 9. Bb3
d4 10. Nge2 dxc3 11. O-O ({There is no time for} 11. bxc3 {when would follow}
Re8 12. cxb4 $2 (12. O-O $1 Bc5+ (12… Bd6 13. fxg7 $18 Be6) 13. d4) {
threatening} 12… Bg4 $1) 11… cxb2 12. fxg7 Qb6+ (12… Kxg7 13. Be5+ {
must win for white with Black’s king having nowhere to hide.}) (12… Re8 13.
Bxf7+ Kxf7 14. Bg5+ {also wins quite easily}) 13. Kh1 Re8 14. Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.
Be3+ {is probably a mistake} ({I remember looking at} 15. Ng3 $3 {during the
the game but feeling that is it just looked too fantastic !} bxa1=Q 16. Qh5+
Ke7 17. Bg5+ Kd6 (17… Kd7 18. Qxe8+ Kxe8 19. g8=Q+ Kd7 20. Qf7+ Kd6 21. Ne4+
Ke5 22. Bf6#) 18. Qxe8 {gives White a winning attack as pointed out by Dr. JM
Aitken whose analysis confirmed the suspicion of the players after the game.})
({Analysis in 2020 reveals that} 15. Nd4 $3 {is crushing} bxa1=Q 16. Qh5+ Ke7
17. Qxe8+ Kxe8 18. g8=Q+ Bf8 19. Rxa1 Qc5 20. Bg5 Kd7 21. Rf1 Kc7 22. Rxf8 Kb6
23. Rxc8 {etc}) 15… Kg8 16. Bxb6 Bg4 ({After a long think my opponent saw
that} 16… bxa1=Q 17. Qxa1 axb6 18. Qf6 Be6 19. Nd4 Nd7 20. Qf4 Bxa2 21. c4
Re7 22. Nf5 {wins for White. I had seen most of this combined with a little
faith was enough to allow me to play 14.Bxf7+. 16…Bg4 I had not seen at all!}
) 17. c3 bxa1=Q 18. Qxa1 Bxe2 19. Qb2 $1 {There is neither the necessity nor
the time to save the rook; Black’s king must be driven out before his
queenside pieces can come to help.} (19. Qb1 $144) 19… Bxf1 20. Qb3+ Kxg7 21.
Bd4+ Kg6 22. Qxb4 {Black has vast reservoirs of pieces but they are all asleep.
There is no defence to the combined attack of queen and bishop.} c5 23. Qxc5
Nc6 24. Qd6+ Kh5 25. Bg7 Bxd3 ({If Black tries} 25… Rad8 {then} 26. Qh6+ Kg4
27. Bf6 {wins; the text allows a more elegant finish.}) 26. h3 Bg6 27. Qf4 {
and Black resigned as it is mate in three.} 1-0
[/pgn]
His best tournament result came three years later when he won 1st prize at Sarajevo 1976.
Sarajevo 1976 Crosstable from English Chess Explosion (1980)
His style of play is sound and competent in all the spheres of the game. That he can be brilliant when necessary he demonstrated his beautiful brilliancy game against the Finnish grandmaster Westerinen at Allicante in 1973. He has a fine, broad knowledge of the openings and has written a number of articles and books on that theme.
Bill was always a keen supporter of junior chess. event unknown.
{[%evp 0,74,19,29,18,21,56,-11,-17,-25,25,16,18,-3,56,33,50,36,37,36,38,34,59,
54,58,44,43,48,44,23,44,31,47,31,43,36,24,22,8,17,17,-16,-27,-79,-109,-66,-59,
-94,-86,-61,-65,-168,-179,-171,-224,-224,-199,-199,-202,-202,-56,-161,-80,-90,
-162,-338,-326,-489,-539,-548,-311,-401,-465,-389,-337,-616,-671]} 1. Nf3 Nf6
2. d4 c5 3. c4 (3. d5) 3… cxd4 4. Nxd4 b6 $1 {An unusual move allowing White
full control of the centre and with no particular intrinsic merit. Its get an
exclamation mark however, because the player of the white pieces is S. Webb!
I always like to fianchetto my king’s bishop in such positions and this is the
one move which prevents me from doing so. Had it occurred to me that Hartston
might play this move I would have played 3.g3 or 2.c4 and then 3.g3.} 5. Nc3
Bb7 6. f3 d6 7. e4 e6 8. Be2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Be3 Nbd7 {Putting Whte very
much on the spot to find a plan, despite his spatial advantage for four ranks
to three. Again quotes from the two players : “Now the position bears a
strong resemblance to a Sicilian. I felt quite happy now since I seem to have
spent half my life playing positions of this type, while my opponent, not
normally an e4 player, had to be less familiar with the problems” : Hartston.
“Objectively speaking, I knew that this position was good for White but from
this point I had to decide on some sort of strategy. Should I go for f4 and
then f5? Or g4 and then g5? Or try to and get play against the backward d-pawn
by doubling rooks on the d-file? None of these plans looked particularly
convincing so I settled for putting my rooks in the centre and waiting to see
what happened ! Its no good having a good position if you don’t know what to
do with it!”} 11. Qd2 a6 12. Rfd1 Qc7 13. Rac1 $14 Rac8 14. Bf1 Qb8 15. Qf2
Rfe8 {“White has made a series of natural moves and maintains a spatial
advantage; nevertheless I believe that Black already has the better prospects.
The Black pieces, are at first sight a little cramped, are beautifully placed
to leap into action after the thematic d5 breakout, possibly with a pawn
sacrifice” : Hartston Indeed it seems that the best White can hope for is to
try and prevent b5 or d5 by perhaps 16.Nc2 followed by Rd2 and Rcd1 although
even in that case his c-pawn is weak.} 16. Kh1 $2 {Weirdly enough this is the
most popular move here.} (16. g4 {(is the 2020 engine’s choice)}) 16… Bf8 17.
