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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200503
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200504
DTSTAMP:20210503T125607Z
CREATED:20190822T222848Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210503T125607Z
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SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of David Hooper (31-xiii-1915 03-v-1998)
DESCRIPTION:BCN remembers David Hooper who passed away in a Taunton (Somerset) nursing home on Sunday\, May 3rd 1998. Probate (#9851310520) was granted in Brighton on June 24th 1998. \nPrior to the nursing home David had been living at 33\, Mansfield Road\, Taunton\, TA1 3NJ and before that at 5\, Haimes Lane\, Shaftesbury\, Dorset\, SP7 8AJ. \nFor most of the time between Reigate and Shaftesbury David lived in Whitchurch\, Hampshire. \nDavid Vincent Hooper was born on Tuesday\, August 31st 1915 in Reigate\, Surrey to Vincent Hooper and Edith Marjorie Winter who married in Reigate\, Surrey in 1909. On this day the first French ace\, Adolphe Pégoud\, was killed in combat. He had scored six victories. \nDavid was one of six children: Roger Garth (1910-?)\, Edwin Morris (1911-1942)\, Isobel Mary (12/01/1917-2009)\, Helene Edith (1916-1982) and Elizabeth Anne Oliver (1923-2000) were his siblings. \nRecorded in the September 1939 register David was aged 24 and living at 94\, High Street\, Reigate\, Surrey: \nHistorical Map showing 94\, High Street\, Reigate\, Surrey\nIn 2021 this property appears to be a flat (rather than bridge) over the River Kwai Restaurant: \n94\, High Street\, Reigate\, Surrey\, RH2 9AP\nLiving with David was his sister Isobel who was listed a “potential nurse”. David’s occupation at this time was listed as Architectural Assistant and he was single. We think that three others lived at this address at the time but they are not listed under the “100 year rule”. We know that David was also a surveyor and went on to attain professional membership of the Royal Institution of British Architects (RIBA). \nIn the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette May 27th 1944 there appeared this report of a simultaneous display on Empire Day (May 24th) at Dr. Marsh’s house: \nBath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette\, May 27th 1944\nand from The Western Morning News\, 9th April 1947 we have: \nWestern Morning News\, 9th April 1947\nand then from The Nottingham Evening Post\, 16th August 1949 we have: \nNottingham Evening Post\, 16th August 1949\nIn 1950 aged 35 David married Joan M Higley (or Rose!) in the district of South Eastern Surrey. \nDavid Hooper (seated right) in play at the West of England Championships in Bristol\, Easter\, 1947. His opponent \, ARB Thomas \, was that year’s champion. Among the spectators is Mrs. Rowena Bruce\, the 1946 British Ladies’ Champion. BCM\, Volume 118\, #6\, p.327. The others in the photo are L – R: H. V. Trevenen; H. Wilson-Osborne (WECU President); R. A. (Ron) Slade; Rowena Bruce; Ron Bruce; H. V. (Harry) Mallison; Chris Sullivan; C. Welch (Controller); F. E. A. (Frank) Kitto.\nKen Whyld wrote an obituary which appeared in British Chess Magazine\, Volume 118 (1998)\, Number 6\, page 326 as follows : \nDAVID VINCENT HOOPER died on 3rd May this year in a nursing home in Taunton. He had been in declining health for some months. Born in Reigate\, 31st August 1915\, his early chess years were with the Battersea CC and Surrey. \nDavid Hooper (left) in conversation with Alan Phillips. Location and photographer unknown.\nHe won the (ed. Somerset) County Championship three times\, and the London Championship in 1948. His generation was at its chess peak in the years when war curtailed opportunities\, but he won the British Correspondence Championship in 1944. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nHis games from that event are to be found in Chess for Rank and File by Roche and Battersby. \nChess for the Rank and File\nAlso at that time\, he won the 1944 tournament at Blackpool\, defeating veteran Grandmaster Jacques Mieses. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nDavid was most active in the decade that followed\, playing five times in the British Championship. \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nHis highest place there was at Nottingham 1954\, when\, after leading in the early stages\, he finished half a point behind the joint champions\, Leonard Barden and Alan Phillips. \nDavid was in the British Olympic team at Helsinki 1952\, and in the same year accidentally played top board for England in one of the then traditional weekend matches against the Netherlands. British Champion Klein took offence at a Sunday Times report of his draw with former World Champion Dr. Euwe on the Saturday and refused to play on Sunday. Thus David was drafted in to meet Euwe\, and acquitted