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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230108
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230109
DTSTAMP:20230109T124705Z
CREATED:20230109T124704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230109T124705Z
UID:22151-1673136000-1673222399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Keith Arkell (08-i-1961)
DESCRIPTION:We send birthday wishes to GM Keith Arkell\, born this day (January 8th) in 1961. \nKeith Arkell\nHere is Keith’s Wikipedia entry \nGM Keith Arkell (ENG)\nThis was written about Keith aged 18 prior to the 1979 Spassky vs the BCF Junior Squad simultaneous display : \n“Rednal\, Birmingham. Rating 188. 2nd Lloyds Bank junior international\, 1979.” \nKeith was Southern Counties (SCCU) champion for the 2014-15 season sharing with Jonathan Hawkins \nHere is an interview with ChessBase from 2016. \nGM Keith Arkell\n\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nArkell’s Odyssey\nArkell’s Endings\, Keith Arkell\, GingerGM\, 2020\, ISBN-10 : 1527265595\nBCN has reviewed Arkell’s Endings in depth
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-keith-charles-arkell-08-i-1961-2/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210109
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210110
DTSTAMP:20220108T163914Z
CREATED:20210919T133057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220108T163914Z
UID:18870-1610150400-1610236799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Shreyas Royal (09-i-2009)
DESCRIPTION:BCN sends birthday wishes to FM Shreyas (known as “Shrey” by his friends) Royal born on Friday\, January 9th\, 2009. “Hallelujah” by Alexandra Burke was number one in the UK hit parade. \nShreyas attended The Pointer School in Blackheath\, London\, SE3 whose motto is “The Lord is my Shepherd”. \nIn October 2021 BCN secured an interview with Shreyas via his father Jitendra and below is mostly from that interview: \nBCN: What caused his initial interest in chess and at what age? \nHis initial interest in chess was capturing or as he used to call it ‘eating’ pieces but as he grew more mature\, he loved that there were so many possibilities in chess\, so much still left to explore! At the Age of 6 he learnt and got an interest in chess. \nBCN: Has Shreyas had any chess teachers or coaches? \n\n\nJyothi Lal N. with a peak of 2250 FIDE but is very knowledgeable and helped from just above beginner to 1800. He was Shreyas’s first coach.\nMeszaros Gyula (Julian) who was an IM with a peak of 2465 FIDE and was an endgame master which helped him from 1800-2100.\nHis Current Coach is GM John Emms with a peak of around 2600 FIDE\, he is an expert in many fields such as Positional Play\, Openings\, Strategic chess etc and has also made a big impact on how to prepare against opponents. He had helped him from 2100-2300 so far in just under a year!\n\n\nBCN: Which chess clubs and/ or Teams does Shreyas represent? \nHe represents SV Erkenschwick from Germany and Wasa SK from Sweden for online events as he has joined them during the pandemic. He started his 4NCL career with KJCA Kings in January 2019 but now mainly represents Wood Green which he has played for in online events in and will also represent them in the upcoming 4NCL weekends. \nHis first appearance in Megabase 2022 comes from the 2015 British Under-8 Championship in Coventry\, the eventual winner being Dhruv Radhakrishnan. \nProgress from those early days has only been interrupted by school examination breaks and the Covid pandemic: \nFIDE Rating progress chart for FM Shreyas Royal\nIn August 2016 in Bournemouth Shreyas scored an impressive 6/6 to win the British Under-8 Championship. \nShreyas Royal at the 2016 UKCC Delancey Terafinal in Loughborough courtesy of John Upham Photography\nBCN: What was his first memorable tournament success? \nThis was the 2016 European Schools Under-7 championship where he was runner-up without any preparation or work on chess! \nShreyas Royal at the 2016 UKCC Delancey Southern Gigafinal in Reading courtesy of John Upham Photography\nIn 2021 Shreyas was awarded the FM title by FIDE: \nFIDE FM Certificate for Shreyas Royal\nBCN: Which chess players past & present are inspirational for him? \n\n\nMagnus Carlsen\, world champion and broke many FIDE records also is an inspiration for most of this generation. He likes his slow grinding and almost winning from any opening or ending. This is his favourite player of all time.\nGarry Kasparov played brilliant attacking chess and calculated like a machine.\nBobby Fischer played a similar style to Kasparov but was more talented than both Magnus and Kasparov in his opinion as he worked all by himself at a time in the USA when chess was not so popular while for the Russians\, they had brilliant coaches and had one good player after the other. He rates him a bit lower because Fischer quit competitive chess a bit too early and could not reach the heights he was worthy of.\nAlireza Firouzja\nFabiano Caruana\n\n\nBCN: What are his favourite openings with the White pieces? \nHe plays 1.d4 pretty much all the time. \nMegaBase 2020 has 294 games with 1.d4 and one solitary 1.g3 from March 2021. The 1.d4 games feature main line Queen’s Gambit / Catalan type positions championing 5.Nge2 against the King’s Indian Defence and the exchange variation against the Grunfeld. \nBCN: and what are his preferred defences as the second player? \nReally depends on what they play\, against every opening he has got one or two lines which he enjoys equally. \nMegabase 2022 informs us that Shreyas defends the main line Closed Variation of the Ruy Lopez and main line Giuoco Piano. Previously he essayed the Sicilian Najdorf. \nBCN: Does he have any favourite chess books? \nNot really as he is not such a big fan of chess books\, but he likes My 60 Memorable Games by Bobby Fischer. Fundamental Chess Endings and Encyclopedia of Chess Combinations. \nBCN: Which tournaments are planned for 2022? \nWe have pencilled in a couple of norm and Open (France\, Spain\, Germany etc.) tournaments in European countries. \nBCN: What are his favourite subjects outside of chess? \nHis favourite subjects outside chess are Science\, History\, Maths with Science as his favourite\, History as his second favourite and Maths as his third favourite. \nBCN: Does Shreyas play any physical sports? \nHe does Football\, Cricket and a bit of Lawn Tennis. \nBCN: What are his plans and aspirations for the future? \nTo become a world chess champion one day\, but it’s very expensive to even get to the level of IM! Currently we are looking for sponsors who can help support Shreyas to get there. \nHere is his personal website. \nIn late December 2021 Camberley Chess Club had Shreyas as their weekly Zoom meeting guest speaker. \nand finally three of SRs favourite games: \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nand from more recent times: \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nand finally: \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nFM Shreyas Royal at the London Chess Classic\, 2021 courtesy of John Upham Photography
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-shreyas-royal-09-i-2009/
CATEGORIES:4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Junior
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200110
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200111
DTSTAMP:20260817T141234Z
CREATED:20200504T085859Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T141234Z
UID:5221-1578614400-1578700799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Roland Scott (25-iii-1888 10-i-1953)
DESCRIPTION:BCN remembers Roland Scott who passed away in Monte Carlo on Saturday\, January 10th\, 1953. \nRoland Henry Vaughan Scott was born in either Barnes or Holloway depending which Census record is correct. His parents were Walter Frederick Scott\, a GP who was born in April 1960 and died in 1891 when Roland was three years of age. \nHis mother was Lucie Vaughan was born in 1855 and died in October 1933. \nRoland had two sisters\, Nina Vaughan Scott and Lucie / Lucia Audrey Scott (who died before her first birthday) and a brother Guy Francis D Scott who lived until 1977. \nIn 1891 Roland lived in Tottenham\, in 1901 in Hampstead and in 1911 in St. Pancras where he was listed as a law clerk. \nIn 1917 The London Gazette lists him as a lieutenant in the Norfolk Regiment. \nThe 1920 electoral rolls for the Gospel Oak polling district lists Scott as voter #2006 living at 2\, Estelle Road\, North St. Pancras which is now in Belsize Park\, NW3 2JX. At the same address was his sister Lucie and in 1921 they were joined by brother Guy. \nIn July 1922 in the district of Brighton Roland married Irma Clareboudt. No children from the marriage are recorded. \nThe 1939 register lists Scott as “War Disabled ? Officer Retired In War 1914” (invalided from army) and Irma as a saleswoman (born 25th July 1895) living at 42\, Sherwell Lane\, Paignton\, Torquay\, TQ2 6BD. \n42\, Sherwell Lane\, Paignton\, Devon\, TQ2 6BD.\nThe April 1953 British Chess Magazine (Volume LXXIII\, Number 4\, page 101 onwards) contained this obituary from DJ Morgan: \nIt is with much regret that we record the death\, on January 10th\, at Monte Carlo\, of R. H. V. Scott. He had long been out of active chess\, but older readers will need no reminding of the 1920 British Champion\, with his quiet manner but attacking chess; one who was composure itself at the table but aggressiveness personified on the board. \nThe son of a doctor\, Scott was born in 1889. He was nineteen before taking to the game\, but a ready aptitude combined with great enthusiasm led to rapid progress. He joined the Hampstead Club in 1908\, and in his first tournament\, the Third Class\, came out first. ln the years that follow he pursued the game with much energy. \nAt the B.C.F. Congress\, Glasgow\, l9ll\, he won the only section of the First Class. In 1913 and in 1914 he was Hampstead Club Champion. In 1913 he was tenth in the British Championship\, at Cheltenham\, and equal fifth to sixth at Chester in the following year\, defeating Yates and drawing with Blackburne. \nIn 1915 he came second in the City of London Club Championship\, but won that of the Metropolitan Club. During the same year he lost a short match with Sir G. A. Thomas 1-3. The war years\, with a commission in the Norfolk Regiment\, intervened\, but chess filled his available moments. \nIn 1916 he defeated L. I. Estrin\, a young Russian who was Hampstead Champion\, 5-2 in a match. ln 1919 he lost a match with Winter at Hastings (2-4)\, and shared seventh to eighth positions with Dr. Olland (Holland) at the B.C.F. Hastings Victory Congress\, with victories over Olland\, \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nR. P. Michell\, Marchand\, and Conde. Then came the B.C.F. Edinburgh Congress of 1920\, Scott became British Champion\, losing only\nto Sir G. A. Thomas. \nIn this year he also drew a match\, 3-3\, with Marchand\, of Holland\, also at Hastings. There followed three more appearances in the championship\, Malvern\, 1921 (equal fifth to sixth); Southsea\,1923 (equal third to fourth); and Southport\, 1924 (fourth). And with this Scott passed out of British chess. Ill health and failing eyesight\, direct results of sufferings and injuries endured on active service during the war\, began to take their toll. On medical advice he sought a warmer climate\, and the Riviera henceforth became his home. \nWe find him sharing seventh to eighth positions at the Hyères Congress\, in 1926\, and coming equal fifth to sixth\, with B. Reilly (our Editor’s first international tourney we believe)\, at Hyères\, 1927. \nThe days of active play were over\, but his great interest in the game remained. Scott was a natural attacking player\, more likely\, perhaps\, to win the Brilliancy Prize than the First Prize. \nEdo rating profile for RHV Scott\nWe have given the bare outline of a career that was all too short\, one cut down\, in a sense before reaching full maturity. Contemporary records sometimes expressed the need for more stability in Scott’s chess\, but they chronicle games of his that speak forcibly of the imaginative\, refreshing\, and invigorating qualities of his play. We offer an early game\, the Brilliancy Prize winner\, City of London C.C. Championship\, 1913-14. White’s 20th move sets the game alight. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume XLI (1920)\, Number 10 (October)\, page 305 we have the following report of his exploits winning the 1920 British Championship in Edinburgh: \n“We are glad to be able to present to our readers a photograph of the new champion\, Mr. R.H.V Scott. He informs us that it is his most recent one\, taken in 1917 when subaltern in the Norfolk Regiment. He saw service with the latter in France\, and\, as is probably know to most of our subscribers\, was badly gassed\, from the effects of which is now happily quite recovered. \nHis victory in the recent Congress in Edinburgh is welcome from at least two points of view; one\, that he is one of our youngest first class players (ed: he was 32 at the time\, a veteran by the standards of 2022!)