Nc2 Ne5 18. Bxb6 {An ugly sort of move. The loss of the b-pawn is
inconsequential compared with the disappearance of White’s valuable c-pawn
which is restraining Black’s advances.} ({The alternative} 18. b3 $2 b5 $1 {
was even worse.}) (18. Na3 $2 d5 $1) 18… Nxc4 19. Bxc4 (19. Ba7 Qa8 20. b3
Nb2 21. Rd2 Rxc3 22. Bd4 Na4 23. bxa4 Rc6) 19… Rxc4 20. Ne3 Rc6 21. Ba5 {
The bonfire is lit and now the fireworks begin. Hartston immediately activates
his entire force giving Webb no time to reorganise his disjointed position} d5
$1 22. exd5 exd5 23. Nf5 {[#] taking the pawn with either night loses
immediately so Webb tries to put up some sort of blockade on d If he could
indeed achieve this, then he would have defensive chances} ({e.g.} 23. Nexd5
Nxd5 24. Rxd5 Rxc3 $19) ({and e.g.} 23. Ncxd5 Nxd5 24. Rxc6 Nxe3 $19) {By the
following sacrifice Hartston rips open the position} 23… d4 $1 24. Nxd4 (24.
Rxd4 $2 Bc5) (24. Qxd4 Rc5 $1 {[%cal Gc5a5,Gc5f5]} (24… Re5 $1 {[%cal Ge5f5,
Ge5a5]})) 24… Rc5 {[%cal Gc5a5,Gc5h5]} 25. Bb6 Rh5 26. h3 Ng4 $3 {
highlighting the fantastic coordination in the Black camp. Although this move
doesn’t lead to immediate mate White has no way of reorganising his defence to
meet the threats.} 27. fxg4 {This is one offer that cannot be refused.} ({if}
27. Qg1 {then} Qg3 $1) 27… Rxh3+ 28. Kg1 Qh2+ 29. Kf1 Rg3 30. Rc2 Rxg4 $1 (
30… Bxg2+ 31. Qxg2 Rxg2 32. Rxg2 Qf4+ 33. Kg1 Qd6 34. Ba5 Qc5 35. Kf1 Qxa5
$19) (30… Rxg2 31. Qxg2 Bxg2+ 32. Rxg2 Qf4+) 31. Qg1 Qh6 32. Nf5 $2 {A wild
attempt at playing actively which only succeeds in losing back the piece
without blunting Black’s attack. But it is difficult to see how White could
defend.} ({If} 32. Ba5 {the reply} Bc5 {leaves White hopelessly tied up}) ({
while} 32. Nb3 {allows} a5 {[%cal Gb7a6] with the powerful threat of Ba6+}) ({
Possibly} 32. Ba7 {would have been the best chance} {planning to meet} Rh4 ({
After} 32… Re5 {it is difficult to find a move which doesn’t lose something
(Webb)}) {with} 33. Nf5) 32… Qf6 33. Rf2 Qxb6 34. Qh2 a5 35. Qh3 Rg6 36. Nd5
$2 {there was no defence to Ba6+ but this loses a straight piece.} Qb5+ 37. Kg1
Bxd5 {and White resigned} 0-1
[/pgn]
Danish chess grandmaster Bent Larsen (1935 – 2010, left) takes on English player William Hartston (right) during the annual Hastings International Chess Congress, UK, 13th January 1973. Larsen won the game. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Bill plays board 5 for England versus Israel Telechess Olympiad match in September 1981. Board 6 was Paul Littlewood and board 7 was Nigel Short.
A lucid and entertaining writer, he has also appeared with success in BBC Television chess programmes.
Bill Hartston at a promotional event
Among his chief works are :
The Benoni, London, 1969 The Grunfeld Defence, London, 1971 The Best Games of CHO’D Alexander (with H. Golombek), Oxford, 1976.”
Here is an interesting interview published in the Streatham & Brixton Chess Club blog concerning the alleged “turning down the Hastings draw offer” story.
The King’s Indian Defence, 1969The Benoni, 1969How to Cheat at Chess, 1976The Best Games of C.H.O’D. Alexander, 1976The Grünfeld Defence, 1977Benoni, 1977Karpov-Korchnoi, 1978Soft Pawn, 1980The Phillips & Drew King’s Chess Tournament, 1980Play Chess, Hartston & Jeremy James, BBC, 1980The Penguin Book of Chess Openings, 1981The Psychology of Chess, 1984Short vs Kasparov, 1993The Kings of Chess, 1995The Guinness Book of Chess Grandmasters, 1996Teach Yourself Better Chess, Bill Hartston, Teach Yourself Books 08/01/1997, ISBN 13: 9780340670408
BCN wishes Happy Returns to IM Angus Dunnington (09-viii-1967)
Angus James Dunnington was born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, his mother’s maiden name was Townend.
He has lived in Castleford, West Yorkshire and most recently in Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire.
Angus became a FIDE Master in 1990 and an International Master in 1991.
Angus has been a recipient of a Chess Journalists of America award and was chess correspondent for The Yorkshire Post. He has been an Olympiad trainer.
Angus has played for 4NCL White Rose and his peak FIDE rating was 2450 in January 1996, aged 29.
He won Toulouse 1993 with 6.5/9, we was first equal (3) in the London Agency tournament on 1997 with 6/9, we was equal first in the 1999 Hampstead IM tournament with 6.5/9.
As White Angus prefers a Reti style double fianchetto, the King’s Indian Attack and also the Queen’s Gambit and is an expert on the Catalan and KIA.
As Black Angus essays the Modern Defence most of the time.
His most recent ECF grading was 212E in 2005 and was 232A in 1996.
In 2018 after a lengthy absence Angus made a welcome return to the Scottish Championship Open with a strong =3rd place.
The Ultimate King’s Indian Attack, 1993Pawn Power !, 1994Winning with the Catalan, 1997Easy Guide to the Reti Opening101 Winning Chess Strategies, 1999Winning Unorthodox Openings, 2000Mastering the Middlegame, 2001Chess Psychology, 2003Nimzo-Indian Rubinstein: Complex Lines with 4e3, 2004Blunders and How to Avoid Them, 2004IM Angus Dunnington, photograph by Cathy Rogers
We send best wishes to GM Nigel Davies on his birthday, this day (July 31st) in 1960.