himself admirably. Even though he lost\, the game took pride of place in that month’s\nBCM. \nAlan Phillips plays David Hooper on August 20th 1954 in round five of the British Championships in Nottingham\, 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\nIn the following game\, played in the Hastings Premier l95l-2\, he found an improvement on Botvinnik’s play against Bronstein in game 17 of their 1951 match\, when 7.Ng3 was played because it was thought that after 7.Nf4 d5 it was necessary to play 8 Qb3. \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 profession as architect David worked in the Middle East for some years from the mid-1950s\, and when he returned to England he made his mark as a writer. His Practical Chess Endgames \nPractical Chess Endgames (Chess Handbooks)\, David Hooper\, Routledge & Kegan Paul\, London\, 1968\, ISBN 0 7100 5226 X\nhas an enduring appeal. Two of his books appeared in the Wildhagen biographical games series on Steinitz\, and Capablanca. The last was written jointly with Gilchrist. \nWilliam Steinitz : Selected Chess Games\, David Hooper\nWith Euwe he wrote A Guide to Chess Endings; \nA Guide to Chess Endings\, Dover (1976 reprint)\, ISBN 0-486-23332-4\nwith Cafferty\, A Complete Defence to 1.e4; \nA Complete Defence to 1.P-K4 A Study of Petroff’s Defence\, Bernard Cafferty & David Hooper\, Pergamon Press\, 1967\, ISBN 0 08 024089 5\nA Pocket Guide to Chess Endgames; \nA Pocket Guide to Chess Endgames\, David Hooper\, Bell & Hyman Limited\, London\, 1970\, ISBN 0 7135 1761 1\nA Complete Defence to 1.d4; \nA Complete Defence to 1d4: A Study of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted\, Bernard Cafferty & David Hooper\, Pergamon Press\, ISBN 0-08-024102-6\nand Play for Mate; \nPlay for Mate (1990)\, DV Hooper and Bernard Cafferty\, ISBN-13: 978-0713464740\nwith Brandreth The Unknown Capablanca\, \nThe Unknown Capablanca\, David Hooper & Dale Brandreth\, Batsford\, London\, 1975\, ISBN\, 0 7134 2964\nand with Ken Whyld\, The Oxford Companion to Chess. \nThe Oxford Companion to Chess\, 1st Edition\, David Hooper & Ken Whyld\, Oxford University Press\, 1984\, ISBN 0 19 217540 8\nKen Whyld \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \nBritish amateur (an architect by profession) whose best result was =5 in the British Championship at Felixstowe 1949 along with\, amongst others\, Broadbent and Fairhurst. \nHooper abandoned playing for writing about chess and has become a specialist in two distinct areas. He is an expert on the endings and has a close knowledge of the history of chess in the nineteenth century. \nHis principal works : Steinitz (in German)\, Hamburg\, 1968; A Pocket Guide to Chess Endgames\, London 1970. \nHere is an interesting article from Edward Winter \nHere is his brief Wikipedia entry.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-david-hooper/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200504
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200505
DTSTAMP:20210306T150410Z
CREATED:20191211T164755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T150410Z
UID:2307-1588550400-1588636799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Joe Gallagher (04-v-1964)
DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes Happy Birthday to GM Joseph Gerald Gallagher (04-v-1964) \nStreatham & Brixton becoming BCF National Club Champions in 1989. The team was Tony Kosten\, Mark Hedben\, Daniel King\, Nigel Povah (Captain)\, Joe Gallagher and Julian Hodgson : quite a strong team\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nGM Joseph Gerald Gallagher\n\nGM Joe Gallagher\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 Joe Gallagher\nWinning With the King’s Gambit\, Batsford\, ISBN 0-7134-6944-7\nBeating the Anti-Sicilians\, Batsford/Henry Holt and Company\, ISBN 0-8050-3575-3\nBeating the Sicilian 3\nBeating the Anti-King’s Indians\, Batsford/International Chess Enterprises\, ISBN 1-879479-36-2\nThe Trompovsky\, Chess Press\, ISBN 1-901259-09-9\n101 Attacking Ideas in Chess\, Gambit Publications\, ISBN 1-901983-20-X\nThe Magic of Mikhail Tal\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-266-0\nStarting Out: the Caro-Kann\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-303-9\nStarting Out: King’s Indian\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-234-2\nStarting Out: The Pirc/Modern\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-336-5\nPlay the King’s Indian\, Everyman Chess\, ISBN 1-85744-324-1
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-joseph-gerald-gallagher-04-v-1964/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200504
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200505
DTSTAMP:20210306T150930Z
CREATED:20200409T085032Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T150930Z