\, having been born in 1889 (ed: this should have been 1888)\, and therefore may justifiably be expected to improve still further with experience and some curbing of his impatience in defence; and\, two\, that he claim to represent the more brilliant school of chess\, that of Pillsbury\, Marshall\, Charousek\, and Morphy\, rather than the more solid school\, of say\, Steinitz and Rubinstein\, who theory was the pilling up of small advantages. \nScott has an excellent “nose” for attack\, and has some exceedingly “chessy” ideas. During the congress he put a much greater restraint on himself than is his wont\, and we believe this to be the reason he so improved on his previous records. \nHe had what might be described as the worst of the draw\, since he had Black against Sir George  Thomas\, EG Sergeant and RP Michell. Some writers have described him as lucky to win\, but a study of his games and a comparison with those of others in the tourney go to prove that he played more far-sightedly than any of the others. \nWe are quite aware that the form of any player is variable\, and we have seen Sir George Thomas play much better chess and much less strainedly than he did at Edinburgh. EG Sergeant was generally playing quite at his best\, but once or twice his play deteriorated\, perhaps as the result of a sleepless night\, he then seemed bereft of ideas\, and allowed the clock to beat him. This also was the case with Michell\, who had many a rush to save his flag falling before the necessary moves were made. Now Scott almost invariably had time to spare. \nPerhaps the worst reversal of form was that of JH Blake; but he had been working very hard and late for some time right up to the day the Congress commenced\, and was not really in a fit state of health to take part. \nScott has twice before competed for the Championship; in 1913 where he finished eighth\, and in 1914 when he was fifth\, beating FD Yates\, the then Champion and drawing with JH Blackburne. \nHe has won several brilliancy prizes in congress and club tourneys\, and was the champion of the Hampstead Chess Club (where he may have been said to have learnt the game) in 1913 and 1914. He was first acquainted with the moves in 1908. \nHe is keen on all sports\, and puts his whole energy into each line he may be taking. With yet more self-restraint we think his chess will still further improve\, and we venture to prophesy this will not be the last British Chess Championship he will win.” \nIn his memoirs William Winter wrote this: \n“I also had the opportunity of playing a number of semi-serious games with RHV Scott and D. Miller\, two of the leading London amateurs. Scott was probably the most brilliant combinative played England has ever seen and had already won almost every honour except the British Championship\, which fell to him in 1920. \nSince those days I have played over hundreds of games\, including the beautiful brilliancies of the modern Russian school\, and Scott’s best combinations stand up quite well beside them. There were however weaknesses in his play which I shall discuss later. Miller was just the opposite type\, a dour solid player exceptionally hard to beat. He is\, I am glad to say\, still with us\, but Scott died a few years ago – he had been out of chess for a long time.” \nand this: \n“It is entirely legitimate\, and can prove very useful until one comes up against an opponent like Capablanca who had no weaknesses of any kind. ln Scott’s case\, one of his foibles was an aversion to exchanging queens\, and I took full advantage of this in the first two games of the match both of which I won with comparative ease; but Scott was not finished yet.’ In the third game he tied me up in a variation of the Sicilian which I had not previously seen\, and in the fourth I made the fatal mistake in going for an early win of material and allowing him a king’s side attack. Things now looked bad for me. I had the black pieces in the fifth game and I dared not play my favourite Sicilian defence because I could not discover a satisfactory answer to his new line.” \nStrangely\, none of the Encyclopaedia’s by Golombek\, Sunnucks or Hooper & Whyld felt that RHVS merited an entry. However Gaige does not forget. \nHere is an interesting article from “introuble2” entitled 100 years ago… chess in London during World War I in which Scott is mentioned. \nHere is an excellent article from John Saunders \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-roland-henry-vaughan-scott-25-iii-1888-10-i-1953/
CATEGORIES:2023,British Championships,History,Player,Remembering
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230111
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230112
DTSTAMP:20260817T141002Z
CREATED:20191230T140104Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T141002Z
UID:2645-1673395200-1673481599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Shaun Taulbut (11-i-1958)
DESCRIPTION:We send best wishes to IM Shaun Mark Taulbut born on this day (January 11th) in 1958. \nIM Shaun Mark Taulbut\nHere is his Wikipedia article from the Polish (!) version : \nIn 1974. I shared m. In the championship of Great Britain juniors to 16 years [1] \, whereas in 1977. Won the Brighton title of vice-champion of Great Britain (won the George Botterill ). He achieved the greatest success in his career at the turn of 1977 and 1978 in Groningen \, where he won the title of European champion up to 20 years [2] . In 1978 in Mexico he won the title of team world champion in the category up to 26 years [3] . He achieved another success in 1981 in Copenhagen \, sharing the first town (together with Petyr Welikow and Tom Wedberg ) inopen tournament Politiken Cup . In the same year\, he divided II-IV in New York \, while in 1982 he repeated this achievement in London (after William Watson \, together with Jonathan Tisdall and Mark Hebden ). In 1983 he ended his chess career. \nIM Shaun Mark Taulbut\nHe reached the highest ranking in his career on July 1\, 1982\, sharing 9-10 points with 2465 points. place among English chess players [4] . \nHe is the author of many books on chess\, primarily devoted to the theory of debuts . \nIM Shaun Mark Taulbut (right) playing Adrian Mikhalchishin\nand here is the game from the above photograph : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\n(from l-r) Jonathan Kinlay\, Shaun Taulbut\, Jonathan Speelman\, David Goodman and Jonathan Mestel accepting 1st prize at the 1978 World U26 Student Olympiad in Mexico City\nShaun Taulbut (upper right) and David Goodman (lower right) from the 1978 U26 Olympiad\nShaun coached strong juniors especially Michael Adams. In MAs case it was by means of correspondence and this was funded by the Friends of Chess. \nShaun largely gave up competitive chess in 1983 to pursue a financial services career. He reached a senior position in ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group) reporting to Ian Snape. In ANZ Shaun met Stephen Lowe and on September 19th 2005 they became Directors and owners of British Chess Magazine Ltd. Shaun lives in Wokingham with his wife\, Christine and several pets including a wormery. \n(second from right standing ) Shaun Taulbut\nShaun occasionally plays for Crowthorne in the Berkshire League and the Surrey Border League and has played for the BCM Dragons 4NCL team managed by John Upham. \nPositional Chess by Shaun Taulbut
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-shaun-mark-taulbut-11-i-1958/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210115
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210116
DTSTAMP:20230109T222958Z
CREATED:20200409T181200Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230109T222958Z
UID:4293-1610668800-1610755199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Andrew Horton (15-i-1998)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Andrew P Horton (15-i-1998) \nAndrew became a FIDE Master in 2015 and an International Master in 2018.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-andrew-p-horton-15-i-1998/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230118
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230119
DTSTAMP:20230118T103106Z
CREATED:20230118T103105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230118T103106Z
UID:22215-1674000000-1674086399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Paul Littlewood (18-i-1956)
DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes Happy Birthday to Paul Littlewood \nPaul Edwin Littlewood was born on Wednesday\, January 18th\, 1956 in Skegness\, East Lindsey\, Lincolnshire. His parents were John and Jean Littlewood (née) Hadwick. Paul’s chess playing uncle was Norman Littlewood. \nJohn and Paul on Skegness beach circa 1958. Kindly supplied by Paul Littlewood. George and Ringo are out of shot !\nJohn\, Jenny and Paul Littlewood\, circa 1962. Kindly supplied by Paul Littlewood.\nPaul attended Glenburn Comprehensive School in Skelmersdale from 1967 and then read Natural Sciences at Christ’s College\, Cambridge from 1974. \nPaul played badminton for Lancashire and Cambridge and\, in 1971\, won the English Schools Mixed Championship when he was 15 years old. \nPaul and family receive a chess lesson from John following John’s win in the 1972 Southport Open\nOn leaving University Paul taught science at Southbrook Comprehensive\, Daventry. Four years later Paul became a dealer at Phillips & Drew and followed this as an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs. Stays at Lehman Brothers and JP Morgan were followed by a change of direction and since then Paul has been director of various food supply companies retiring in 2014. \nPaul is married (3rd November 2006) to (his second wife) Fiona and lives in St. Albans\, Hertfordshire. \nPEL won the ECF President’s Award in 2007 and from the 2008 ECF Yearbook we have the following citation : \n“International Master and accomplished bridge player. From British Chess champion (1981) Paul has presided over the 4NCL as chairman during its most successful period. When he became chairman over ten years ago the league consisted of two divisions and 32 teams. The league has now expanded to four divisions and a total of 72 teams. Most of England’s juniors play 4NCL. During this time 4NCL became one of the strongest leagues in Europe\, at one time boasting a Division 1 rivalling the Bundesliga in strength in the top matches. \nPaul has demonstrated the sound judgement of Solomon when dealing with league disputes and has drawn on his business acumen\, honed during a successful career in the City with Goldman Sachs to make 4NCL the financially stable and expanding league it is today.” \nRoll of Honour \n\nBritish U18 Champion 1972\nBritish U21 Champion 1975\nBritish Champion 1981\nAs a junior represented England in Glorney Cup\nInternational Master 1980\n\nFrom British Chess (Pergamon Press\, 1983) by Botterill\, Levy. Rice and Richardson we have this article from Richard W. O’Brien : \n“Paul Littlewood was destined to become a strong player from birth. His father John was for some time one of the strongest players in the country and represented England on many occasions. His uncle Norman was for a few years not far behind. Paul\, however\, has surpassed them both and has become the first in the family to reach IM status. (Ed: JEL was very much worthy of the IM title but insufficient events of the right type held him back). \nA. Howard Williams\, Martyn J. Corden\, Paul E. Littlewood and A. Jonathan Mestel\nAll three are essentially attacking players. There have been times in recent years when play at the Hastings Premier has become dull. However\, Paul one of the English representatives at the last three tournaments\, was certainly not to blame. (His game against Brito of Brazil which follows is a striking example of this).” \nCoached by his father\, Paul became British U18 champion in 1972 and three years later became British U21 champion. \nClearly more interested in an academic career he went up to Cambridge and then followed his father into the teaching profession. Opportunities to play in strong tournaments were thus very limited. These opportunities\, however\, were grasped in both hands. Three times in thirteen months between August 1978 and August 1979 he obtained an IM norm and thus the title. \nPartial crosstable for the Lloyds Bank Open\, 1978\nThe first caused a sensation as it was totally unexpected. He shared first place at Lloyds Bank ahead of several grandmasters including Shamkovich\, who was the first grandmaster he ever defeated. \nLeonid Shamkovich plays Paul Littlewood during the 1978 Lloyds Bank Masters. Paul won the game.\nEight months later Aaronson Masters was won and then came the final norm\, also at Lloyds Bank. \nTournaments abroad were limited although he represented England students. He did play at Kringsja (2nd equal) in 1978 and Borovo where he scored 6.5.13 finishing ahead of 3 GMs. \nIn 1981 came his finest achievement – winning the British Championship with a massive 9/11. \nPartial crosstable from the 1981 British Championship in Morecambe\nHis father who was also competing in the championship was as proud as could be and deservedly so (he also coached Sheila Jackson who retained her British Ladies Championship that year). His excellent all round play took him to the title and only once during the tournament did he stand worse. His endgame play was so good that CHESS even published an article solely on these endings. \nPaul Littlewood and friends during the 1978 Lloyds Bank Masters\nDuties at school in Daventry meant he was\, in February 1982\, unable to take part in the zonal at Marbella. This followed an excellent Hastings when as British Champion he made a plus score – a rare event indeed. \nIM Paul Littlewood during filming for the “Trick of the Mind” series from Derren Brown\nIn the summer he gave up teaching and joined Phillips & Drew (stockbrokers). He now (ed : this was in 1983) lives with his (first) wife Sue and family in the wilds of Essex (Billericay). \nIM Paul Littlewood\, event and photographer unknown\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nPaul gives a simultaneous display in Letchworth. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nChess Tactics\, Paul Littlewood\, Crowood Chess Library\, 1991\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-paul-edwin-littlewood-18-i-1956-2/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230120
