British Chess News

Birthday of IM Gavin Crawley (08-v-1963)
2020-05-08
Birthday of IM Gavin Crawley (08-v-1963)
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Birthday of FM Stuart Hutchings (08-v-1951)
2020-05-08
Birthday of FM Stuart James Hutchings (08-v-1951)
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Birthday of IM Neil Bradbury (09-v-1964)
2020-05-09
Birthday of IM Neil H Bradbury (09-v-1964)

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Birthday of IM Jack Rudd (13-v-1979)
2020-05-13
Birthday of IM Jack Rudd (13-v-1979)
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Birthday of IM John Cooper (14-v-1954)
2020-05-14
Birthday of IM John Grantley Cooper (14-v-1954)
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Birthday of GM Matthew D Sadler (15-v-1974)
2020-05-15
Birthday of GM Matthew D Sadler (15-v-1974)
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Birthday of Mark Crowther (16-v-1966)
2020-05-16
Birthday of TWIC founder, Mark Crowther (16-v-1966)
From Wikipedia :
The Week in Chess (TWIC) is one of the first, if not the first, Internet-based chess news services. It is based in the United Kingdom.
TWIC has been edited by Mark Crowther since its inception in 1994.[1] It began as a weekly Usenet posting, with “TWIC 1” being posted to Usenet group rec.games.chess on 17 September 1994.[2] Later it moved to Crowther’s personal web site, then to chesscenter.com in 1997,[3] and in 2012 it moved to theweekinchess.com.[4]
It contains both chess news, and all the game scores from major events.
TWIC quickly became popular with professional chess players, because it allowed them to quickly get results and game scores, where previously they had relied on print publications.[5]
TWIC still exists as a weekly newsletter, although for important events the TWIC website is updated daily. It remains a popular site for up-to-date chess news.[6]
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Birthday of GM James Clifford Howell (17-v-1967)
2020-05-17
GM James Clifford Howell
Birthday of GM James Clifford Howell (17-v-1967)
GM James Howell
From Wikipedia :
James Clifford Howell (born May 17, 1967) is an English chess grandmaster and author. He earned his international master title in 1985 and his grandmaster title ten years later, in 1995. He reached his peak rating in July 1995, at 2525.[1] He became inactive in 1996.
James Howell as Junior British Chess Captain at Goldmark Books Chess Challenge, London England 27 May 1986, Upingham Community College, Kasparov played the BCF Junior Squad. Photo from Alamy
Oxford’s IM James Howell (l) shapes up against Cambridge’s FM Graham Burgess on top board in the Lloyds Bank Varsity match which Cambridge won 5.5 – 2.5. The players reeled off 19 moves of Yugoslav King’s Indian theory before Howell established a dominant B vs N which won the Lloyds Bank trophy for the best Oxford game. Photograph by Lloyds Bank.
Here is a game from the European Junior Championship in 1985. The opponent was Mark R. Burgess :

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James Howell (fourth from left) in 1978 Varsity match winning Oxford Team. James was from Jesus College.
James Clifford Howell (rear, fourth from left)at a Lloyds Bank event
Essential Chess Endings
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Birthday of FM Alan Pollard (17-v-1947)
2020-05-17
Birthday of FM Alan Pollard (17-v-1947)
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Birthday of IM Andrew Martin (18-v-1957)
2020-05-18
Birthday of IM Andrew Martin (18-v-1957)
From ChessBase :
Andrew David Martin (born 18th May 1957 in West Ham, London) is an English chess player with the title of international master. Martin has won various national and international tournaments. He has been playing for years in the Four Nations Chess League, at present (July 2009) for Wood Green Hilsmark Kingfisher, previously for the Camberley Chess Club. Martin received his title as international master in 1984. He earned his first grandmaster norm in the British Championship of 1997 in Brighton. Martin was a commentator on the chess world championship between Kasparov and Kramnik in 2000.
On the 21st February 2004 Martin set a new world record for simultaneous chess.