UID:4247-1588550400-1588636799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Danny Gormally (04-v-1976)
DESCRIPTION:BCN wishes Happy Birthday to GM Daniel William Gormally (04-v-1976) \n\nDanny won the Southern Counties (SCCU) championship in the 2002-03 and 2010-11 (sharing with David Howell) seasons. \nHere is a ChessBase interview with Danny \nDanny Gormally Caption Competition\nand another interview from Chessbase \n\nGM Danny Gormally\n\nDanny Gormally with the ? Trophy\nInsanity\, Passion and Addiction\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-daniel-w-gormally-04-v-1976/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200506
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200507
DTSTAMP:20210306T151808Z
CREATED:20200409T172437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T151808Z
UID:4274-1588723200-1588809599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of Dr. Tim Harding (06-v-1948)
DESCRIPTION:From chessgames.com :“Timothy David Harding was born in London. He has been playing both over-the-board and correspondence chess since the 1960s. Harding played on the Irish team at the 1984 FIDE Olympiad in Thessaloniki\, scoring 50%. In 2002 he achieved the title of Senior International Master of Correspondence Chess. He is also a Candidate Master (2015). \nAs a chess historian\, Harding has authored dozens of books on chess since 1973. He is also the author of the “The Kibitzer”\, a popular chess column published at ChessCafe.com. \n(Tim Harding’s homepage – http://www.chessmail.com/timsite)” \nBCN wishes Happy Birthday to Timothy David Harding (06-v-1948) \nFrom Wikipedia : \n“Timothy David Harding (born 6 May 1948 in London)[1] is a chess player and author with particular expertise in correspondence chess. He published a correspondence chess magazine Chess Mail from 1996 to 2006[2] and authored “The Kibitzer”\, a ChessCafe.com column from 1996 until 2015.[3] In 2002\, he was awarded the title Senior International Master of Correspondence Chess by the International Correspondence Chess Federation. Harding has lived in Dublin since 1976\,[2] writing a weekly column for The Sunday Press from then until 1995. \nIn 2009\, Harding received a PhD degree in history from University of Dublin\, with his thesis on correspondence chess in Britain and Ireland\, 1824–1914.[4] \nHe is credited with coining the name Frankenstein–Dracula Variation in his 1975 Vienna Game book.” \nTimothy David Harding (06-v-1948)\nTim has written / co-authored at least forty chess books and here is a selection : \nThe Velimirovic Attack\, Sozin Sicilian\, TD Harding and RG Wade\, Chessman Publications Ltd.\, 1969.\nCounter gambits by Timothy D. Harding (1974)\nSicilian:…e5 by TD Harding & PR Markland\nThe Sicilian Sozin\, TD Harding\, GS Botterill\, C. Kottnauer\, Batsford\, 1974\nSicilian Richter-Rauzer\nThe Leningrad Dutch\, BT Batsford\, Tim Harding\, 1976\nColle\, London and Blackmar-Diemer Systems\, BT Batsford Ltd\, Tim Harding\, 1979\nFrench: MacCutcheon and Advance Lines\, Batsford\, 1979\nFrench: Classical Lines\, Batsford\, 1979\nQueen’s Gambit Declined : Semi-Slav\, Tim Harding\, BT Batsford Ltd.\, 1981\nGuide to the Chess Openings\nBritish Chess Literature to 1914 : A Handbook for Historians\nEminent Victorian Chess Players\nJoseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-timothy-david-harding-06-v-1948/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,History,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200513
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200514
DTSTAMP:20210306T152627Z
CREATED:20191027T141129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210306T152627Z
UID:1681-1589328000-1589414399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Charles Locock (27-ix-1872 13-v-1946)
DESCRIPTION:Death Anniversary of Charles Dealtry Locock (27-ix-1872 13-v-1946) \nFrom < Wikipedia : \n“Charles Dealtry Locock (1862 – 1946) was a British literary scholar\, editor and translator\, who wrote on a wide array of subjects\, including chess\, billiards and croquet.[1]” \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld : \nThe Locock Gambit is in the Philidor Defence\, named after the English player Charles Dealtry Locock (1862 – 1946). The gambit is probably sound; Black should play 4…Bey instead of 4…h6 \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-charles-dealtry-locock-27-ix-187213-v-1946/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200515
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200516
DTSTAMP:20200510T093529Z
CREATED:20200411T142959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200510T093529Z
UID:4454-1589500800-1589587199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of GM Matthew D Sadler (15-v-1974)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of GM Matthew D Sadler (15-v-1974)