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230121
DTSTAMP:20230120T111043Z
CREATED:20200118T154340Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230120T111043Z
UID:2910-1674172800-1674259199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Ali Mortazavi (20-i-1971)
DESCRIPTION:We send best wishes to IM Ali Mortazavi on his birthday\, this day (January 20th) in 1971 \nIM Ali Mortazavi\nAli is a British IM who was a successful trader in the financial markets. \nIn the FIDE directory he is listed as a Councillor in the Global Strategy Commission (GSC). \nHe was a professional player and became the CEO of Silence Therapeutics (SLN) : \n\nAli reached his hightest FIDE rating of 2410 in July 1994 aged 23. \nHe has played for Beeson Gregory in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL). He played at the Isle of Man Open in 2018 but sadly\, little since. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIM Ali Mortazavi
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-ali-mortazavi-20-i-1971/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230121
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230122
DTSTAMP:20230123T102607Z
CREATED:20230120T150446Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230123T102607Z
UID:22227-1674259200-1674345599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Neil McDonald (21-i-1967)
DESCRIPTION:We send birthday wishes to GM Neil McDonald born on this day (January 21st) in 1967. \nNeil McDonald\nNeil McDonald\nFrom Wikipedia : \nNeil McDonald (born 21 January 1967) is an English chess grandmaster and a player on the international chess circuit. He is an English Chess Federation coach\,[1] who has trained many of the country’s strongest junior players. McDonald is a regular coach of the English junior team and was Head Coach of the English Chess Federation team at the Greece World Schools Championship in 2013.[2] He regularly escorts blind and partially sighted chess players to international World Championship events and is also a chess writer. \nMcDonald authored the French Defence monthly updates on chesspublishing.com from October 1999 until March 2009\,[3] 1 e4 … updates from November 2009 until January 2010\,[4] 1 e4 … from June 2014 until February 2015[5] and returned to 1 e4 … in March 2017 until January 2018.[6] \nNeil shared first place in the 1986 GLC Masters with Jonathan Levitt\, was outright first at the Elekes Memorial\, 1995\, first at The Leinster IM Tournament in Dublin\, 1997\, and other tournaments since. Neil plays for Wood Green in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL). \nHe became an International Master in 1986 and was awarded the Grandmaster title in 1996. \nMcDonald obtained his FIDE Trainer qualification in 2016.[7] \n\nNeil is a prolific and successful author\, most recently with “Coach Yourself” \nCoach Yourself : A Complete Guide to Self Improvement at Chess\nbut also thirty eight titles for Chess Press\, BT Batsford Ltd. and Everyman Chess Books. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nModern Defence. Everyman\, 2000\nGM Neil McDonald
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-neil-mcdonald-21-i-1967-2/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230122
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230123
DTSTAMP:20230120T152357Z
CREATED:20230120T152356Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230120T152357Z
UID:22229-1674345600-1674431999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Nick Pert (22-i-1981)
DESCRIPTION:We send birthday wishes to GM Nick Pert born this day (January 22nd) in 1981. \nJeremy Morse\, Adam Hunt\, Nick Pert and Nigel Short at the Lloyds Bank Masters\nNick won the Southern Counties (SCCU) championship for the 2016-17 season sharing with Richard Bates. \nNick and Richard Pert\nHere is Nick’s Wikipedia entry \nNick and Richard Pert\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nGM Nick Pert\nGM Nick Pert
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-nick-pert-22-i-1981-2/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Writer
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230122
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230123
DTSTAMP:20230121T130520Z
CREATED:20230121T130519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230121T130520Z
UID:22231-1674345600-1674431999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Richard Pert (22-i-1981)
DESCRIPTION:Happy Birthday IM Richard Pert (22-i-1981) \nIM Richard Pert\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nNick and Richard Pert\nNick and Richard Pert
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-richard-pert-22-i-1981-2/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210123
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210124
DTSTAMP:20230121T131743Z
CREATED:20200122T210240Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230121T131743Z
UID:2990-1611360000-1611446399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Adam Taylor (23-i-1998)
DESCRIPTION:We send best wishes to IM Adam Taylor on his birthday. \nAdam Christopher Taylor was born on Friday\, January 23rd\, 1998 in Colchester\, Essex. Adam has a sister\, Nathalie Leanne Taylor who also plays and studied History & Economics at The University of York. His mother Deborah was always supportive during his chess career. \nHe attended The Gilberd School\, Colchester until 2014 and then Colchester Sixth Form College and currently resides in Colchester\, Essex. \nECF grading profile for IM Adam C Taylor\nAdam’s first recorded rapidplay event was the Basildon Junior Congress resulting in a published grade of 34D and his first graded standard play event was the 2009 London Junior Under-12 Championships and his first published standard-play grading was 73E. \nIn that same year at Torquay Adam won the British Under-12 title sharing with Radha Jain. \nAdam C Taylor at the 2013 UK Chess Challenge Terafinal. Courtesy of John Upham Photography\nAdam made his first 4NCL appearance in May 2012 for SC Stars followed by Anglian Avengers. In 2018 the lure of the big lights of Division One beckoned and Wood Green became Adam’s team now playing for Wood Green Monarchs in the Online 4NCL championship. \nIn 2017 Adam scored an impressive 6/9 (and =2nd) when he travelled to Greece to play in the Heraklion 1st Capablanca Memorial. \nThe Hastings Open in 2018 saw an excellent =7th with 6.5/10. \nAdam’s IM title was ratified in June of 2019 in Baku and currently (January 2021) holds a FIDE standard play rating of 2347 and an ECF standard play rating of 2260A. His highest ECF standard play grading was 230A in July 2019. We expect this to be exceeded once OTB play resumes. \nBattersea Chess Club celebrated Adams’s title in style with this article written by Leon Watson \nFIDE rating profile for IM Adam C Taylor from MegaBase 2020.\nAdam has played for Bury St. Edmunds and Manningtree and now Battersea in the London League and Wood Green in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) and has made many appearances in the UKCC Terafinal. \nAdam is known as Tayip99 on chess.com and as AdamTaylor2301 on LiChess.com and regularly streams on Twitch and other platforms. \nAdam C Taylor\, Courtesy of John Upham Photography\nOn the 13th of September 2019 Adam became the sole director of MakingGrandmasters Limited which lists on its web site a number of leading young English players engaging in coaching such as Matthew Wadsworth\, Ravi Haria and Daniel Fernandez to name but a few. \nOne of Adam’s more notable students is Guildford Chess Club member Jessica Mellor who\, in 2018\, won Gold in the Under-11 category of the European Schools Championship. \nMore recently Adam has taken a back seat from chess and has become a golf professional. \nWith the white pieces Adam favours a Reti/English set-up where c4 quickly follows a king side fianchetto. Here is a typical game of Adam’s with the white against a strong opponent : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nWith the black pieces Adam essays the Berlin Defence and the Sicilian Najdorf as well as the Benko Gambit and Nimzo-Indian Defence. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIM Adam C Taylor\, Courtesy of John Upham Photography
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-adam-c-taylor-23-i-1998/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Coach,Player
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210124
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210125
DTSTAMP:20230124T232223Z
CREATED:20200408T130222Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230124T232223Z
UID:4195-1611446400-1611532799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM David Cummings (24-i-1961)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM David H Cummings (24-i-1961) \nDavid Cummings (front\, second from right) at a Lloyds Bank event\nThis was written about David who was 18 just prior to the 1979 Spassky vs the BCF Junior squad simultaneous display : \n“Varndean and Brighton. Rating 207. British men’s championship finalist\, 1977. First Danish junior international championship\, 1978.” \nAt the Lloyds Bank Masters : Front (l-r) : Joel Benjamin\, Ian Wells\, Rear : Peter Morrish\, Stewart Reuben\, Richard Beville\, Gary Senior\, Richard Webb\, John Hawksworth\, Andrew King\, Nigel Short\, Mark Ginsburg\, Daniel King\, David Cummings\, Erik Teichmann\, John Brandford and Micheal Pagden\nDavid was joint (with PG Large) Southern Counties (SCCU) champion in the 1979-80 season. \nIM David H Cummings
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-david-h-cummings-24-i-1961/
CATEGORIES:2023,Birthday,Player
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210127
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210128
DTSTAMP:20230126T231702Z
CREATED:20191117T173215Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230126T231702Z
UID:2089-1611705600-1611791999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Richard Bates (27-i-1979)
DESCRIPTION:Best Birthday wishes to IM Richard Adam Bates born on this day (January 27th) in 1979. \nRichard has won the Southern Counties (SCCU) championship in the 2015-16\, 2016-17 (with Nick Pert) and 2017-18 seasons. \nIM Richard Adam Bates\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nRichard Bates\nIM Richard Bates\nSheen Mount Under Eleven Chess Champion Richard Bates and Robin Laisby enjoying a game during time out from the Teachers Assurance National Primary Schools Chess Championships. Malaysian Elephant Leyang Leyang and her keeper Duncan McGinnie help them not to forget their chess moves.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-richard-alan-bates-27-i-1979/
CATEGORIES:2023,4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20230129
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20230130
DTSTAMP:20230119T000147Z
CREATED:20200331T140002Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230119T000147Z
UID:3867-1674950400-1675036799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Steve Giddins (29-01-1961)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Stephen William Giddins (29-01-1961) \nHere are his games from chessgames.com \nWe reviewed his most recent book\, co-authored with IM Gerard Welling : Side-Stepping Mainline Theory \n\nSide-Stepping Mainline Theory
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-stephen-w-giddins-29-01-1961/
CATEGORIES:2023,Birthday,Honours,Journalist,Player,Writer
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210201
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210202
DTSTAMP:20230128T141945Z
CREATED:20190824T091314Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230128T141945Z