Nigel Rodney Davies was born in Southport, Merseyside.
He lived in the Wirral, Merseyside, moved to Sidcup and then to St. Helen’s, Merseyside where he resides with his chess playing son, Sam who is ECF 1928A currently.
In July 2020 Nigel graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Computing from Edge Hill University.
Nigel Davies (centre) at a Lloyds Bank event
He became an FIDE Master in 1980, an International Master in 1982 and a Grandmaster in 1993.
Nigel Davies
He won the British Under-21 Championship in 1979 (Chester) and the British Rapidplay Championship in 1987.
Nigel receives a much welcome prize (in Manchester) from Miss Benedictine in 198?
He won The Regency Ramsgate Masters 1980, Wrexham 1994, Katrineholm 1995 and the Blackpool Hilton Premier in 2003.
In 2015 Nigel transferred his international allegiance from England (the English Chess Federation) to Wales (Welsh Chess Union). He maintains an ECF standard play rating of 2448E.
William Watson, Jonny Hector, Alexander Khalifman, Jonathan Tisdall and Nigel Davies at the 1991 Watson, Farley, Williams tournament in London.
His peak FIDE rating was 2530 in January 1995 at the age of 35.
Nigel is an active user of Twitter and may be found @GMNigelDavies
In 2020 the Welsh Chess Union successfully endorsed Nigel’s application to FIDE to become a FIDE Senior Trainer which he became in 2021:
Nigel Davies, FIDE Senior Trainer
Nigel has had many books and DVDs published :
The Chess Player’s Battle Manual. Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-7043-7The Power Chess Program. Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-8415-2.The Grünfeld Defence. Everyman Chess. ISBN 1-85744-239-3.The Veresov. Everyman Chess. ISBN 9781857443356.The Dynamic Reti. Everyman Chess. ISBN 9781857443523.The Trompowsky. Everyman Chess. ISBN 1857443764.King’s Indian Attack. Hamburg: ChessBase. ISBN 978-3-86681-071-6.Starting Out: The Modern. Everyman Chess. ISBN 9781857445664.Play the Catalan. Gloucester Publishers plc (formerly Everyman Publishers plc). ISBN 9781857445916.
We send best wishes to GM Julian Hodgson on his birthday, this day July 25th) in 1963.
Julian Michael Hodgson was born at St. Mary Abbott’s Hospital, Marloes Road, Kensington, West London son of (Ronald) George Hodgson and Johanna Hodgson (née Birch) and the birth was registered in the district of Hammersmith.
Julian’s father has asserted to be a descendent of George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys and we are looking to establish this claim following further research.
Julian attended St. Paul’s School (See below) and then attended The University of Leicester for one year.
Julian married Lizette and David Norwood was his Best Man.
Julian and Lizette Hodgson
(Curiously both Felice and Gaige state Julian was born in Saint Asaph in Wales. This is incorrect.)
Julian Hodgson
Harry Golombek wrote this about Julian in a 1980 Dataday chess diary :
“I think that the first time I saw Julian Hodgson in play was some four years ago in a London tournament. Upon my arrival Leonard Barden told him that he must now be careful how he played as Golombek was watching.
Julian and Nigel Short play Korchnoi in a simul. Leonard Barden observes.
“Who”, enquired the twelve-year old Julian, “is Golombek?”
Neil Carr and Julian Hodgson at the 1976 Lloyds Bank Match by Telex, London – New York. From BCM, volume XCVI (96) Number 11 (August), Page 494. The venue was the Bloomsbury Hotel, London. Photo courtesy of Lloyds Bank.Julian Hodgson aged 13 in 1976 giving a simultaneous display at the Guildhall in London scoring +14=2-4. Photograph courtesy of the Keystone agency.
I felt grateful at the time that he did not say who or what is Golombek but I tell this story chiefly to show the cheerful insouciance with which Master Hodgson treated all comers whether chess masters or chess rabbits.
Julian playing Simon L Triggs. Event and photographer unknown
Julian astonishing maturity as a player has been impressive ever since at the age of ten, he won the Southern Counties Under 14 Championships in 1973. Since then he has acquired a host of such championships culminating in the British Under-21 Championship in 1977.
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
Perhaps his most remarkable performance so far has been his equal 3rd in a strong challengers section at Hastings where he scored 7.5 out of 10. 1977 was a good year for him and here, from the Lloyds Bank Silver Jubilee Tournament of that year is his fine win over a strong opponent :
Here is his entry (written by Richard W O’Brien) in British Chess (Pergamon Press, 1983, Botterill, Levy, Rice and Richardson) :
“Following a series of excellent results Julian, at the tender age of 11, became the second youngest ever to play in an international tournament when he took part in the London Chess Club International Invitation tournament in September 1974. Only Reshevsky had been younger. Julian’s first opponent was Michael Woodhams, an Australian international who had just scored 15.5/18 in the recent Olympiad (Nice)
The following year he became the youngest player ever to win the London Amateur Championship. A year later he reached a grading of 200 (BCF), only Reshevsky, Pomar, Karpov and Kasparov had done so at an earlier age.
By now he was at St. Paul’s School, which was in the process of becoming one of the strongest chess playing schools in the country. In 1977 he shared first place with WN Watson (also St. Paul’s) in the British U21 Championship. Progress was however not as fast as had at one time been anticipated
It was at Ramsgate, late in 1980 before his first IM norm. A month later he finished second in the Hastings Challenger. Other good results followed in 1981. First he was selected for the Glorney Cup and shortly afterwards did well to come fourteenth in the British Championship (Morecambe). He represented England in the World Youth Team championships scoring 4/6. His second IM norm followed when he shared fifth place at Manchester in the same year. Good results in weekend congresses meant that he finished fourth in the Leigh Grand Prix. The year had finished with Julian needing a draw in the last round at Ramsgate to get his title. He lost and was to wait another 12 months to achieve his final norm.