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-gm-matthew-d-sadler-15-v-1974/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200517
DTSTAMP:20210516T144229Z
CREATED:20190823T085838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210516T144229Z
UID:1054-1589587200-1589673599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Harold Murray (24-vi-1868 16-v-1955)
DESCRIPTION:BCN remembers Harold Murray who passed away on Monday\, May 16th\, 1955. \nHarold James Ruthven Murray was born on Wednesday\, 24th June 1868 in Camberwell\, London. He was the eldest son of Sir James Augustus Henry Murray 1837–1915 and  Ada Agnes Ruthven 1845–1936. Sir James was famously the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXV (125\, 1955)\, Number 8 (August)\, pp. 233-4 we have this obituary from DJ Morgan: \n“The great historian of chess died in May last\, at the age of eighty-six. Some of the early results of his researches into the origins of the game were published in this magazine\, and a reference to the “B.C.M.” volumes for the first fifteen years of this century will reveal a wealth of articles of permanent value. A tribute to our late and\ndistinguished contributor has been unavoidably delayed. \nMurray was the eldest son of Sir James A. H. Murray\, the pioneering editor of the great Oxford English Dictionary\, and was born in Camberwell on June 24th\, 1868. He went to Mill Hill School\, took an Open Mathematical Exhibition to Balliol College\, Oxford\, and left the University\, in 1890\, with a First Class in the Final Mathematical School. Subsequently\, teaching engagements took him to Taunton\, Carlisle\, and Ormskirk. From 1891 to 1900 he was Headmaster of Ormskirk Grammar School\, which he left to become a Board of Education Inspector of Schools. \nTaunton gave him an enthusiasm for chess. At Ormskirk he helped to found a club\, which he captained from 1896 to 1900. His interest in the history of the game had been aroused in 1893\, and when\, in 1897\, he received encouragement from such a notable authority as Baron von der Lasa\, historical research became his ruling passion. In his own words his aim was to trace the development of the modern European game from the first appearance of its ancestor\, the Indian chaturanga\, in the beginning of the seventh century of our era. \nMany books had been written on the history of chess\, but none had covered exactly the whole story as he envisaged it. Hyde\, in 1694\, and another Englishman\, Forbes\, in 1860\, had in the main confined their attention to Oriental chess. Other investigators\, such as Sir William Jones on Indian chess (1790)\, Cox on Burma chess (1803 and 1807)\, and Bland on Persian chess (1852)\, had published their conclusions in journals of Asiatic studies. The great German writer\, von der Lasa\, in 1897\, treated almost exclusively of the European game. Van der Linde alone had dealt with both Oriental and European chess\, but it was in three distinct works (1874-81). \nVan der Linde was able to incorporate the results of Weber’s examination of the early references to chess in Sanskrit literature\, and to show that Forbes’s History was both inaccurate and misleading. \nSince the publication of Linde’s Geschichte there had been many additions to our knowledge of various aspects of chess history\, mostly scattered in isolated papers. So\, continues Murray\, he set about collecting and collating all available material and making it easily accessible to English readers. \nMurray was able to call on the help of acknowledged scholars in the many languages\, obsolete and obsolescent\, into which his researches led him. Above all\, his work was largely based upon his own studies of original materials. The manuscripts and rare books in the unrivalled collections of J. G. White\, of Cleveland\, Ohio\, and of J. W. Rimington Wilson in this country\, were placed unreservedly at his disposal\, as were the resources of other collectors and libraries. \nAs an example of his devotion to his work\, he made a thorough study of Arabic\, and it was his knowledge of this language which enabled him to make his remarkable discovery of the chess-work of Allajlaj\, a Mohammedan chess master of the tenth century. The fascinating story of the recovery of these oldest recorded games is told in the “British Chess Magazine” of November\, 1903. \nMurray thus brought a fine scholarship to his immense task. He had\, in addition\, the true historian’s gifts of meticulous research\, of grasp of detail\, of the critical sifting of evidence; to this scientific technique was added the art of lucid exposition.