UID:1142-1612137600-1612223999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary for Edith Baird (née Winter-Wood) (??-??-1859 01-ii-1924)
DESCRIPTION:We remember Edith Baird (née Winter-Wood) \nEdith Elina Helen Winter-Wood was born\, probably in 1859*\, to Thomas Winter-Wood\, a writer and poet\, and Eliza Ann (née Sole) Winter-Wood in Boulogne\, France. \n(*Despite 22nd February 1859 appearing in Wikipedia we are unable to locate a primary source for this date. Contemporary secondary sources always just gave 1859 as her year of birth. Census records imply that she was born between April 1859 and March 1860. Her marriage record from 1st December 1880 describes her as being ‘of full age’: at least 21 years old\, so born before December 1859. However\, her death record from 1st February 1924 gives her age as 63\, implying that she was born between February 1860 and January 1861. Either her death record is incorrect or she added a couple of months to her age when she married. ) \nMany secondary and tertiary sources incorrectly give the Winter-Wood family home of Hareston Manor (now a venue for weddings) near Brixton\, Plymouth\, Devon as her birthplace. \nHareston Manor near Plymouth\nThe family was resident in Boulogne in at least 1858 (as discussed below) and a UK birth certificate for Edith does not appear to exist. Having said that\, a French birth certificate has yet to be located. Both Brian Denman and Chris Ravilious are satisfied that Edith was born in Boulogne and various census records attest to this. Ed: both Richard James and myself (JEU) have examined the evidence carefully and Boulogne would appear to be correct. \nThomas Winter-Wood was born in Har(e)ston\, Devon in 1819 and was himself a strong player having been educated at Plympton Grammar School (now known as Hele’s School). Thomas was the son of John Wood-Winter who\, in 1824\, reversed the order of the family surname. Thomas sold the family estate leaving the Winter-Woods with substantial means\, with each family member able to pursue their leisure interests whilst retaining a number of domestic staff. \nThomas Winter-Wood (1819-1905) in 1903.\nThomas taught all of his family to play chess and Edith learnt at an early age. Both Edward J and Carslake W also learnt early on\, Edward (aged 11 in 1858) played members of Boulogne Chess Club giving them rook odds and ten years later Edward joined London Chess Club. \nAccording to Tartajubow : \n“(Edward) played in several tournaments and in blindfold simuls he drew two games against Lowenthal and one against Blackburne. In 1878 he joined the Croydon Chess Club and once in one of their tournaments scored 23-7. He also enjoyed success in many other club tournaments\, correspondence chess and problem solving tournaments. Many of his problems appeared in leading publications of the day.” \nand\, also according to Tartajubow : \n“Her other brother\, Carslake W. Wood (1849 – 1924)\, lived with his mother’s brother\, Major Sole of the 5th Militia of West York\, in Torquay. While travelling Europe with the Soles\, he also developed a taste for painting and on many occasions donated his paintings as prizes in chess tournaments.” \nThe Doge’s Palace\, Venice 1880s by Carslake W Winter-Wood\nAccording to F. R. Gittins (in The Chess Bouquet 1897): \n“The moves came to her\, as she says\, by a kind of instinct before she was out of her first decade. She did not\, however\, commence composing problems until some years after her marriage\, which took place in 1880\, to Deputy Inspector-General W. J. Baird\, M.D.\, R.N.\, whose distinguished services have been mentioned in despatches and rewarded with four medals and two clasps. Eight years later she composed her first problem\, and commenced a wonderful series of successes\, having gained eleven first\, nine second\, and six third prizes\, and been honourably mentioned nine times.” \nEdith Baird (née Winter-Wood)\nAccording to the old ChessDevon web site (sadly only available via the WayBack Machine) \n“In 1893\, for instance\, she entered The Hackney Mercury 3-mover tournament\, with a limit of 6 pieces. Most of the great composers of the time had entered\, – B. G. Laws\, P. H. Williams and James Raynor among them\, but she won 1st prize. As one American critic observed\, ‘The fact that the tourney assumed an almost international character rendered the triumph of the distinguished lady victor as noteworthy as it was creditable’.” \nHere is this first prize (1): \nBaird\, Edith Elina Helen\nHackney Mercury\, 1893\n1st Prize \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nThe problem solutions may be found at the foot of this article. \nShe very quickly progressed and was soon producing problems that were described as being “exceedingly pretty” and which ‘displayed unmistakable aptitude for the intricacies of chess.’ Her work 700 Chess Problems was published by Henry Sotheran Ltd in 1902 and took her 14 years to complete.” \nSeven Hundred Chess Problems. Selected from the compositions of Mrs. W. J. Baird\, WJ Baird\, 1902\nSeven Hundred Chess Problems\n700 Chess Problems may be downloaded from here. \nEdith also had a brief career in chess competitions in the 1890s\, winning the 1897 Sussex Ladies Championship without losing a game. \nFew samples of her play survive\, but they show her to be a proficient player with\, as you might expect from a problemist\, a keen tactical eye. In this game she finishes neatly with a queen sacrifice. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIn this game\, from a blindfold simul against the London-based Dutch organist and chess master Rudolf Loman (1861-1932)\, she uses a tactic to reach an equal ending. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nAccording to the 1871 census the Winter-Wood household lived at “Hareston”\, Tavistock Road\, Croydon\, Surrey and consisted of Thomas (52 and Landowner)\, Eliza (44) plus Edith’s brothers Edward J (23 and Banker) and Carslake W (22 and retired banker)\, Marie A (17)\, Edith (11) plus three (!) domestic servants. \nIn 1880 (‘of full age’) Edith married the Deputy Inspector-General of Fleets and Hospitals\, William James Baird\, MD\, of the Royal Navy\, in the parish church of St George Hanover Square.  (You’ll see that she married under the surname Wood rather than Winter-Wood.) William was almost thirty years her senior\, having been born in Londonderry in 1831. The 1881 census found them in lodgings in Durham House\, Hotspur Street\, Tynemouth\, North Tyneside: presumably William was there in connection with his work.  Later the same year\, their only child\, Lilian Edith Baird\, was born in the same place. \nWilliam and Edith’s marriage recorded in the Parish Register of St George Hanover Square\nWilliam Baird and Edith (Winter-)Wood’s marriage bonds\nLilian would become a child prodigy whose first problem was published before she was 10 years old. She was also an accomplished poet and painter like her mother. Although she had over 70 problems published by the age of thirteen\, Lilian gave up chess composing while still in her teens. \nLilian Edith Strong (née Baird)\n(Lilian merits a full article in this place in her own right : added to ToDo list!) \nBy 1891 William had retired and the family had settled in Brighton living at 14 College Terrace\, where they employed a servant\, Louisa Howard (23). In 1901 the census enumerator found them at the same address\, their servant now being Lilian Millard (25). \n14 College Terrace\, Brighton\, East Sussex. BN2 0EE\nWilliam died in 1907\, and Lilian had married in 1910: the 1911 census found Edith living in a boarding house named Mountcoombe in Surbiton. The house no longer exists\, but its name\, minus a letter\, survives in Mountcombe Close\, now a location for residential flats. Shortly afterwards\, she joined her brothers in Paignton\, Devon\, close to her family’s ancestral roots. \nReturning to Edith’s family\, by the time of the 1881 census the Winter-Wood household (bar Edith) had relocated to “Mariestead”\, Netley Abbey\, Southampton and had shrunk to Thomas\, Eliza and a mere two servants. Edith gave this address when she married William Baird. \nEdith Baird (née Winter-Wood)\nIn the 1891 census the Winter-Wood household consisted of Thomas (72)\, Eliza (64) plus Edith’s brothers Edward (43) and Carslake (42) all of whom were described as “living on means”. They had returned to three domestic servants : Mary Scoble (65)\, Carrie Stephens (22) and Kate Truman (just 12). They lived at 14\, The Crescent\, Plymouth\, PL8 2AP. Nothing remains of this property\, it would appear. By 1901\, the family had moved again\, to “Kenwick”\, Paignton\, Devon. They were back down to two servants: Florence Gagg (18) was the housemaid and Sarah Chambers (59) the cook. Thomas died in 1905\, and the 1911 census gives their address as “Hareston”\, Totnes Road\, Paignton. Eliza\, Edward and Carslake’s servants were now Laura Ellen Gagg (25 – presumably related to Florence) and Sarah Tulley. \nIn an interview with the Westminster Gazette (1st September 1894) Edith was asked why chess has always been a man’s game. \n“Frivolous and fashionable women would begrudge the time and thought it requires; busy mothers of families could not\, of course\, spare time for it\, and the great majority of unmarried girls have not\, I’m afraid\, the necessary patience. Then\, too\, it is\, I must confess\, an unsociable game. It is most suitable for quiet and reflective people\, and for invalids. It seems always to have attracted clever strategists like military and naval commanders\, and also great politicians. I wish girls would take to it more\, because it is such excellent mental discipline\, and brings out one’s patience. It would also be a useful corrective to the tendency to jump at conclusions which many women have. The great charm is that it is a home accomplishment. A woman is not expected to leave her fireside for the sake of chess. It is a stable kind of amusement for which she never need sully her womanliness or her good reputation. Many of the outdoor sports\, innocent and healthy enough\, lead to a great deal of flirtation and general frivolity.” \nF.R. Gittins (op. cit.) described her as follows: \n“Mrs. Baird\, however\, is something more even than the Queen of Chess-problem composers. She is\, for example\, an enthusiastic and skilful archer\, and\, living as she does in Brighton\, has for some time been a prominent member of the Furze Hill Archery Club\, of which she is a member of the committee\, and in which\, she has\, for two years in succession\, taken the medal for the highest aggregate score of the season. She also paints and illuminates charmingly\, and has a pretty inherited talent for writing verse. Her book of illuminations\, in fact\, is described as “so chaste and delicate in design as to recall the ancient illuminated books which are treasured in museums and art galleries.” In politics she is a staunch Liberal\, while the modern movement against all cruelty to animals – whether inflicted under the name of sport or in the interests of science – finds in her one of its most ardent champions.  Besides the déclassement derived from chess\, she is also a great believer in girls making themselves independent of marriage\, from a monetary point of view\, by having a definite occupation. When it is added that she never allows chess\, painting\, or any other favourite pursuit to occupy her time until all the domestic matters of home have been seen to\, we have said sufficient to show how finely-rounded and complete a life this brilliantly clever woman leads. It is only left to add that her manner is kind and  charming\, and that she is thoughtfulness and considerateness itself to all her friends. She is\, moreover\, the most loving of mothers\, and has been heard to declare that if anything were to happen to “Lily”\, she would never compose another chess problem.” \nEdith was also an avid bicyclist who was known to have ridden 25 miles (on one of those old style bicycles) to discuss an adjourned chess game. \nEdith Elina Helen Baird\nOn Friday\, February 1st\, 1924 Edith passed away. The probate record is dated April 29th and was granted to Herbert Percy Strong\, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Indian Army\, who was Lilian’s husband. The initial value of the effects was £18110 5s 7d which was subsequently resworn to £16627 13s 11d. \nProbate record for Edith Baird (1924)\nBoth Sunnucks and Golombek are silent on Edith. This is somewhat surprising since Anne liked to mention female players and problemists. \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : \nEDITH ELINA HELEN (née Winter Wood) (1859-1924)\, British problem composer. Her parents\, two brothers\, and daughter were all good players or clever problemists. \nShe composed over 2\,000 problems which were not profound but were noted for their soundness; only a dozen or so were faulted. Her Seven Hundred Chess Problems was published in 1902. She became deeply absorbed in retractors\, and her other book The Twentieth Century Retractor appeared in 1907. They are two of the most beautiful chess books ever to appear\, printed and bound by the King’s printer Henry Sotheran\, and sold at less than cost. \nThe Twentieth Century Retractor\nThe Twentieth Century Retractor\, Chess Fantasies\, and Letter Problems: Being a Selection of Three Hundred Problems\, Mrs WJ Baird\, London: Henry Sotheran and Co. 1902.