The England Team from the 1990 Novi Sad Olympiad : John Nunn, Jon Speelman, Julian Hodgson, David Anderton OBE (Captain), Nigel Short, Michael Adams and Murray Chandler
When the final norm came it arrived out of the blue. With a score of 2.5/5 at Lewisham in November 1982 the chances seemed remote, 3.5/4 was required against a strong field and it even seemed doubtful whether he could actually play those he needed to play. He scored 2.5/3 and now had to play Jon Tisdall, who still had a chance of winning the tournament.
Julian finished second equal in the tournament behind Jim Plaskett who had beaten him earlier.
Julian Hodgson
The next six weeks saw Julian come equal first in the Pergamon sponsored British Lightning championship, a highly creditable sixth in the Nightflight International at Brighton (equivalent to an IM rating) and second place yet again in the Hastings Challengers.
John Delaney plays Julian Hodgson at the Bath Zonal Tournament in 1987
Earlier in 1983 he scored 6.5/9 at Lugano, probably Europe’s strongest ever Swiss (Swiss !) tournament, losing narrowly to Jan Timman.
Julian Hodgson. Event and photographer unknown.
He left Leicester University after just one year preferring to concentrate on chess.
FM Andrew Whiteley, IM Julian Hodgson and FM Byron Jacobs at Cappelle Le Grand, 1988. Photograph by Caroline Winkler
He plays fairly regularly for Streatham & Brixton Chess Club which encouraged juniors for several years. Daniel King is another junior who also played frequently for Streatham. ”
{[%evp 0,100,19,31,113,114,97,101,108,123,114,88,126,84,87,67,62,65,48,47,76,
43,42,36,44,47,73,45,42,45,105,117,116,98,112,88,88,90,134,64,83,41,87,41,63,
77,64,62,55,71,112,32,83,73,87,110,149,-23,-26,-81,-60,-54,-76,-80,-9,-28,-11,
-44,4,-33,-17,-123,-67,-272,-74,-73,20,-57,-18,-47,-100,-100,-148,-346,-346,
-449,-488,-507,-507,-507,-525,-554,-554,-838,-920,-920,-920,-994,-681,-703,
-692,-712,-453] This game was important to me. I needed to win with the Black
pieces against a strong International Master to gain my third and final IM
norm. It was a game of many errors but nevertheless for me a satisfying one.}
1. d4 b5 $5 {This may seem an unusual move to play in such important
circumstances. But it has served me well in the past and I wanted an
unbalanced position.} 2. e4 Bb7 3. Bxb5 {White accepts the challenge. This is
one of the strongest continuations against the Polish Defence.} Bxe4 4. Nf3 e6
5. O-O Nf6 6. Re1 Be7 7. Bg5 Bb7 8. c4 $1 {This is much better} ({than} 8. Nc3
{when it is Black who will have the advantage due to to far greater control of
the centre.} O-O 9. Qe2 d6 10. Rad1 Nbd7 11. Bc1) 8… O-O 9. Nc3 d6 $2 {
It may seem strange to give this move a question mark but it was essential} ({
to play} 9… h6 {first and commit the black squared bishop first.}) 10. Qe2
Nbd7 11. d5 $1 e5 {White has bind on the Queenside and, as will become evident
Black will find it extremely difficult to organise counterplay on the kingside.
} 12. Rad1 h6 {Now it is too late !} 13. Bc1 $1 Qc8 {The start of a faulty
plan.} ({I dismissed} 13… Ne8 {on account of} 14. Nd4 $1 {when white has a
clear advantage.}) {I underestimated white’s next move.} 14. Nh4 $1 ({I had
expected} 14. b4 a5 15. a3 axb4 16. axb4 c6 17. dxc6 Bxc6 {when I thought
White had only a slight advantage. The move played was much stronger.}) 14…
Nb6 15. Qf3 $1 Qd8 $16 {[#] An admission of defeat. White’s last five moves
have been extremely accurate and he now stands much better. Fortunately my
opponent spent quite a long time finding the “best moves”.} 16. Nf5 Bc8 17. c5
Bxf5 18. Qxf5 Nbd7 19. cxd6 cxd6 {It was about this time that my opponent
seemed to become agitated. My position was more resilient than he thought.
Nevertheless he does miss several very strong continuations in the next couple
of moves.} 20. Qh3 h5 {I could not think of anything else. As you will see
this pawn has a great future.} 21. Ne4 Nxe4 22. Rxe4 f5 23. Rc4 ({Stronger is}
23. Ra4 {when Black is losing a pawn} {though after} Nc5 24. Ra3 Bg5 $1 {
Black is not without chances}) 23… h4 $1 24. Be3 g5 25. Qf3 Rf7 (25… g4 $2
{is met by} 26. Rxg4+ $1 $18 fxg4 (26… Kh7 27. Bd3) 27. Qxg4+ Kh8 28. Qh5+
Kg8 29. Rd4 $1 Rf7 30. Rg4+ Rg7 31. Rxg7+ Kxg7 32. Bh6+ Kh8 33. Bg5+ Kg8 34.
Qg6+ Kh8 35. Qh6+ Kg8 36. Qe6+ Kg7 37. Bxe7 $18) 26. Bc6 Rb8 27. Bxa7 Rxb2 28.
Qc3 $2 $13 {The position is now unclear but I feel that Black is over the
worst.} ({White should have played} 28. Qa3 $1 Re2 $8 29. Kf1 Re4 30. Rxe4 fxe4
$16 {when the white a-pawn will take some stopping}) 28… Rxa2 29. Ba4 Nb6 $1
$17 {My opponent had overlooked this move.} 30. Qb3 Nxc4 31. Qxa2 Nb6 32. Rb1
Nd7 33. Qc2 Bf8 34. h3 e4 $1 {White now should have considered exchanging his
white squared bishop for Black’s knight.} 35. Rb7 (35. Bxd7 Rxd7 36. Be3 Bg7)
35… Ne5 36. Rb8 Qf6 $2 (36… Qa5 $1 {is winning.} {At the time I had seen}
37. Be3 Qe1+ 38. Kh2 g4 {when I thought} 39. Bf4 {was holding} {but now comes}
e3 $1 (39… g3+ 40. fxg3 (40. Bxg3 Ng4+ 41. hxg4 hxg3+ 42. Kxg3 f4+ 43. Kh4
Qh1+ 44. Kg5 Qh6#) 40… hxg3+ 41. Bxg3 Ng4+ 42. hxg4 Rh7+ 43. Bh4 Rxh4#)) 37.