\nIn his hands\, it can be said\, the chess-player’s elements of time\, space\, and material were used to range through most of the centuries of the Christian era. \nA History of Chess\nThe History appeared in 1913\, from the same University Press\, he was proud to think which\, more than 200 years before\, had published Thomas Hyde’s Mondragorios seu Historia Shohiludii. The huge volume of 900 pages\, lavishly illustrated and with scores of chess diagrams\, was received with world-wide acclamation. From ancient “Indian Board-games” to “Steinitz and his School\,” the vast field had been covered with great authority. The book is in two parts\, “Chess in Asia” and “Chess in Europe\,” but through it all runs the absorbing story of how the game\, in play and in problem\, in its practice and in its laws\, has developed and spread. From India to Persia\, to Islam as a result of the Mohammedan conquest of Persia\, from Islam to Spain\, and thence to Christian Europe\, chess has followed the great political and religious movements. It is very improbable that chess was played in England before the Norman Conquest. That it was familiar to the Norman Kings in the eleventh century is certain from the evidence of the word exchequer\, which was applied to the table “upon which the accounts were worked out by means of a cloth divided into strips about a footwide\, on which counters\, representing the moneys\, were placed and moved.” \nThis must suffice. The work is one to browse in and to dip into through the years. Murray has left an enduring monument\, the greatest book ever written on the game. We can but touch briefly on other aspects of his varied and active life. Following his retirement from the Board of Education\, in 1928\, he took an active interest in Local Government work. He became Chairman of the Fernhurst Parish Council\, and was a member of the Midhurst R.D.C.\, 1931-55\, being Chairmain of its Housing\nCommittee from 1938 to 1948. \nIn 1952 he published A History of Board Gomes Other Than Chess. \nA History of Board Games other than Chess\nHe also wrote a Shorter History of Chess and a History of Draughts (both unpublished)\, and spent much time working on mathematical problems connected with Knights’ Tours and Magic Tours. His work on these investigations is also unpublished\, but a good deal remains in typescript in fairly complete form. \nApart from his interest in board games and mathematics\, he was interested in genealogy\, and did research on his own and his wife’s families. Up to his death he was working on local history and was writing a history of Heyshott\, the village to which he retired. Walking\, in his younger days\, and bird-watching in his middle years\, were amongst his otter recreations. \nA game of chess he. always enjoyed\, but not under the rigorous conditions of matches and tournaments. \nHis son\, Major D. M. J. Murray\, Royal Engineers\, was killed in Hong Kong in 1941. The chess world’s sympathy with his second son Mr. K.C. Murray of the Antiquities Service\, Nigeria\, and with his daughter\, Miss K. M. E. Murray\, M.A.\, Principal of the Bishop\nOtter College\, Chichester\, is but a small expression of its sense of indebtedness to their distinguished father.-D. J. M.” \nFollowing this obituary a letter from Alex Hammond appeared in British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXV (125\, 1955)\, Number 9 (September)\, page 270 as follows: \n“Dear Mr. Reilly\,\nMurray was\, indeed a very great man\, though a few of us were privileged to know him intimately\, as his nature was shy and retiring. \nFor myself\, I shall always treasure his memory\, as when I wrote my The Book of Chessmen he gave me freely of his knowledge\, and saved me from many errors. \nAny person who attempts to write on chess history will always find real difficulty in discovering anything of interest which does not appear in his monumental “History.” \nProbably his like will not be seen again\, as such patient industry\, deep knowledge\, and tremendous perseverance are unlikely to be combined in a single personage again. \nYours sincerely\,\nAlex Hammond\n16 Burlington Arcade\, London\, W1 \nThe Book of Chessmen\, Alexander Hammond\, Arthur Barker Ltd.\, London\, 1950\nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess (Oxford University Press\, 1984 & 1996) by Hooper & Whyld: \n“Foremost chess historian\, school inspector. His A History of Chess (1913)\, perhaps the most important chess book in English\, was the result of about 14 years of research inspired by Lasa\, and grounded on van der Linde’s work. During that period Murray contributed 35 articles to the British Chess Magazine \, some of which outlined his discoveries. Most of the 900-page History is concerned with the evolution of modern chess from its oriental precursor up to the 17th century. He learned Arabic so that he could read important manuscripts\, and in addition to his own circle he was able to solicit help from colleagues of his father Sir James A. H. Murray\, editor-in-chief of the Oxford English Dictionary; who was also aided by J. G. White\, with both advice and the loan of rare books from the Cleveland collection\, and by many others. His book