He faced 321 chess players at the same time. His result was: 294 wins, 26 draws and only one loss. Martin is known as a professional chess teacher and head trainer of the English youth team. He trains eight schools (Yateley Manor, Aldro, Millfield, Sunningdale, Waverley School, St Michael’s Sandhurst, Wellington College, Salesian College). Martin is a chess columnist, an author of chess books and the author of various instructional videos. He was the publisher of the series Trends Publications. Martin lives in Sandhurst, England, is married and the father of two daughters and two sons. His present Elo rating is 2423 (as of July 2009).
Andrew coaching students
The above is somewhat inaccurate and out of date. Andrew came from East Ham rather than West Ham. He was the editor rather than the publisher of Trends Publications and he lives in Bramley, Surrey with his partner Naomi.
On July 23rd 1981 a world record attempt of continuous blitz games was undertaken at the National Film Theatre in London with much support of the membership of London Central YMCA.
Yours Truly (John Upham) plays Andrew Martin at the NFT
Andrew now plays for Camberley and Guildford clubs in the Berkshire and Surrey Border Leagues and is former member of London Central YMCA (CentYMCA), Wood Green and Barbican clubs.
Andrew plays JJ Ady whilst Simon LeBlanq observes at the London Central YMCA
Andrew has written many books starting as Editor of the “Trends Series” for Tournament Chess owned by Richard O’Brien (Not of The Crystal Maze). He has authored numerous DVDs for Foxy Videos and ChessBase and has a YouTube Channel focused on young and improving players called “Andrew Martin – Chess Explorations“.
Andrew’s first book as author was this one :
Winning With the King’s Indian, Caissa Publishing, Andrew Martin, 1989
Here is one his favourite games :

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Trends in the Slav Defence, Tournament Chess, Andrew Martin, 1990
The Contemporary Anti-Dutch, 1990
Here is a second memorable game :

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Secret Weapons, Tournament Chess, 1991
Short, Tournament Chess, 1993
Alekhine’s Defence, 2001
The Essential Center-Counter, 2004
King’s Indian Battle Plans, 2004
The Hippopotamus Rises, 2005
Play the Benko Gambit, 2007
First Steps : Queen’s Gambit, 2016
First Steps : Caro-Kann Defence, 2018
First Steps : King’s Indian Defence, 2019
Chess Hacker, Andrew Martin, Thinkers Press, 2019
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Birthday of FM Isaac B Sanders (19-v-1998)
2020-05-19
FM Isaac Sanders
Birthday of FM Isaac B Sanders (19-v-1998)
Isaac gained his FM title in 2014 and attained his peak rating of 2360 in April 2019 at the age of 21.
He plays for 4NCL Barbican, Hendon, Oxford University.
FM Isaac Sanders

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FM Isaac Sanders
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Birthday of GM Jonathan Parker (19-v-1976)
2020-05-19
GM Jonathan Francis Parker, courtesy of John Upham Photography
Birthday of GM Jonathan Francis Parker (19-v-1976)
Jonathan Parker
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Birthday of FM Charlie W Kennaugh (20-v-1953)
2020-05-20
Birthday of FM Charlie W Kennaugh (20-v-1953)
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Birthday of FM Glenn L Charleshouse (21-v-1963)
2020-05-21
Birthday of FM Glenn L Charleshouse (21-v-1963)
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Birthday of FM Kenneth Shovel (21-v-1965)
2020-05-21
Birthday of FM Kenneth Shovel (21-v-1965)
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Birthday of IM John Cox (22-v-1962)
2020-05-22
IM John Cox
BCN sends best wishes to IM John Cox on his birthday, this day, in 1962.
John was born in Altrincham, Trafford, Greater Manchester and attended Eton College playing top board in the Sunday Times National Schools Competition.
He became a FIDE Master in 1982, an International Master in 2002 and obtained a peak rating of 2423 in January of 2006.
He is an expert bridge player and an amateur rock climber / mountaineer.
John plays for Cavendish in the London League, Hackney in other leagues and Barbican in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL).
From the excellent Shropshire Chess web site we have :
John Cox, aged 17, photographer unknown
“Probably the best home reared player to come out of the county, John Cox started to play at age 6 with his father Jeff (see above) joining Shrewsbury Chess Club at age 7. At age10 he became joint Shropshire lightning champion. He was 16 when he won the 1979 county championship though much of his early success was outside the county. He gained his first FM norm at the 1980 Lloyds Bank Masters where he became the first Shropshire player to beat a GM (see below), also drawing with IM’s Ligterink and Pytel. In 1981 he gained his third norm and the FM title at Ramsgate together with his first IM norm. Though now based in London, he is still a regular visitor to the local Wrekin Congress.”

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Here is his Wikipedia entry
John Cox (first from left) at a Lloyds Bank event.
John Cox (left, rear)
John Cox (left, rear) at a Lloyds Bank Varsity match
IM John Cox
Starting out 1.d4 ! by John Cox
Dangerous Weapons : The Ruy Lopez
Starting Out : Alekhine’s Defence
Dealing with d4 Deviations
Starting Out : Sicilian Sveshnikov
The Berlin Wall
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Birthday of IM Andrew Ledger (23-v-1969)
2020-05-23
IM Andrew Ledger, Courtesy of John Upham Photography
Birthday of IM Andrew Ledger (23-v-1969)
Andrew plays for Blackthorne Russia in Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) plus Woodseats, Sheffield and Yorkshire CA in other leagues and the English Counties Championship.
Andrew has two chess playing brothers, FM David Ledger and Stephen Ledger.