Bb6 Kh7 38. Be8 Rg7 39. Qc8 g4 {Black now threatens 40…Nf3+ and 41…Qa1+
mating} 40. hxg4 Rxg4 41. Kf1 $8 h3 $1 42. Bd8 {[#] An incredible postion has
been reached in which all White’s pieces are on Black’s back row. Black is
winning by just one tempo.} hxg2+ 43. Ke2 Be7 ({Simplest is} 43… g1=Q 44.
Bxf6 Rf4 {but I wanted two queens and almost paid for my greed.}) 44. Bxe7 Qxe7
45. Bh5 $1 {White’s only chance. This move came as a complete shock.} ({After}
45. Qxf5+ Kg7 {White can do nothing.}) 45… Qf6 $1 ({I had visions of such
lines as} 45… Qg7 46. Qxf5+ Kh6 47. Bxg4 Qxg4+ 48. Qxg4 Nxg4 49. Rb1 {
and Black will certainly not win.}) 46. Bxg4 fxg4 47. Qg8+ Kh6 48. Rf8 Qf3+ $1
49. Rxf3 exf3+ ({Prettier would have been} 49… gxf3+ 50. Ke3 Ng6) 50. Ke3
g1=Q {White will soon run out of checks.} 0-1
[/pgn]
This is what was written about Julian prior to the 1979 Spassky vs the BCF Junior Squad simultaneous display : “St Paul’s and Shepherds Bush. Rating 210. Standard London Amateur Champion at age 12, 1975.
Standard London under-18 champion, 1976. British under-21 co-champion, 1977. Youngest ever to beat two grandmasters in successive games, 1978.”
Aside from more formal achievements, he developed a sharp, relentless, attacking style of play and against lesser opponents this frequently resulted in devastating quick wins, earning him the epithet “Grandmaster of Disaster”.
Hans Ree plays Julian Hodgson at the Cannes Team Tournament, 1992
Hodgson’s greatest legacy as a chess player may however lie in his resurrection of an almost forgotten opening system. The Trompowsky Attack (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) had floundered in the doldrums for many years, prior to his adoption and development of the opening. In interviews, he reveals that this was born out of laziness and a reluctance to learn established chess opening theory. It soon became his weapon of choice with the white pieces, leading to a surprising popularisation of the system, the spawning of a whole generation of devotees and ironically, a number of theoretical guides, containing a high quota of Hodgson’s own games and analysis. Indeed, his expert treatment of the system once prompted fellow grandmaster Joe Gallagher to write that it should be renamed the Hodgson–Trompowsky Attack, a view shared by many other masters. A chess journalist once wrote that Hodgson put the ‘romp’ into Trompowsky.
A related, but more obscure version of the system (1.d4 d5 2.Bg5), has been dubbed by some the Hodgson Attack and by others the Pseudo-Trompowsky or Queen’s Bishop Attack.
[fen]rnbqkb1r/pppppppp/5n2/6B1/3P4/8/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKBNR b KQkq – 0 1[/fen]
and
[fen]rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3p2B1/3P4/8/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKBNR b KQkq – 0 1[/fen]
Julian, Dominic Lawson and Matthew SadlerChess Traveller’s Quiz Book, Julian Hodgson, Cadogan Press, 1996, ISBN-13 : 978-1857440300Attack with Julian Hodgson, Book No.1Attack with Julian Hodgson, Book No.2Quick Chess KnockoutsJulian Hodgson drawn by Rupert van der Linden
We are delighted to offer (Arthur) John Roycroft best wishes on his birthday, this day (July 25th) in 1929.
John was born in Hendon, London and his mother’s maiden name was Banks.
AJR aged 9, courtesy of the BCPS web site.
John moved to Brighton and then evacuated to Calcot, North Wales and returned to Brighton when the threat of war had subsided.
He married Betty in 1961 and they had a son and a daughter and now have several grand children.
He claimed that he had never suffered a common cold.
John is Platinum Life Member of the English Chess Federation and an “ECF Supporter”.
The Chess Endgame Study
“From The Oxford Companion to Chess (Oxford University Press, 1984) by David Hooper and Ken Whyld :
English study composer and author, International Judge of Chess Compositions (1959), Computer systems analyst.
In 1965 he founded EG, a quarterly publication which became the world’s first and only long-running magazine devoted wholly to studies.
His Test Tube Chess (1972), the best English language guide to the art of studies., was revised and republished as The Chess Endgame Study (1981).
Test Tube Chess, AJ Roycroft, Faber and Faber Limited, 1972, ISBN 0 571 09573 9
Studies are commonly classified by means of the GBR code of which he was co-inventor.”
From The Encyclopedia of Chess (Robert Hale, 1970 & 1976) by Anne Sunnucks :
“FIDE Judge of Endgame Studies. Born on 25th July 1929. Founder of the Chess Endgame Study Circle in London in March 1965.and its quarterly magazine EG, the first and only publication exclusively devoted to the composed chess ending. Roycroft who is a computer systems analyst and lives in London, has composed about 20 endgame studies.”
AJ Roycroft
“EG” July 1965
[fen]5B2/8/7N/1pK5/2p5/2Rbn3/1k6/8 w – – 0 1[/fen]
We wish Tony Kosten best wishes on his birthday, this day (July 24th) in 1958.
Tony was born in North Eastern Surrey, and eventually relocated to France where he now resides.
Tony is married to Gyongyver Kosten-Forintos, the daughter of Hungarian Grandmaster Győző Forintos.
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
Tony played for Lower Earley Chess Club in the Berkshire League and for Streatham & Brixton in the National Club competition.
He was =3rd in the 1982 British Championship in Torquay (won by Tony Miles)
He was =2nd in the 1984 Robert Silk Young Masters.