includes an authoritative account of both Mansubat and medieval problems. (See also history of chess.) In 1952 he published a companion volume\, A History of Board Games other than Chess. \nWhile the scholarship of his chess book has never been questioned it is too detailed for the average chess-player. Aware of this problem\, Murray wrote a briefer work approaching the topic in a more popular way. The manuscript\, unfinished at his death\, was completed and published in 1963 as A Short History of Chess. (See Civis Bononiae.) \nA Short History of Chess\nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Batsford\, 1977)\, Harry Golombek OBE : \n“Chess historian and a Board of Education Inspector of Schools. Appropriately enough\, a son of the pioneering editor of the great Oxford English Dictionary\, he became interested in the history of chess in the early 1890s. Up to this time the historical writings on chess in English had been unhistorical. In order to fit himself for the task Murray learned several languages including Arabic and he also studied the true historians of chess\, the German writers\, Van der Linde and Von der Lassa. \nIn his own words his aim was to trace the development of the modern European game from the first appearance of its ancestor\, the Indian chaturanga\, in the beginning of the seventh century of our era. This he did in a vast work of some 900 pages published in Oxford in 1913. An immense amount of painstaking research had gone into the work and only a man of Murray’s great learning could have attempted it. \nIt at once became the standard book on the subject and has remained so ever since. Murray left behind among his papers an unfinished work A Short History of Chess which took the history of the game up to 1866 which gave a clearer and more readable account of the history of the game than his main work. This was brought up to date by Goulding-Brown and Golombek and published in Oxford in 1963.” \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Robert Hale\, 1970 &1976)\, Anne Sunnucks : \n“The chess historian who wrote the History of Chess\, published by Oxford University Press in 1913. Murray was born in Camberwell on 24th June\, 1868\, the eldest son of Sir James Murray\, the first editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. After graduating from Balliol College\, Oxford\, with a First Class in the Final Mathematical School\, in 1890 Murray became a master at Queen’s College\, Taunton\, where he learned to play chess. He later taught at Carlisle Grammar School and in 1896 became the headmaster of Ormskirk Grammar School. About 1893 his interest in the history of the game was aroused\, and four years later\, encouraged by the great German writer and authority on the game\, Baron Von der Lasa\, his historical researches began.\nFrom 1901-1928 he was a Board of Education Inspector of Schools\, an appointment which made it difficult for him to play much chess. He began to turn his attention more and more to the history of the game\, contributing articles to The British Chess Magazine and Deutsches Wochenschach. He made the acquaintance of J. J. White of Cleveland\, Ohio\, owner of the largest chess library in the world\, and was given access to this collection\, as well as one owned by J. W. Rimington Wilson in England. White’s library contained a number of Arabic manuscripts\, and\, in order to be able to study them\, Murray learned Arabic. The History of Chess took him 13 years to complete. \nOn his retirement from the Board of Education\, Murray served as Chairman of Fernhurst Parish Council and was a member of Midhurst R.D.C. from 1931-1955 and was Chairman of its Housing Committee from 1938-1948. His other interests\, apart from chess\, were genealogy\, local history\, walking and bird watching. In 1952 he published A History of Board Games Other than Chess. \nAfter his death A Short History of Chess was found uncompleted among his papers. Additional chapters were added by B. Goulding Brown and H. Golombek\, and it was published in 1963.” \n(Bertram Goulding Brown was a tournament chess player and a contributor to British Chess Magazine. He was born 5 July 1881 and died 22 August 1965 in the United Kingdom.) \nYou may read the entire book here \nFrom Amazon : \n“Harold James Ruthven Murray was born on 24 June 1868. His first book A History of Chess was published by Oxford University Press in 1913. Murray covered the first 1\,400 years of the game’s history in definitive detail. He died on 16 May 1955. He left several more manuscripts which are being held by Oxford University.” \nAccording to Edward Winter in Chess Notes HJRM lived 53 Hagley Road\, Edgbaston\, Birmingham\, England (Ranneforths Schach-Kalender\, 1915\, page 71). \nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nand here is an excellent article from Edward Winter.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-harold-james-ruthven-murray/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Remembering,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200517