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Birthday of IM Chris Baker (29-v-1958)
2020-05-29
Birthday of IM Christopher Wallace Baker (29-v-1958)
Chris was born in Coventry, West Midlands and played in the Staffordshire Open in 1975 (the earliest games held in MegaBase 2020).
Chris has played for Guildford in Four Nations Chess League (4NCL).
He has been the trainer of the Welsh junior team and is a fully-qualified arbiter.
He has taught chess in many schools in the Farnham area of Surrey.
IM Chris Baker

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He has authored and co-authored a number of books including the following :
A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire
Simple Winning Chess
Learn From Your Chess Mistakes
Dynamic Black Opening Repertoire
A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire
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Birthday of GM Nigel Short (01-vi-1965)
2020-06-01
BCN wishes Nigel Short a happy birthday on this day (June 1st) in 1965.
In the 1999 Queen’s Birthday Honours List Nigel was awarded the MBE. The citation read simply : “For services to Chess”.
Here is his extensive Wikipedia entry.
For the 1979 Spassky vs the BCF Junior Squad simultaneous display this was written : “Rating 213. World No.1, 13 year old. First Evening Standard under-10s, 1975. First under-14s, 1976. First under-21s, 1978.
British Men’s Lightning (10 seconds per move) champion 1978 – the youngest National Men’s Champion in chess history. Bronze medallist world under-17 championship 1979.
In simuls Nigel has beaten Korchnoi and Petrosian. World Nos. 2 and 4. Now he plays Spassky, World No.3.”
Nigel Short plays Joel Benjamin at Lloyd’s Bank, 1976. 1-0, Maroczy Bind
Anatoly Karpov plays Nigel Short, London, Philips & Drew, French Winawer, 1/2-1/2, Stewart Reuben looking on

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Nigel Short
Nigel analyses with Viktor Korchnoi, unknown date and venue

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Nigel Short

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Nigel Short Simultaneous display at the 2012 London Chess Classic, courtesy of John Upham Photography
Nigel Short : Chess Prodigy (1981)
Nigel Short’s Chess Skills (1989)
New Ideas in the French Defence (1991)
Nigel Short
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Birthday of GM Tamas Fodor (02-vi-1991)
2020-06-02
Birthday of GM Tamas Fodor Jr. (02-vi-1991)
Tamas was born in Kalocsa, in Bács-Kiskun county, Hungary.
He became a FIDE Master in 2003 and a GM in 2013.
He reached a peak rating of 2533 in June 2019 at the age of 28. In the FIDE rating list we have also Tamas Fodor and Tamas Fodor Sr.
According to Chessgsames.com :
“Grandmaster (2012).
Won a double GM norm during the 13th European Individual Championship (2012) where he scored 6/11 and followed with another norm at the Caissa GM event in September 2012, gaining his GM title on 23 September 2012 at the age of 21 years 3 months and 21 days. (1)
Won the 3rd 4NCL Congress in July 2015. (2)
Son of Tamas Fodor Sr.”
Tamas plays for 4NCL Cheddleton, Wood Green (in the London League) and Hendon.

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GM Tamas Fodor
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Birthday of GM Jonathan Levitt (03-vi-1963)
2020-06-03
From Wikipedia (Dutch version) :
Jonathan Levitt , Jon, (born in 1963) is a British chess player . In 1984 he became a FIDE International Master and in 1994 a FIDE Grand Master.
GM Jonathan Levitt, photograph by Cathy Rogers
Levitt wrote chess anecdotes on the (no longer existing) chess portal kasparovchess.com . He also has a chess column in “Oxford Today”. Levitt is also known for his talent tests and he is also a chess teacher. Moreover, he is a master in endgame studies. He takes chess photos, some of which can be seen in Wikipedia.
Jonathan Levitt in play with Michael Adams, Lloyds Bank, 1990, Philidor, 1/2-1/2
Levitt is also the author of several chess books: “Secrets of Spectacular Chess”, “Genius in Chess”, “Advice on Improving Your Game”. He also makes chess videos for the internet.
From chessgames.com :
“Jonathan Paul Levitt was born in Southwark (London), England. Awarded the IM title in 1984, he is now a GM (1991) and a composer of problems. Winner of the Staunton Memorial in 2005. His notable works as an author include “Secrets of Spectacular Chess” and “Genius in Chess”.”
Jonathan achieved a peak rating of 2495 in January 1989 at the age of 26 and lives in Ipswich.
He shared 1st place the GLC Masters in 1986 with 10.5/15 with Neil McDonald :
Jonathan Levitt, ? and Neil McDonald at the 1986 GLC Masters

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GLC Masters crosstable, 1986
and was first equal with Jonathan Speelman in the Third Staunton Memorial in 2005 :
Third Staunton Memorial, 2005
GM Jonathan Levitt, photographer unknown