\nThe Twentieth Century Retractor may be read online here. \nThe dedication for The Twentieth Century Retractor was somewhat unusual : \n“Dedicated to\nThe Sun\nThe Glorious Orb which\nAnimates and Beautifies\nThe Earth\nBy Giving It\nWarmth\, Light and Life” \nand Edward Winter discusses the beauty of the book in Chess Note 3164. \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume XLIV\, (44\, 1924)\, page 103 we have this brief obituary notice written by RC Griffth : \n“We much regret to hear of the death\, at Paignton\, on February 1st\, of Mrs. W.J. Baird\, much of the distinguished of women problem composers throughout the world. As our problem editors will no doubt deal fully with her work and her triumphs\, we shall say no more here that she took a keen interest in chess over-the-board also\, and in 1897 secured the county championship  of Sussex among players of her own sex. By birth she was a Winter-Wood and thus a member of a distinguished West of England chess family” \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume XLIV\, (44\, 1924)\, page 125 we have this obituary written by RC Griffth : \n“A deep shadow has been cast over the chess world by the death of Mrs. W.J. Baird\, which occurred on 1st February last at Paignton. The end was most unexpected\, but it is a comfort to her relatives that the passing away was peaceful. She was the daughter of Mr. T. Winter-Wood\, who and whose family have been identified with chess for generations. She was born in 1859 and composed her first problem in 1888\, and it was not long after this date that she was given the title of the “Queen of Chess\,” since not only did she distinguish herself in a happy way as a prolific composer\, but proved a valiant opponent over the board\, testified by her securing the ladies’ championship of Sussex in 1897. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nMate in Two (2) \nAmong her other accomplishments were painting\, particularly illuminating\, poetry (which may have been inherited from her gifted father) and archery\, in which sport she was skilful. Her chess problems were generally of the light texture order never profound\, but always pleasing to the ordinary solver. She must have composed over 2\,000 problems of one sort or another\, and this large output in about thirty-five years could not be conducive to highest results. Her problem tourney honours were numerous\, though she did not as a rule see these\, generally entering her problems to oblige admiring conductors of competitions. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nMate in Two (3) \nIn 1902 she published Seven Hundred Chess Problems and in 1907 The Twentieth Century Retractor\, Chess Fantasies and Letter Problems\, 320 illustrations (Sotheran & Co.). Both were editions de luxe. Mrs. Baird was credited with the being the originator of the complicated retractor of which she was a proficient exponent\, but since she ceased composing these fancies\, interest in them has waned. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nMate in Three (4) \nDuring the last few years her activity\, after a period of quiescence has been marked\, her attention being directed principally to ‘Mutates’ and Picture or Letter Problems. In addition to the enthusiasm which\, shown by her actual work\, she has generously promoted several competitions\, one still current in the Morning Post\, particulars of which we announced last month. A remarkable feature of the deceased’s problems was their soundness less than one per cent. being cooked after leaving her hands\, evidence of painstaking application! \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nMate in Three (5) \nThere is now\, since the decease of Mrs. Baird’s father\, Mr. T. Winter-Wood and her brother\, Mr. E.J. Winter-Wood\, only Mr. Carslake Winter-Wood left to represent the family in the chess circle\, Mrs. Strong\, her daughter\, who at one time promised to emulate her mother\, having apparently abandoned the game and its problems. There can be no question that Mrs. Baird stood in front of all lady composers\, her nearest rival probably being the late Mrs. T. B. Rowland\, and indeed a number of her compositions rank high in the world’s collection. We have not space this month to quote specimens\, but hope to do so next issue. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nMate in Three (6) \nSince the above was in type we have been informed of the sudden death of Mr. Carslake Winter-Wood on the 24th February.” \nThe Late Mrs. W. J. Baird\, \nThe Masters said:- \n“Lay by the board\, the problem is not sound;\nThere’s none can solve unless a Morphy’s found.”\n* * *\nA knight I saw\, his royal head bowed;\nMethought a bishop moved and prayed aloud.\nThe Queen\, alas\, and their attendants gone\,\nOnly did the Kings linger sadly on.\nAnd roaming far afield a Rook forlorn\,\nAnd here and there a long-forgotten pawn.\n“Oh! is there none who can this problem solve?”\n“Seek her round who our highest hopes revolve”\nAnd so we brought it to our ‘Problem Queen’\nWho faced the field with heart and eye serene.\n* * *\n“Go leave me now and I will rest awhile\,”\nThen hand outstretched and swift triumphant smile :\n“The Bishops move! with him the key\,” she cried –\n“Life’s problem solved at last! I’m satisfied.” \nM.S.M. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n \nWhite retracts his last move; then plays. Black moves so that White can mate at once. (7) \n(Please note that there are factual errors in most of the sources quoted below.) \nHere is her Wikipedia entry \nHere is more from chessproblem.net \nArticle from Tartajubow (but the author mistakenly conflates Edith and Lilian) on Edith Baird and other Bairds \nQueens of Problem Chess by Satanick Mukhuty from chessbase.com \nMore from Sarah Beth Durst (aka BatGirl)\, quoting from Gittins. \nVia the Wayback Machine Chess Devon have this excellent article \nBritish Chess News would like to thank Brian Denman for providing a file of Edith Baird’s games\, and Tim Harding\, for sending us the pdf of The Chess Bouquet. \nSolution to problems: \n(1) \n1.Qg7! (2.Qc7#)\n1…Kc6 2.c5 Kxc5 3.Qc7#\n1…Kxc4 2.Qd4+ Kb3 3.Qb4#\n1…Kb6 2.Sb5 Ka6/Ka5\, Kc6/Kc5 3.Qa7\, Qc7#\n1…Kd6 2.Sb5+ Ke6\, Kc7/Kc5 3.Sd4\, Qc7# \n(2) 1.Bg2 \n(3) 1.Qb2 \n(4) 1.Qh8 \n(5) 1.Nc1 \n(6) 1.Rd8 \n(7) White retracts Nd5xRb6\, then 1. Nd6 Rc6 2. Nb7# \n  \n 
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-for-edith-elina-helen-baird/
CATEGORIES:2023,Composer,Death Anniversary,History,Problemist,Remembering,Writer
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210202
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210203
DTSTAMP:20210202T123329Z
CREATED:20190824T124759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210202T123329Z
UID:1167-1612224000-1612310399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Mike Franklin (02-ii-1931)
DESCRIPTION:We send best wishes to Michael Franklin on his 90th birthday. \nGrowing Up\nMichael John Franklin was born on Monday\, February 2nd\, 1931 in Battersea\, London to Albert George (27 ix 1906\, Dover – ? iii 1983\, Wandsworth) and Helen Ann Franklin (née Colson\, 1908-2003) who married in the third quarter of 1928 in Wandsworth.  Albert was a clerk as was his father. \nAt the commencement of the Second World War\, when eight years old\, Michael was evacuated to Frome in Somerset. As a consequence Michael would delight in playing in the Frome Congress whenever possible. He played in the first event in 1990 organised by Leon York  (whose name is the memorial trophy for the Major section).  The story of Michael’s return to Frome made its’ way in to the local newspaper and was reported by Gary Lane as follows : \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume CX (110\, 1990)\, Number 7 (July)\, page 296 : \n“A special presentation by the sponsor\, Mrs. Jean Mackereth\, Managing Director of Keyford Frames\, was made to Londoner Michael Franklin\, who was returning for the first time in 51 years to the town to which he was evacuated during the war. His final appearance at Frome was in the 2010 event. \nThe Early Years\nMichaels interest in chess started in 1944 aged 13 when he witnessed games being played on Clapham Common. He was fascinated by the pieces and taught himself to play\, never receiving  any formal coaching. He joined the Clapham Common Chess Club in 1944. (CCCC became incorporated into Battersea Chess Club some time later). \nCHECK MATES: Elderly members of the Clapham Common Open Air Chess and Draughts Club\, circa 1920. The club met regularly during the afternoons to play on Clapham Common in south London. Copyright : Keystone\nApart from summer events such as the above the club had a Winter Section that played matches in the London League. The club won the first division (now known as the Brian Smith Trophy) of the London League in the 1946-47 and 1947-48 seasons. Michael played his final game in the London Chess League for Richmond & Twickenham on April 14th 2010 drawing with John Hodgson\, brother of Julian giving a sixty year span. \nIn his formative years he played at the Gambit Chess Café\, Budge Row\,  Cannon Street\, London\, EC4N. Many strong players regularly visited the Gambit to play skittles\, blitz and the frequently held lightning tournaments hosted by the proprietor Mr GH White. \n\nEvents such as these enabled Michael to develop his quick sight of the board and his flair for tactical play. \nLeonard Barden added : \n“Michael made his name as a young player first by his successes in the Saturday evening Gambit Guinea speed events at the Gambit Chess Café in Cannon Street which he often won ahead of master level rivals. He remained a strong speed player all his life.” \nIn the early 1950s Michael was persuaded by his friends Aird Thomson (who was Scottish Boys’ Champion in 1932\, and 1933 ( equal-first). In 1951 he was Scottish Champion. In 1954 he moved to London. He married Susan Mary Hamilton in 1961 who went on to become Scottish Ladies’ Champion in 1965.) and oriental carpet expert Robert Pinner to join the Richmond and Twickenham Chess Club  playing for the club in the London League\, Surrey Trophy  and National Club Championship until he retired from competitive play 2010. \nMaking Progress\nMichael’s first appearance in British Chess Magazine was in Volume LXVI (66\, 1946)\, Number 2 (February). Page 52 contained this report of the 1945 London Boy’s Championship in which Michael reached the final A section : \nBritish Chess Magazine\, Volume LXVI (66\, 1946)\, Number 2 (February)\, page 52\nMichael’s club (for this event) is recorded as Hammersmith Arts and Crafts School. \nOn leaving school  Michael joined a firm of Patent Agents remaining in their employ as the accounts department for around forty years before retiring in the late 1980s. His retirement was prompted by the firm’s adoption of electronic computers. When he retired he was Chief Cashier. \nOn June 18th 1960 Michael’s happiest day was when he married Jean Fey. They celebrated  their diamond anniversary in 2020. \nTo the present day Michael has maintained an aversion toward modern technology. He did\, however\, concede to the ownership of a mobile telephone. This was for the specific purpose of updating Jean on his days progress in any chess tournaments where he was away from home. \nIn 1946 (aged 15) Michael won the Felce Cup awarded by the Surrey County Chess Association. A result indicating rapid improvement since Michael had only started playing competitively in 1944. \nThe Felce Cup held by the hands of Stephen Moss in 2014\nIn 1951 Michael finished third in the Surrey Championships behind the winner Frank Parr and runner-up David Hooper. In 1961\, 1966\, 1968\, 1969 and 1970 Michael won the Surrey Championship outright and made many appearences in county matches for Surrey from 1950 onwards until 2010. \nUnfortunately Michael’s rapid progress was threatened by two bouts of ill health. In 1948 aged 17 Michael was diagnosed with Tuberculosis which lasted for eighteen months including a twelve month stay in the Royal National Hospital for Diseases of the Chest in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Aged twenty the TB returned leading to yet another twelve months illness. \nMichael has suffered from ill health all of his life interrupting his chess career at various times. Fortunately the TB has not returned. \nMichael won the National Chess Centre Championship in 1953 and 1955 being runner-up in 1954. The venue was Hill’s Restaurant\, 158 Bishopsgate\, London\, EC2 opposite Liverpool Street Station since the original John Lewis department store venue was bombed in 1940. \nResults from the 1955 event: \n1-2 Franklin\, Fazekas 3.5/5\n3 Fuller 3/5\n4 Barden 2.5/5\n5 Parr 1/5\n6 Green 0.5/5 \nMichael won the play-off 2-0. \nThe British Chess Federation first published a National Grading list in 1953 (using the Richard Clarke system). In the 1954 list MF appeared with a grade of 2A (225-232) and from then on with a grade of either 2A or 2B. In 1964 a numeric system had him at 225 ranking Michael 4th in England behind Penrose 244\, Kottnauer 238 and Clarke 231. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nMichael played many times in the annual Battle of Britain Tournament organised by Squadron Leader David Pritchard and his committee. He won it four times : 1959\, 1960\, 1961 and 1962. \nThe Ilford Whitsun Congress\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nThe Ilford Whitsun Congress was a regular part of Michael’s season throughout the sixties. He won the Premier Reserves in 1961 ahead of Hilton\, Hindle\, Howson\, Sales and Blaine and was runner-up to Kottnauer in 1962.  In 1963 he went one step better by winning the Premier : \nA report of Mike Franklin’s success at the 1963 Ilford Whitsun Congress by Peter Clarke. Source : British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXXIII\, Number 7 (July)\, page 193\nand here is the fifth round game : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIn his tournament report PH Clarke wrote : \nThis buoyant\, optimistic attitude of his is a great strength and always makes him a dangerous opponent. \nAway from Home : International Progress\n1964 saw selection by the BCF to play in the Tel Aviv Olympiad : \nThe 1964 England Olympiad (Tel Aviv) Team : Owen Hindle\, Čeněk Kottnauer\, Peter Clarke\, Michael Franklin\, Norman Littlewood & Michael Haygarth\nand scored a creditable 4/6.  This was followed in 1965 with 3/5 in Clare Benedict tournament held in Berlin. \nHe played in the annual Anglo-Dutch match on no less than six occasions in 1962\, 1963\, 1964\, 1965\, 1968 and finally in 1969. His aggregate score was an impressive 8/12. \n?\, Čeněk Kottnauer\, Michael Franklin and Owen Hindle\nOn the national scene Michael repeated his 1963 victory at the 1969 Ilford Premier with a clear first place : Franklin 4; RG Wade and D Wright 3; JB Howson 2.5; BH Wood 2; PH Clarke 0.5. \nIn 1970 Michael won the London Championship which was also known as the Budget Cup which had last been held in 1956 .  He followed this in 1972 by rightly earning the (now defunct) title of British Master. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nMichael’s final appearance for England was in 1971 in the Cheltenham based Anglo-German match with a somewhat disappointing 0.5/2 against Juergen Dueball. \nOwen Hindle\, Michael Franklin\, Harry Golombek and Michael Haygarth\nMichael played board two for London in a Telex match versus Belgrade playing Marjanovic.  The game was drawn. \nMichael Franklin playing board two in the London – Belgrade Telex Match on April 3rd\, 1976 from the St. James Hotel\, Buckingham Gate. Sourced from BCM\, Volume XCVI (96)\, Number 5\, page 192. Photographer probably Freddy Reilly.\nThe Ultimate Prize : The Aaronson Masters\nThe Aaronson Masters at Harrow 1978 brought his best individual success at the age of 47\, sharing first place with IM Aldo Haik of France and to boot\, earning  an IM norm. \nJoint winners of the 1978 Aaronson Masters : Michael Franklin and IM Aldo Haik\nMichael scored an undefeated 7.5/10 and finished ahead of Short\, Speelman\, Nunn\, Hartston\, Mestel\, Webb\, Basman\, Botterill and numerous other illustrious players.  Michael remarked of his lifetime best result that it was \njust one of those occasions when everything went right! \nBut he scored 3.5/5 against the IMs\, was alert to every opportunity\, and the games show he owed little to luck. \nLeonard Barden\, Stewart Reuben and Michael Franklin at the 1978 Aaronson Masters\nLike many others Michael made appearences in Lloyds Bank events of 1977\, 1978\, 1984\, 1989\, 1991\, 1993 and 1994. \nMichael Franklin (left) at the 1978 Lloyds Bank Masters playing IGM Leonid Shamkovich\nMichael and friends during the 1978 Lloyds Bank Masters\nThe Hastings Years\nMichael first played at Hastings in 1964 when he was invited to play in the Premier Tournament. The tournament was won by Mikhail Tal and Michael finished in last place. \nUndaunted he returned to Hastings in 1968 to play in the Challengers tournament. One of the attractions of playing in the Challengers was that the winner received a place the following years Premier. Frustratingly Michael finished second three years in a row! In 1968 the Challengers was won by Danny Wright\, in 1969 by Martyn Corden and in 1970 by Peter Markland. Finally\, in 1971 his patience was rewarded and he won the Challengers and qualified to the following years Premier. \nThe 47th Hastings Premier of 1971-72 had been changed from the traditional 10 player all-play-all to a 16 player tournament. Also\, having obtained sponsorship from various organisations the committee were able to invite some of the top names of the day. The sponsors were: \n\nJim Slater\nThe Friends of Chess\nThe British Chess Federation\nBovis Holdings Ltd\nHastings County Borough Council\n\nSo\, the entry included Karpov\, Korchnoi\, Andersson\, Najdorf\, Mecking\, Gligoric\, Unzicker and Robert Byrne to name but a few. This was undoubtedly the strongest Hastings Premier since World War Two and possibly the strongest Hastings Tournament since 1895. \nMichael started well with a draw against the Rumanian GM Ciocaltea followed by a draw in with the Brazilian prodigy Mecking. In round three he surprised everyone by beating Ray Keene. With 2/3 things were looking promising. However\, after this bright start Michael only managed a draw against Unzicker and a draw with Hartston finishing in a disappointing last place with a score of 3/15. \nIn the tournament report Peter Clarke opined \nFranklin suffered the usual fate of the gifted amateur in a professional field of simply not being accustomed to this kind of chess. \nDespite this Michael continued to play in the Hastings Challengers. He played in nineteen out of the next twenty-five years! He came close to winning the tournament in 1982: he was leading the tournament with a score of 7/8 when he was informed that Jean’s Father had passed away. Having drawn his ninth round game and needing only a draw in the last round to ensure at least a tie for first place he withdrew from the tournament and immediately left for home. \nThe Weekend Scene\nLike all players with a full time job Michael had to play most of his chess at the weekend so the explosion of weekends tournaments in the early 1970’s gave him ample opportunities. His habit of playing quickly was ideally suited to the fast time limits of the weekend tournament. During the 1970 and 1980’s he was very successful. He won numerous events and was more often than not in the prize list. \nFM Michael Franklin\, Photo by Cathy Rogers\nIn later years he restricted himself to London based tournaments and those in the West Country. His regular tournaments being Exeter\, Torquay and old favourite\, Frome. Michael at the age of 78 shared first place at Frome 2009. Frome 2010 was his farewell appearance. \nFM Michael Franklin\nMichael played for a number of clubs viz : Richmond & Twickenham\, Coulsdon CF\, Surrey CCA\, 4NCL Richmond\, 4NCL Bristol and Richards Butler to name but a few. \nFinally\, in 1980\,  Michael was awarded the FIDE Master title and achieved his highest rating (in the Elo era) of 2345 in January 1979. It is most likely that his highest ever rating would have been more like 2450. \nFM Michael Franklin vs Paul Helbig\nAppropriately enough Michael was the inaugural winner of the BCF/ECF Senior Prix in 2000 and won it again in 2002 and 2003. The event last ran in 2006. \nWhen Surrey won the counties championship a few years back the team took the trophy around to Michael’s home in Norbury\, such was their regard for his contributions. \nThe London System\nAny currently active club player cannot have missed the explosive rise to prominence of the system for White he developed : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nThe London System and Accelerated London System has acquired a huge cohort of followers in recent times probably not realising the debt they (and many authors\, book and DVD publishers!) owe to Michael. If only he could have earnt a royalty every time it was played! \nAlso Michael had notable success as Black with the O’Kelly Sicilian 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nLife Outside of Chess\nMichael had many interests apart from Chess. He was for many years a member of the Surrey County Cricket Club. After he retired he would arrange to meet fellow Surrey Member Frank Parr at the Oval and after lunch in the Pavilion they would spend the day enjoying the Cricket. Tennis was another sport that Michael followed. Michael was also interested in horseracing. Several players were surprised when visiting one of the racetracks around London to find Michael also attending the race meeting. \nMichael was the typical “natural” player. He never studied the game and his only sources of opening information were the British Chess Magazine and the chess columns in The Times and the Guardian. He never kept the scores of his games. Once the game was finished it was time to move on. One of Michael’s greatest strengths was his optimistic attitude at the chessboard. No matter how bad the position he was confident of ultimate success. \nMichael Franklin receives £220 from Councillor Robert Dickson at the 1980 Nottinghamshire Congress\nCaption for above photograph
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-michael-john-franklin/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,History,Player
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210203
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210204
DTSTAMP:20210131T113738Z
CREATED:20200410T093145Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210131T113738Z
UID:4321-1612310400-1612396799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Oliver Jackson (03-ii-1946)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of FM Oliver A Jackson (03-ii-1946)
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-oliver-a-jackson-03-ii-1946/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/jb4_9317_lv-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210203
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210204
DTSTAMP:20210202T095920Z
CREATED:20200410T212653Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210202T095920Z
UID:4379-1612310400-1612396799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Colin McNab (03-ii-1961)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of GM Colin Anderson McNab (03-ii-1961)
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-colin-anderson-mcnab-03-ii-1961/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0520-scaled.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210204
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210205
DTSTAMP:20210130T184442Z
CREATED:20190823T181358Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210130T184442Z
UID:1096-1612396800-1612483199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Sir Jeremy Morse (10-xii-1928 04-ii-2016)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of Sir Jeremy Morse\, (10-xii-1928 04-ii-2016)
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-sir-jeremy-morse/
CATEGORIES:Composer,Death Anniversary,History,Problemist
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210204
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210205
DTSTAMP:20210202T100049Z
CREATED:20191020T125454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210202T100049Z
UID:1597-1612396800-1612483199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Harriet Hunt (04-ii-1978)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Harriet Hunt (04-ii-1978) \nIM Harriet Vaughan Hunt
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-harriet-hunt-04-ii-1978/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210204
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210205
DTSTAMP:20210130T185025Z
CREATED:20200120T133751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210130T185025Z
UID:2954-1612396800-1612483199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Ameet Ghasi (04-ii-1987)
DESCRIPTION:IM Ameet Kumar Ghasi\nBirthday of IM Ameet Kumar Ghasi (04-ii-1987) \nIM Ameet Kumar Ghasi
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-ameet-kumar-ghasi-04-ii-1987/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210206
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210207
DTSTAMP:20220206T125401Z
CREATED:20200201T143815Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220206T125401Z
UID:3106-1612569600-1612655999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of WIM Cathy Forbes (06-ii-1968)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of WIM Cathy Forbes (06-ii-1968) \nWIM Cathy Warwick (née Forbes)\nThe Polgar Sisters : Training or Genius ?