DTSTAMP:20260817T141207Z
CREATED:20200427T133527Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T141207Z
UID:4991-1589587200-1589673599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Andrew Thomas (11-x-1904 16-v-1985)
DESCRIPTION:Signature of ARB Thomas from a Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Southsea 1951.\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nARB Thomas in play with FEA Kitto\nBCN remembers Andrew Rowland Benedick Thomas (11-x-1904 16-v-1985) \nWe cannot improve on this excellent article about ARBT on the Chess Devon web site \nDavid Hooper (seated right) in play at the West of England Championships in Bristol\, Easter\, 1947. His opponent \, ARB Thomas \, was that year’s champion. Among the spectators is Mrs. Rowena Bruce\, the 1946 British Ladies’ Champion. BCM\, Volume 118\, #6\, p.327. The others in the photo are L – R: H. V. Trevenen; H. Wilson-Osborne (WECU President); R. A. (Ron) Slade; Rowena Bruce; Ron Bruce; H. V. (Harry) Mallison; Chris Sullivan; C. Welch (Controller); F. E. A. (Frank) Kitto.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/remembering-andrew-rowland-benedick-thomas-11-x-1904-16-v-1985/
CATEGORIES:British Championships,Death Anniversary,History,Official,Organiser,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200517
DTSTAMP:20210307T175542Z
CREATED:20200517T135858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T175542Z
UID:5582-1589587200-1589673599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of Mark Crowther (16-v-1966)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of TWIC founder\, Mark Crowther (16-v-1966) \nFrom Wikipedia : \nThe Week in Chess (TWIC) is one of the first\, if not the first\, Internet-based chess news services. It is based in the United Kingdom. \nTWIC has been edited by Mark Crowther since its inception in 1994.[1] It began as a weekly Usenet posting\, with “TWIC 1” being posted to Usenet group rec.games.chess on 17 September 1994.[2] Later it moved to Crowther’s personal web site\, then to chesscenter.com in 1997\,[3] and in 2012 it moved to theweekinchess.com.[4] \nIt contains both chess news\, and all the game scores from major events. \nTWIC quickly became popular with professional chess players\, because it allowed them to quickly get results and game scores\, where previously they had relied on print publications.[5] \nTWIC still exists as a weekly newsletter\, although for important events the TWIC website is updated daily. It remains a popular site for up-to-date chess news.[6]
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-mark-crowther-16-v-1966/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200518
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200519
DTSTAMP:20210307T175655Z
CREATED:20200517T170112Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T175655Z
UID:5616-1589760000-1589846399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Andrew Martin (18-v-1957)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Andrew Martin (18-v-1957) \nFrom ChessBase : \nAndrew David Martin (born 18th May 1957 in West Ham\, London) is an English chess player with the title of international master. Martin has won various national and international tournaments. He has been playing for years in the Four Nations Chess League\, at present (July 2009) for Wood Green Hilsmark Kingfisher\, previously for the Camberley Chess Club. Martin received his title as international master in 1984. He earned his first grandmaster norm in the British Championship of 1997 in Brighton. Martin was a commentator on the chess world championship between Kasparov and Kramnik in 2000.\nOn the 21st February 2004 Martin set a new world record for simultaneous chess. \n\nHe faced 321 chess players at the same time. His result was: 294 wins\, 26 draws and only one loss. Martin is known as a professional chess teacher and head trainer of the English youth team. He trains eight schools (Yateley Manor\, Aldro\, Millfield\, Sunningdale\, Waverley School\, St Michael’s Sandhurst\, Wellington College\, Salesian College). Martin is a chess columnist\, an author of chess books and the author of various instructional videos. He was the publisher of the series Trends Publications. Martin lives in Sandhurst\, England\, is married and the father of two daughters and two sons. His present Elo rating is 2423 (as of July 2009). \nAndrew coaching students\nThe above is somewhat inaccurate and out of date. Andrew came from East Ham rather than West Ham. He was the editor rather than the publisher of Trends Publications and he lives in Bramley\, Surrey with his partner Naomi. \nOn July 23rd 1981 a world record attempt of continuous