Here is his personal web site
Genius in Chess
Secrets of Spectacular Chess
GM Jonathan Levitt
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Birthday of FM Martin Taylor (04-vi-1981)
2020-06-04
Birthday of FM Martin R Taylor (04-vi-1981)
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Birthday of FM Philip Giulian (06-vi-1951)
2020-06-06
Birthday of FM Philip Maurice Giulian (06-vi-1951)
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Birthday of WIM Ingrid Lauterbach (06-vi-1960)
2020-06-06
Here is Ingrid’s German Wikipedia entry
Birthday of WIM Ingrid Lauterbach (06-vi-1960)
Ingrid became a WIM in 1987 and her peak rating was 2205 in July of 2000.
Ingrid plays for 4NCL Barbican.
WIM Ingrid Lauterbach, 4NCL 2014, courtesy of John Upham Photography

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WIM Ingrid Lauterbach, 4NCL 2012, courtesy of John Upham Photography
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Birthday of GM Dharshan Kumaran (07-vi-1975)
2020-06-07
From Wikipedia :
Dharshan Kumaran (born 7 June 1975) is an English chess grandmaster.[1] He won the World Under-12 Championship in 1986, the World Under-16 Championship in 1991, and finished 3rd equal in the World Under-20 Championship in 1994. He currently works as a neuroscience research scientist at DeepMind.[2]
GM Dharshan Kumaran
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Birthday of IM Jovanka Houska (10-vi-1980)
2020-06-10
BCN wishes many Happy Returns to IM Jovanka Houska ! (10-vi-1980)
From Wikipedia :
Jovanka Houska is an English chess player with the titles International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She is an eight-time winner of the British Women’s Chess Championship.
Jovanka Houska, photographer unknown
Jovanka was born in London and became a Women’s International Master in 1999, a Woman’s Grandmaster in 2000 and an International Master in 2005. Her peak rating was 2443 in July 2010 at the of 30.
Jovanka Houska, photographer unknown
She plays for 4NCL Wood Green and her brother is IM Miroslav Houska. Her father Mario plays for Slough.
Jovanka Houska and family members
IM Jovanka Houska, courtesy of John Upham Photography

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Dangerous Weapons : Caro-Kann
Starting Out : The Scandinavian
Play the Caro-Kann
Opening Repertoire : The Caro-Kann
The Mating Game

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IM Jovanka Houska, courtesy of John Upham Photography
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Birthday for FM Emmanuel Rayner (11-vi-1958)
2020-06-11
Birthday for FM Emmanuel Rayner (11-vi-1958)
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Birthday of WIM Natasha Regan (12-vi-1971)
2020-06-12
Birthday of WIM Natasha K Regan (12-vi-1971)
From Amazon :
“Natasha Regan was born in 1971 in London, the elder daughter of two Australian doctors. She studied Maths at Cambridge University, earned a half blue for chess, and edited the chess magazine “Dragon”. She debuted in the English Women’s chess Olympiad team in Manila, 1992.”
From Gambit Publications :
“Natasha Regan is a Women’s International Master from England who achieved a degree in mathematics from Cambridge University. While pursuing a successful career as an actuary in the insurance industry, she has raised a family and maintained a strong interest in chess and other board games, including Go.”
WIM Natasha Regan, photographer unknown
WIM Natasha Regan, courtesy of John Upham Photography, King’s Place Rapidplay, 2013

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Natasha Regan, Lloyds bank Open, Unknown photographer
Chess For Life. Gambit. ISBN 978-1910093832.
Game Changer. New In Chess. ISBN 978-9056918187.
WIM Natasha Regan, courtesy of John Upham Photography at the Keith Richardson Memorial, 2017
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Birthday of GM Paul Motwani (13-vi-1962)
2020-06-13
FM Paul Motwani (See full caption in photograph below)
Caption for photograph above
BCN wishes GM Paul Motwani Happy Birthday (13-vi-1962)
Here is his Wikipedia entry
GM Paul Motwani has just played a brutal double check in the 1990 Scottish Lightning Championship. Photograph by Alistair Mulhearn
Paul Motwani plays Bent Larsen at the 1990 Watson, Farley and Williams International Chess Challenge. The game was a 3.Lb5 sicilian which was drawn
Paul Motwani during a simultaneous display
GM Paul Motwani demonstrates one of his games

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Colin McNab and Paul Motwani in post mortem analysis
C.O.O.L. Chess
H.O.T. Chess
S*T*A*R* Chess
The Most Instructive Games of the Young Grandmasters
Chess Under the Microscope
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Birthday of FM Richard Lobo (14-vi-1955)
2020-06-14
Birthday of FM Richard Lobo (14-vi-1955)
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