He won the Berkshire Chess Association Quickplay title in 1985.
Tony was runner-up to Yuri Balashov at Minsk 1986.
He won Naujac 2000 with 7.5/9
Tony won many other events : See his Wikipedia entry for details.
Tony Kosten (fourth from left) at a NatWest Bank sponsored event
Tony is the founder of chesspublishing.com, a subscription based web site specialising in cutting edge opening theory with many contributors.
He plays for Guildford in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) is registered as a member of the French federation. He also plays for Schott Mainz in the German Team Championship.
According to Megabase 2020 his highest FIDE rating was 2551 in July 2002 at the age of 44.
With the white pieces Tony prefers the Ruy Lopez and Giuoco Piano with the English coming a close second.
With black Tony defends the Lopez and the Nimzo-Indian defence.
{[%evp 0,101,27,41,73,77,92,75,87,68,70,67,65,46,40,45,61,35,38,10,5,16,33,3,
13,22,22,17,20,7,27,18,75,19,22,-2,32,18,24,22,78,54,60,52,69,35,64,88,97,106,
137,113,135,63,148,112,115,101,110,122,153,169,169,159,166,170,150,123,116,81,
96,93,138,125,119,148,148,163,192,192,183,177,177,192,179,196,195,196,222,222,
363,398,579,586,586,386,29989,29988,29989,29990,29991,29992,29993,29994]} 1. e4
{Somewhat unusual for me. I haven’t played this very often in serious games
for many years, as I normally prefer the English Opening. Why, you are
probably wondering, did I play it here, then? For the simple reason that, in
my preparation, I noticed that my opponent liked to play Hanham’s Variation of
Philidor’s Defence. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it is a good
defence, it is just that I have played it many times myself, as Black, and
have even written a book about the Philidor. So, I hoped that my opponent
would play the Philidor against me, but I didn’t think that he would dare!} d6
{Phew! I don’t know what I would have done if he had played something else!} 2.
d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 {I believe this to be the best way to reach this position for
Black, as the endgame following 4 dxe5 dxe5 5 Qxd8+ Kxd8 is nothing much for
White.} 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. a4 c6 {Thus, we have reached one
of the main Hanham positions. There were several different lines that I wanted
to try, but eventually I decided to play an aggressive one.} 8. Ba2 b6 9. Be3
Bb7 10. Nd2 {This is a good move, sometimes the knight can come to c4, to
pressurise the d6-square, but I had another idea in mind.} a6 {Correct, Black
prepares his queenside counterplay with …b5, if White does nothing he can
easily find himself at a disadvantage.} 11. f4 {The point, and similar to a
plan Alekhine once employed, White opens the f-file.} b5 12. Qf3 exd4 {I think
that this is the right moment for this, otherwise, White might play dxe5, and
f5, g4-g5, with a powerful attack.} 13. Bxd4 b4 14. Ne2 c5 15. Be3 Qc7 16. Ng3
Rae8 {Black targets the e4-pawn, and restricts White’s mobility.} 17. Bf2 {
This seems like a waste of a move, but e4 needed defending.} Bd8 18. Rfe1 {
The f-rook comes here, because the a-rook has its place ready on the open
d-file.} Qc6 {I had half-expected my opponent to try the pawn sacrifice} (18…
d5 $5 {when} 19. exd5 Nb6 20. Nde4 Nxe4 21. Nxe4 c4 {offers Black reasonable
compensation, as the black pieces seem active.}) 19. Bb3 {Played with the
intention of continuing 20 a5, and 21 Ba4, which explains my opponent’s reply.}
a5 20. Bc4 $1 {Coming to b5, there are a lot of black pieces on the a4-e8
diagonal!} Qc7 {With this pawn structure, Black can ill-afford to exchange
light-squared bishops by} (20… Ba6 21. Rad1 {as if} Bxc4 22. Nxc4 {the
d6-pawn becomes a real problem.}) 21. Rad1 g6 {Finally, Black defends against
the threat of Nf5.} 22. Bb5 Re6 $6 {Perhaps Black should have taken the
opportunity to get rid of his backward d-pawn by} (22… d5 23. e5 d4 {
although, it is true, after} 24. Nge4 {Black’s light squares are weak.}) 23.
Nc4 Rfe8 24. f5 $1 Rxe4 {Of course, Black is forced into giving-up the
exchange as} (24… gxf5 $2 25. Nxf5 Nxe4 26. Bxd7 Qxd7 27. Qg4+ {wins,} Rg6 $4
28. Nh6+ {and the queen is lost.}) 25. Nxe4 Rxe4 26. Rxe4 Bxe4 27. Qe2 d5 28.
Bg3 Qa7 29. fxg6 $1 {The sting in the tail, which reduces Black’s compensation
for the exchange to just one pawn.} hxg6 30. Nd6 {The second point, White will
exchange Black’s powerful e4-bishop.} c4+ 31. Bf2 (31. Kh1 $1 {may have been
even better, but I had seen a way to a simple win, and so I didn’t hesitate.})
31… Bb6 32. Bxd7 Nxd7 33. Nxe4 dxe4 34. Bxb6 Qxb6+ 35. Kh1 Qc6 {The position
is quite lost for Black, for instance, the tactical} (35… Nf6 {loses a pawn
to} 36. Qxc4 {as} Ng4 $4 {is impossible:} 37. Qc8+ {picking-up the knight.})
36. Qd2 $1 {Black is given no time to set up his defence.} Nf8 {Unfortunately
for Black, the natural move} (36… Nf6 {allows} 37. Qd8+ Kg7 $4 (37… Kh7 {
is better, but} 38. Qe7 {forces} Qe6 {which is hopeless.}) 38. Rd6) 37. Qd5
Qxa4 38. Qxc4 e3 39. b3 Qe8 40. Re1 {Winning the e-pawn. I expected my
opponent to resign here, but he must have felt that he still had a chance.} Qe5
41. Qd3 Qb2 42. h3 {A precaution against back-rank mates.} Ne6 43. Rxe3 Nd4 44.
Kh2 a4 45. bxa4 Nxc2 46. Re8+ Kg7 47. Qd6 Qc1 {This allows White to force mate
in two different ways, but which one should I choose?} 48. Qf8+ (48. Qe5+ f6 {
amount to the same} 49. Re7+ Kh6 50. Qxf6 {but why allow a spite check?}) 48…
Kf6 49. Qh8+ Kg5 50. Qe5+ f5 51. Qe7+ (51. Qe7+ Kh5 52. Rh8+ Qh6 53. g3 $1 Qxh8
54. Qh4#) 1-0
[/pgn]
Tony KostenWinning Endgames, Crowood, 1987Winning with the Philidor, Batsford, 1992101 Tips to Improve your Chess, Batsford, 1996The Dynamic English, Gambit, 1999
BCN sends best wishes to John Rice on his birthday, July 19th in 1937.