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-wim-cathy-forbes-06-ii-1968/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Journalist,Player,Writer
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_0576-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210207
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210208
DTSTAMP:20220207T095801Z
CREATED:20200207T144432Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220207T095801Z
UID:3191-1612656000-1612742399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Ravi Haria (07-ii-1999)
DESCRIPTION:BCN sends birthday wishes to GM Ravi Haria. \nRavi Haria was born Sunday\, February 7th\, 1999  in Elstree\, Hertfordshire. “Maria” by Blondie was top of the hit parade. Ravi currently resides in London. \nRavi attended Lonsdale School in Barnet and then The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School  and now reads History at University College\, London. \nECF grading profiles for Ravi Haria\nRavi learnt at the age of 6 and joined Barnet Knights Chess Club in 2005. \nRavi’s first recorded tournament was the 35th Barnet Knights Under-8  rapidplay on September 25th 2005. Also playing of note were Jonathan Pein and Isaac Sanders. \nHis first recorded standard play game  was in the London Junior Under-10 Championships on December 9th 2006. \nBy the time he was eight he had attracted the attention of the England selectors and played in the 2008 Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi coming home with a bronze medal. \nRavi aged 8 photographed by The Borehamwood and Elstree Times in January 2008\nRavi aged 9 photographed by The Borehamwood and Elstree Times in August 2008\nIn 2008 Ravi won the British Under-9 title in Liverpool. He said afterwards: \nIt was quite nice to be leading everyone and I felt proud of myself. I’m not sure how I control my nerves but it feels really good to win. \nHis mother Sona said: \nIt’s a bit overwhelming but we just support him. It means you have to give up a lot of time for him but it’s really nice to see that he’s getting somewhere. \nThis was followed in 2014 by winning the British Under-18 championship in Aberystwyth aged 15 and then the same title in 2017 in Llandudno. \nRavi Haria\, UKCC Southern Gigafinal\, 2013\nIn 2016 Ravi was equal 2nd to Deep Sengupta at the Hastings Masters Open with an impressive 6/9 and a TPR of 2563.  This performance secured his second IM norm. \nThe IM title was conferred at the 88th FIDE Congress 2017\, 7-15 October\, Goynuk\, Antalya\, Turkey. \nHe scored six points after 11 rounds at the 2017 World Junior championship in Italy and 5.5 points at the 2017 WYCC U-18 group in Uruguay. \n\nRavi completed his British junior titles run by becoming the current (no OTB event in 2020) British Under-21 champion in 2019 in Torquay scoring an emphatic 6.5/9 securing a share of third place. \nPartial crosstable for the 2019 British Championships in Torquay\nRavi became a FIDE Master in 2015 at the age of 16 and and International Master two years later making him England’s second youngest IM after Matthew Wadsworth. \nOTB Elo rating profile for IM Ravi Haria according to MegaBase 2020\nHis peak FIDE rating was 2497 in October 2021 and currently (February  2022) is 2490. \nIn 2019 Ravi teamed up with IM Adam C. Taylor to join Adam’s Making Grandmasters training venture. \nFM Ravi Haria\, ECF Secondary Schools Rapidplay\, 2016\nOn January 28th 2021 Thinker’s Publishing released The Modernised Anti-Sicilians\, Volume 1\, Rossolimo Variation which is a massive 520 page tome on the following position : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nwhich was reviewed by FM Richard Webb. \nwhich we hope will be followed by at least Volume 2! \nThe Modernized Anti-Sicilians – Volume 1: Rossolimo Variation\, Ravi Haria\, Thinker’s Publishing\, 2021\nRavi has plus scores against : Matthew Turner\, Simon Williams\, William Claridge Hansen\, Bob Eames\, David Eggleston and Arul Gupta to name but a few. \nGM John Emms plays IM Ravi Haria in the final round of the 2019 British Championships in Torquay\nWith the white pieces Ravi unsurprisingly plays the Moscow and Rossolimo variations against the Sicilian\,  the Ruy Lopez and\, in recent years\, he has adopted the Reti/English complex. \nAs the second player he plays the French Winawer and (refreshingly) the Abrahams-Noteboom Variation of the Semi-Slav. \nFor your entertainment we have these two  brevities : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nand \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nRavi has played for University College London. Hendon and Cavendish in the London and other leagues and in 4NCL he started with Kings Head\, transferring to Cambridge in 2014 and finally moving in 2016 to Wood Green. \nIn this game Ravi punishes IM Malcolm Pein who has a bad day at the office : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nRavi Haria\, British Championships\, 2014\, Aberystwyth\nRavi is Mesutgm on chess.com and lichess \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nOver the 19th – 23rd August  2021 Ravi played in the Wood Green Invitational round-robin event at Oddfellows Hall\, Stafford. \nRavi scored 7.5/10 and secured his second Grandmaster Norm and  a TPR of 2680. \nWood Green Invitational Round-Robin event at Oddfellows Hall\, Stafford. August Bank Holiday Weekend\, 2021\nOver the August Bank Holiday weekend of 2021 Ravi played in the Northumbrian Masters  GM Tournament at the splendid Marriott MetroCentre\, Gateshead winning jointly with Conor Murphy scoring 6.5/9 with a TPR of 2600. This gave Ravi his third and final GM norm. \nThe norm was ratified at a recent FIDE Congress. As of February 2022 Ravi stood at 2490 for standard-play.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-ravi-hari-07-ii-1999/
CATEGORIES:4NCL,Birthday,British Championships,Player,UKCC,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210207
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210208
DTSTAMP:20210206T200640Z
CREATED:20200401T104337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210206T200640Z
UID:3908-1612656000-1612742399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of FM Jimmy Adams (07-ii-1947)
DESCRIPTION:BCN send birthday wishes to FM Jimmy Adams. \nJames Bernard Adams was born on Friday\, February 7th\, 1947 to James Adams and Ivy F Soule in Islington\, London. \nJimmy was married to Sharon and they have a daughter\, Charlotte. \nIn 1958 Jimmy at the age of 11\, joined his local Islington Chess Club and soon afterwards became London Junior Champion. Following this Jimmy played little chess and worked for John Lewis (echos of CHO’D Alexander!) \nThe Spasski-Fischer match of 1972 re-kindled his lapsed interest and he won with a 100% score the London Amateur Championship. \nHe joined (and was a staunch member of) London Central YMCA (CentYMCA) chess club and he wrote a privately published history of the club entitled The CentYMCA Story. This is now a much sought after publication. His membership continued during the 1970s until around 1979. \nThe CentYMCA Story by Jimmy Adams\, 1976\nThe CentYMCA Story by Jimmy Adams\, 1976\nDuring this period Jimmy was extremely active at the Endell Street premises. \nHere is Jimmy playing Viktor Korchnoi at Endell Street (in the Phase Two classrooms) : \nJimmy plays Viktor Korchnoi at the Endell Street premises of London Central YMCA on January 18th\, 1976. Photographer potentially John Yeo\nIn 1974 Jimmy embarked on a highly successful career as writer and journalist. He authored a number of acclaimed books for Batsfords\, The Chess Player\, Caissa Books and latterly\, New in Chess. His books on Chigorin\, Zukertort and Breyer being some of the finest chess biographies published. \nIn 1979 Jimmy joined Metropolitan Chess Club to play in the London League. He played top board and scored very highly with many significant scalps. \nJimmy gained his FM title in 2014 (at the age of 67!). 67 must be one of the most advanced ages to acquire an FM title. According to Felice his peak rating was 2300 in January 1981 aged 34. \nJimmy giving a simultaneous display\nHe was registered with Metropolitan and Barbican Chess Clubs. He joined Barbican\, as did many ex-CentYMCA players\, following the hiatus over their Tottenham Court Road venue loss. \nJimmy records a game between David Howell and Andrew Whiteley in 2000.\nIn December 2009 Jimmy visited the London Chess Classic and was photographed with VIP guess Viktor Korchnoi : \nViktor Korchnoi in conversation with Jimmy Adams at the 2009 London Chess Classic. Photograph by Mark Huba\nJimmy was Editor of CHESS / CHESS Monthly magazine from 1981 until 2010 although his name remained on the masthead until February 2012. \nIn 2012 Jimmy and Ray Cannon attended a meeting of the Ken Whyld Association in Norwich : \nJimmy Adams and Michael Negele at the 2012 meeting of the Ken Whyld Association\nJimmy and Ray Cannon at a 2012 meeting in Norwich of the Ken Whyld Association\nIn January 2016 Jimmy (together with Josip Asik) became co-editors of British Chess Magazine taking over from James Pratt and John Upham. Jimmy then took on a role at the newly created American Chess Magazine and then worked for Pavillion Books on their newly acquired Batsford Book imprint. \nIn 2014 Jimmy and Ray attended an event organised by the father of Emma Bentley \nJimmy Adams and Ray Cannon at an event organised by Emma Bentley’s father.\nHere is an interview with Jon Manley from Kingpin Magazine \n\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nThe Games of Anatoly Karpov\, Batsford\, Jimmy Adams\, 1974\nThe Complete Games of World Champion Anatoly Karpov\, Jimmy Adams\, 1976\nThe Complete Games of World Champion Anatoly Karpov\, Jimmy Adams\, 1976\nSicilian Defence Najdorf Poisoned Pawn\, Jimmy Adams\, The Chess Player\, 1977\nSicilian Defence 10 : Main Line Najdorf\, Jimmy Adams\, The Chess Player\, 1977\nSicilian Najdorf Polugaevsky Variation\, Jimmy Adams\, The Chess Player\, 1978\nThe Richter Veresov System\, The Chess Player\, Jimmy Adams\, 1978\nTrompovsky Attack\, The Chess Player\, Jimmy Adams\, 1979\nSchliemann/Jaenisch Gambit\, The Chess Player\, Jimmy Adams\, 1982\nParis 1900\, The Chess Player\, Jimmy Adams\, 1986\nISAAC BOLESLAVSKY Selected Games\, Caissa Books\, Jimmy Adams\, 1988\nJohannes Zukertort: Artist of the Chessboard\, New in Chess\, Jimmy Adams\, 2014\nMikhail Chigorin\, the Creative Genius: New in Chess\, Jimmy Adams\, 2016\nGyula Breyer : The Chess Revolutionary\, Jimmy Adams\, New in Chess\, 2017
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-fm-james-bernard-adams-07-ii-1947/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210209
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210210
DTSTAMP:20220209T140215Z
CREATED:20190822T164913Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220209T140215Z
UID:1006-1612828800-1612915199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Cecil De Vere (14-ii-1846 09-ii-1875)