John Michael Rice was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, North Riding, his mother’s maiden name was Blake. John lives in Surbiton, Surrey and teaches Modern Languages at Tiffin School, Kingston-Upon-Thames.
An ABC of Chess Problems
From An ABC of Chess Problems :
“The author is one of the country’s most prolific foremost composers and problem critics. He has gained mainly tourney honours, both at home and abroad, and since 1961 has been editor of a flourishing problem section in the British Chess Magazine, the country’s leading chess periodical. He lives in London and teaches Modern Languages at Tiffin School, Kingston-Upon-Thames.”
From chesscomposers.blogspot.com :
John Rice was the chief editor of the problems section of the “British Chess Magazine” from 1961 until 1974 and is a faithful collaborator of “The Problemist“. He has written “Chess Problem: Introduction to an Art” (1963) together with Robin Matthews and Michael Lipton and “The Two-Move Chess Problem” (1966), “Serieshelpmates” (1978) with Anthony Dickins or “Chess Wizardry: The New ABC of Chess Problems” (1996).
Translated from https://peoplepill.com/people/john-michael-rice/ :
“Since the mid-fifties he has composed problems of all kinds, but above all in two moves. In the 1960s he was editor of the problems section of the British Chess Magazine. Since 1999 he has been editor of The Problemist magazine.
International Master of Composition since 1969 and International Judge for Composition since 1972.
President of the PCCC (Permanent Commission for Chess Composition) from 2002 to 2006.
He worked as a teacher of modern languages in a school in Kingston-upon-Thames.
Winton Capital British Chess Problem Solving Championships 2016
Together with Barry Barnes and Michael Lipton he wrote the book Chess Problems: Introduction to an Art (Faber & Faber, London 1963).
Chess Problems : Introduction to an Art
He composes mostly direct mates, but can composes as well in other genres, including fairies. He is an International Judge for twomovers, helpmates and fairy problems and the former President of the PCCC from 2004 until 2006.
John was awarded the title of “International Grandmaster for chess compositions” in 2015.
From British Chess, Pergamon Press, 1983 by GS Botterill, DNL Levy, JM Rice and MJ Richardson :
“I was taught the moves of chess in 1947 at the age of ten and quickly realised that I liked the game no more than Ludo or Snakes and Ladders where the chances of losing seemed to me unfairly high. But the chess pieces and their moves fascinated me, so it is hardly surprising that before long I had turned to problems and become an ardent fan of Brian Harley in his Observer column, especially as I had come across and paid two shillings (!) for his Mate in Two Moves in a second-hand bookshop in Reigate. Harley, together with T. R. Dawson in the British Chess Magazine and C. S. Kipping in CHESS, provided the sources of my first solving pleasure and the inspiration for my first efforts at composition. Among my early successes was problem l, heavily constructed but strategically rich, a first prize winner in a tournament for composers under 21, one of a series organised by the British Chess Problem Society.
1
1st Prize, BCPS Under-21 Tournament, 1955
[fen]4B1N1/4nqr1/r3R3/R4npk/3pQB1P/4p1pP/4P1N1/5K2 w – – 0 1[/fen]
I had grown up in Scarborough (Yorkshire), out of contact with other problem enthusiasts, and a chance meeting in December, 1954 with Michael Lipton in Cambridge, where we were both taking Scholarship examinations, brought the realisation that there was far more to the two-move chess problem than the solidly entrenched traditionalism espoused in those days by the columns of The Problemist and CHESS. Very soon the bulk of my output was in the modern style (with set and try-play) and published abroad, notably in Die Schwalbe, whose two-move editor, Hermann Albrecht, did much to stimulate my interest. Problem 2 gained a coveted prize in an extremely strong formal tournament judged by Michael
Lipton, following an article of his on the potentialities of the half-battery theme (illustrated here by the arrangement on the c-file).
2
5th prize, 133rd Theme Tournament, Die Schwalbe, 1961.
[fen]B4b2/5b2/4p3/R1B2pp1/P1k2qQ1/P1Npp3/1KN5/2R2n2 w – – 0 1[/fen]
The half-battery is only one of several themes which have commanded my attention over the past 20 years, others being white self-pin in try and key (illustrated by problem 3), Grimshaw and Nowotny (problem 4), reciprocal and cyclic play (problem V, the first published example of cyclic mates in three phases), pawn-promotion effects, and tasks of various types, especially open gates. My total problem output numbers about 600.
3
The Tablet, Commended, BCPS Ring Tournament 1958; Brian Harley Award
[fen]1b1r4/3n4/6b1/5Q2/3p1p1R/3Pkp1R/2P1N2K/3BB2n w – – 0 1[/fen]
In 1961 I took over from S. Sedgwick the editorship of the problem section of the British Chess Magazine, which post I held until December, 1974. It was a source of pride to me that I was now doing the job once done by the great T. R Dawson, though I knew that I could never bring to it the same tireless energy and all-round expertise which he had displayed so impressively. At about the same time I embarked with Michael Lipton and Robin Matthews on a venture which was to have repercussions throughout the entire problem world,
namely a series of books on problems published by Faber and Faber. The first, Chess Problems: Introduction to an Art (Lipton, Matthews and Rice), appeared in 1963, and was followed three years later by The Two-move Chess Problem: Tradition and Development, also with Michael Lipton, but this time the third collaborator was Barry Barnes, who has long been a close friend and influence. The third book in the series, An ABC of Chess Problems (1970), was a solo effort.
4
4th prize, BCF Tournament 123, 1970
[fen]3RK3/b1RN4/r3pPn1/1p1N3Q/1Bpk4/6q1/5P2/1B6 w – – 0 1[/fen]
My interest in Fairy Chess dates from a meeting in the mid-1960s with the late John Driver, whose enthusiasm for the pleasures to be derived from non-orthodox forms I found highly infectious. Fairy problems soon began to appear in the BCM column and were favourably received. The serieshelpmate, where White remains stationary while Black plays a sequence of moves to reach a position where White can mate in one, has perhaps interested me more than any other non-orthodox form (see problem Vl), and in 1971 I collaborated with Anthony Dickins to produce a book on the subject, The Serieshelpmate (published by the Q Press, first edition 1971, second edition 1978).
5
1st Prize, Problem 37th Theme Tournament, 1961-62
[fen]1Q5B/1p1k1p2/r5r1/b1PN1p2/2KR3q/8/8/8 w – – 0 1[/fen]
White mates in 2
Set: 1…Kc6; 2. Qe8 (A)
1…Ke6; 2. Qc8 (B)
Try: 1.Nb6+?, Kc6;2.Qc8 (B)
Ke6;2.Qd6 (C)
Ke7!
Key : 1.Nf6+! Kc6;2.Qd6 (C)
Ke6;2.Qe8 (A)
Since 1974 my problem activities have necessarily been restricted by the demands of family life (wife and two sons, none of them much interested in chess) and my career (schoolmaster, formerly Head of Modern Languages Department and now Director of Studies at Tiffin School, Kingston Upon Thames. Other leisure-time interests (not that there is much leisure time) include cricket and classical music.”
6
2nd Prize, BCF Tournament 127, 1971
[fen]qk6/prb5/pN1p4/p7/P3K3/6p1/6r1/7b b – – 0 1[/fen]
From The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Batsford, 1977), Harry Golombek OBE, John Rice write about himself:
“British problem composer, output about 500, mainly modern-style two-movers but also several helpmates, serieshelpmates and fairy problems. Editing: problem section of British Chess Magazine (1961-1974). Author of An ABC of Chess Problems(1970), and co-author of Chess Problems: Introduction to an Art (1963), The Two-move Chess Problem: Tradition and Development (1966) and The Serieshelpmate (1971). International master (1969): International Judge (1972).”
The Two Move Chess Problem : Tradition and DevelopmentJohn Rice at a Winton Capital BCPS Problem Solving event at Eton CollegeChess Problems for SolvingThe SerieshelpmateBritish Chess, Pergamon Press, 1983. Editors : GS Botterill, DNL Levy, JM Rice and MJ Richardson
BCN remembers much loved Ken Whyld who passed away on July 11th 2003 in Lincolnshire.
Ken Whyld from CHESS magazine, January 1950. courtesy of the Ken Whyld Association
From Chess : The Records :
“Ken Whyld was the editor of Chess Students Quarterly in the early 1950s and from 1955-63, Chess Reader, in which he reviewed more than 500 chess books. He has written seven tournament books and one match book.
Ken Whyld (06-iii-1926 11-vii-2003)
With J. Gilchrist he wrote a three-volume anthology of Lasker’s games, and with David Hooper, The Oxford Companion to Chess.
Ken at the gravestone of “William” Steinitz
For the book World Chess Champions he wrote the chapters on Lasker and Smyslov. In his playing days he was champion of his county (Nottinghamshire) many times and played in the British Championship as well as international tournaments.”
Ken Whyld (06-iii-1926 11-vii-2003)
Possibly the best tribute to Ken was written by John Saunders and Bernard Cafferty in the August 2003 issue of British Chess Magazine, pages 398 – 402.
Editorial from British Chess Magazine, Volume CXXIII (123), Number 8 (August), page 395 by Editor, John SaundersKen Whyld Remembered from British Chess Magazine, Volume CXXIII (123), Number 8 (August), page 398 by Editor, John Saunders and Bernard CaffertyKen Whyld Remembered from British Chess Magazine, Volume CXXIII (123), Number 8 (August), page 399 by Editor, John Saunders and Bernard CaffertyKen Whyld Remembered from British Chess Magazine, Volume CXXIII (123), Number 8 (August), page 400 by Editor, John Saunders and Bernard CaffertyKen Whyld Remembered from British Chess Magazine, Volume CXXIII (123), Number 8 (August), page 401 by Editor, John Saunders and Bernard CaffertyKen Whyld Remembered from British Chess Magazine, Volume CXXIII (123), Number 8 (August), page 402 by Editor, John Saunders and Bernard CaffertyKen Whyld
{[%evp 0,32,16,28,38,44,44,-1,8,-27,-27,-37,13,-64,-39,9,-2,-2,17,-77,-77,-98,
-24,-108,13,-71,-3,-51,-17,-70,-13,-29995,-29996,-29997,-29998]} 1. e4 {
1) Ken Whyld in CHESS 1998/11.} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4
6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 {“I particularly remember this game
because here my opponent said ‘Ah! Pillsbury played that against me’.” (Ken
Whyld)} 10. Bc2 O-O 11. Qe2 f5 12. exf6 Rxf6 13. Be3 Bg4 14. Bxc5 Bxf3 15. gxf3
Rg6+ 16. Kh1 Qg5 {Note: E D Fawcett was aged 84 in 1950, having been born in
April 1866. Source: CHESS, November 1998.} 0-1
[/pgn]
The Collected Games of Emanuel LaskerThe Oxford Companion to ChessChess : The Records, Guinness, 1986, SBN 10: 0851124550ISBN 13: 9780851124551Learn Chess in a WeekendChess Columns : A ListChess ReaderChess Stalker QuarterlyThe Oxford Companion to Chess, 1st EditionCurse of Kirsan by Sarah Hurst, Ken wrote the Foreword.
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