DESCRIPTION:We remember Cecil Valentine De Vere (14-ii-1846 09-ii-1875) \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : \nCecil Valentine De Vere\, pseudonym of Valentine Brown\, winner of the first official British Championship tournament organized by the British Chess Association in 1866. He learned the game in London before 1858 and practised with Boden and the Irish player Francis Burden (1830-82). De Vere played with unusual ease and rapidity\, never bothering to study the books. His features were handsome (an Adonis says MacDonnell)\, his manner pleasant\, his conduct polite. He “handled the pieces gracefully\, never “hovered” over them\, nor fiercely stamped them down upon the board … nor exulted when he gained a victory…in short\, he was a highly chivalrous player.’ So wrote Steinitz who conceded odds in a match against De Vere and was soundly beaten\, (See pawn and move.) De Vere’s charm brought him many friends. \nAt about the time that he won the national championship his mother died\, a loss he felt deeply\, “The only person who ever cared for me”. \nReceiving a small legacy he gave up his job. which Burden had obtained for him at Lloyds the underwriters\, and never took another. He entered some strong tournaments but always trailed just behind the greatest half-dozen players of his time. His exceptional talent was accompanied by idleness and lack of enthusiasm for a hard task. On the occasion of the Dundee tournament of 1867 he took long walks in the Scottish countryside with G. A. MacDonnell\, who writes that a ‘black cloud’ descended on De Vere. It may have been the discovery that he had tuberculosis; more probably he revealed to the older man a deep-rooted despair\, the cause perhaps of his later addiction to alcohol. \nIn 1872 Boden handed over the chess column of The Field to provide him with a small income; but in 1873 the column was given to Steinitz on account of De Vere’s indolence and drunkenness. At the end of Nov\, 1874 his illness took a turn for the worse\, he could hardly walk and ate little. His friends paid to send him to Torquay for the sea air\, and there he died ten weeks later. He had failed to nourish a natural genius in respect of which\, according to Steinitz\, De Vere was “second to no man\, living or dead*. \nCecil Valentine De Vere (14-ii-1846 09-ii-1875)\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks : \nFirst official British Chess Champion\, Cecil de Vere was born on 14th February 1845 (in Montrose\, Angus\, Scotland : Ed.) and was taught to play chess when he was 12 by a strong London player\, Francis Burden. By the time he was 15\, he was a regular visitor to “The Divan” on a Saturday afternoon. \nAt the age of 19 De Vere played a number of games against MacDonnell winning the majority of them. So great was his promise that the City of London Chess Club raised a purse for a match between him an Steinitz\, Steinitz giving the odds of a Pawn and a move. De Vere won. \nIn 1866 the first British Championship\, organised by the British Chess Association was held. De Vere won\, ahead of MacDonnell and Bird\, and so became the first British Champion at the age of 21. \nThe following year in the Paris 1867 tournament\, he was 5th out of a field of 13\, and he tied for 3rd prize in the Dundee Congress\, ahead of Blackburne\, having beaten Steinitz in their individual game. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nWhile he was in Dundee\, De Vere learned that he was suffering from Tuberculosis. The news changed his whole life. Having recently inherited a few hundred pounds\, he gave up his job at Lloyd’s and started living on his capital\, determined to enjoy the few years he had left. He continued to play chess\, but his performances were marred by his newly acquired addiction to the bottle. \nDe Vere was once described as “A Morphy without book knowledge”. His talent was great enough for him to be able to take on the leading masters of the day without any study or preparation\, but more than that is needed to reach the top. De Vere lacked the strength of character and health to fulfill his early promise. He died a few days before his thirtieth birthday. \nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \nThe first official British Champion and a player of great promise who might well have attained world fame had he not be carried off by that nineteenth-century British scourge\, tuberculosis\, before he attained the age of thirty. \nMost of the details of his life are to be found in the writings of G.A. MacDonnell\, who met him when De Vere was fourteen and was so struck by his good looks as to refer to him as “Adonis”. \nHis first tournament success came in 1866 at the London Congress organised at the St. George’s Club in the first few days and then in other venues by the British Chess Association. De Vere played in two events\, a Handicap tournament and a Challenge Cup event which was in fact the first British Championship tournament. \nThe Handicap tournament was run on the same lines as London 1851\, i.e. it was a knock-out event with matches of three games\, draws not counting. De Vere met Steinitz in round 1 and lost by 2-1. \nThe first British championship tournament was an all-play-all event in which the ties were decided by the first player to win three games and in which the championship went to the winner of the biggest number of games. De Vere was an easy winner with 12 wins\, followed by MacDonnell and J.I. Minchin 6\, H.E Bird 3 and Sir John Trelawney 0. \nThus De Vere was the first British Champion and at that age of twenty-one. A photograph of him about this time shows that he bore a remarkable likeness to the international master John Nunn\, who won the European Junior championship a hundred years after De Vere’s death. \nDe Vere confirmed his position as a leading British player by coming first in another tournament in 1866 at Redcar in North Yorkshire. This was an event open to all British amateurs and among his opponents were Owen\, Thorold and Wisker. \nIt was in the following year that he commenced his career in international chess. In the important double-round tournament at Paris he occupied an honourable fifth place out of 13 players. At Dundee (the third congress of the British Chess Association) he finished equal 3rd with MacDonnell\, below Steinitz but beating him in their individual game and coming ahead of Blackburne. \nIt was during his visit to Scotland (he went to stay with relatives after the tournament) that he learnt he was afflicted with consumption. This knowledge\, together with the death of his mother\, drove him to drink which was to accelerate his end. \ninheriting a few hundred pounds\, presumably from his mother\, he gave up his post at Lloyd’s and decided to live on his capital together with such additional sums as he could earn from chess. \nIn this respect his addiction to drink proved a handicap. For example\, he held the post of chess editor of The Field in 1872 but lost it after some eighteen months through inattention to work. \nMeanwhile he continued to show his great talent for the game. Defending the title of British Champion in a very strong field at the next British Chess Association congress (1868/9) he cam equal first with Blackburne but lost the play-off at the London Club in March 1869. \nIn 1870 at the very strong Baden-Baden double-round tournament\, he came equal sixth with Winawer but was much outdistanced by Blackburne who came third with 3.5 more pints than De Vere. But already his illness was taking a strong hold on him. At his next and last appearance in a tournament of note. London 1872\, he tied with Zukertort and MacDonnell =3rd out of 8 players. In the play-off for third and fourth prizes he lost to MacDonnell and scratched to Zukertort\, Later in the year he did tie for first place with Wisker in a weaker British championship tournament and\, with De Vere now clearly ill\, Wisker had an easy victory in the play-off. \nAt his last appearance at a chess event\, a match at the City of London Club between that Club and Bermondsey\, he looked a dying man. A subscription was made to send him to Torquay but it was too late and he died within five days of his thirtieth birthday. \nHere are some of his games at chessgames.com \nThe English Chess Forum contains a brief discussion initiated by John Townsend (Wokingham) of manuscripts attributed to CdV. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nThe English Morphy?: The Life and Games of Cecil De Vere\, First British Chess Champion by Owen Hindle & Robert H. Jones
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-cecil-de-vere/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210211
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210212
DTSTAMP:20210206T200941Z
CREATED:20200210T100746Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210206T200941Z
UID:3234-1613001600-1613087999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Simon Ansell (11-ii-1975)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Simon Ansell (11-ii-1975) \nSimon Ansell\nIM Simon Ansell
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-simon-ansell-11-ii-1975/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210212
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210213
DTSTAMP:20210208T110617Z
CREATED:20200210T002512Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210208T110617Z
UID:3241-1613088000-1613174399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Glenn Flear (12-ii-1959)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of GM Glenn Flear (12-ii-1959) \nFrom Chessgames.com : \n“Glenn Curtis Flear was born in Leicester\, England. He was awarded the IM title in 1983 and GM title in 1987. While still an IM\, he shocked the chess world by winning the GLC Chess Challenge (1986) ahead of a field that included Short\, Chandler\, Nunn\, Portisch\, Polugaevsky\, Spassky and Larsen. He married Christine Flear during that tournament. He represented England at the Dubai Olympiad in 1986.” \nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nGM Glenn Curtis Flear\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nGM Glenn Curtis Flear
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-glenn-flear-12-ii-1959/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210212
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210213
DTSTAMP:20220212T164430Z
CREATED:20200408T124513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220212T164430Z
UID:4179-1613088000-1613174399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Mark Condie (12-ii-1965)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Mark Lockwood Condie (12-ii-1965)
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-mark-l-condie-12-ii-1965/
CATEGORIES:4NCL,Birthday,Player
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_1081-scaled.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210212
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210213
DTSTAMP:20260817T135454Z
CREATED:20201216T164542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T135454Z
UID:12500-1613088000-1613174399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Robert Combe (16-viii-1912 12-ii-1952)
DESCRIPTION:Robert Forbes Combe (16 August 1912 – 12 February 1952) \nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Forbes_Combe
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/remembering-robert-combe-16-viii-1912-12-ii-1952/
CATEGORIES:British Championships,Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210213
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210214
DTSTAMP:20210208T111141Z
CREATED:20190823T180554Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210208T111141Z
UID:1090-1613174400-1613260799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of Michael Lipton (13-ii-1937)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of Michael Lipton (13-ii-1937) \nThe Two Move Chess Problem : Tradition and Development\nChess Problems : Introduction to an Art
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-michael-lipton/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Composer,Problemist
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://britishchessnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/13.02-Michael-Lipton.jpg
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END:VCALENDAR