blitz games was undertaken at the National Film Theatre in London with much support of the membership of London Central YMCA. \nYours Truly (John Upham) plays Andrew Martin at the NFT\nAndrew now plays for Camberley and Guildford clubs in the Berkshire and Surrey Border Leagues and is former member of London Central YMCA (CentYMCA)\, Wood Green and Barbican clubs. \nAndrew plays JJ Ady whilst Simon LeBlanq observes at the London Central YMCA\nAndrew has written many books starting as Editor of the “Trends Series” for Tournament Chess owned by Richard O’Brien (Not of The Crystal Maze). He has authored numerous DVDs for Foxy Videos and ChessBase and has a YouTube Channel focused on young and improving players called “Andrew Martin – Chess Explorations“. \nAndrew’s first book as author was this one : \nWinning With the King’s Indian\, Caissa Publishing\, Andrew Martin\, 1989\nHere is one his 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\nTrends in the Slav Defence\, Tournament Chess\, Andrew Martin\, 1990\nThe Contemporary Anti-Dutch\, 1990\nHere is a second memorable 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\nSecret Weapons\, Tournament Chess\, 1991\nShort\, Tournament Chess\, 1993\nAlekhine’s Defence\, 2001\nThe Essential Center-Counter\, 2004\nKing’s Indian Battle Plans\, 2004\nThe Hippopotamus Rises\, 2005\nPlay the Benko Gambit\, 2007\nFirst Steps : Queen’s Gambit\, 2016\nFirst Steps : Caro-Kann Defence\, 2018\nFirst Steps : King’s Indian Defence\, 2019\nChess Hacker\, Andrew Martin\, Thinkers Press\, 2019
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-andrew-martin-18-v-1957/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,British Championships,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200522
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200523
DTSTAMP:20210307T175946Z
CREATED:20200408T125401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T175946Z
UID:4187-1590105600-1590191999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM John Cox (22-v-1962)
DESCRIPTION:IM John Cox\nBCN sends best wishes to IM John Cox on his birthday\, this day\, in 1962. \nJohn was born in Altrincham\, Trafford\, Greater Manchester and attended Eton College playing top board in the Sunday Times National Schools Competition. \nHe became a FIDE Master in 1982\, an International Master in 2002 and obtained a peak rating of 2423 in January of 2006. \nHe is an expert bridge player and an amateur rock climber / mountaineer. \nJohn plays for Cavendish in the London League\, Hackney in other leagues and Barbican in the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL). \nFrom the excellent Shropshire Chess web site we have : \nJohn Cox\, aged 17\, photographer unknown\n“Probably the best home reared player to come out of the county\, John Cox started to play at age 6 with his father Jeff (see above) joining Shrewsbury Chess Club at age 7. At age10 he became joint Shropshire lightning champion. He was 16 when he won the 1979 county championship though much of his early success was outside the county. He gained his first FM norm at the 1980 Lloyds Bank Masters where he became the first Shropshire player to beat a GM (see below)\, also drawing with IM’s Ligterink and Pytel. In 1981 he gained his third norm and the FM title at Ramsgate together with his first IM norm. Though now based in London\, he is still a regular visitor to the local Wrekin Congress.” \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 \nJohn Cox (first from left) at a Lloyds Bank event.\nJohn Cox (left\, rear)\nJohn Cox (left\, rear) at a Lloyds Bank Varsity match\nIM John Cox\nStarting out 1.d4 ! by John Cox\nDangerous Weapons : The Ruy Lopez\nStarting Out : Alekhine’s Defence\nDealing with d4 Deviations\nStarting Out : Sicilian Sveshnikov\nThe Berlin Wall
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-john-j-cox-22-v-1962/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200529
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200530
DTSTAMP:20210307T181503Z
CREATED:20200402T172328Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210307T181503Z
UID:3981-1590710400-1590796799@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Birthday of IM Chris Baker (29-v-1958)
DESCRIPTION:Birthday of IM Christopher Wallace Baker (29-v-1958) \nChris was born in Coventry\, West Midlands and played in the Staffordshire Open in 1975 (the earliest games held in MegaBase 2020). \nChris has played for Guildford in Four Nations Chess League (4NCL). \nHe has been the trainer of the Welsh junior team and is a fully-qualified arbiter. \nHe has taught chess in many schools in the Farnham area of Surrey. \nIM Chris Baker\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nHe has authored and co-authored a number of books including the following : \nA Startling Chess Opening Repertoire\nSimple Winning Chess\nLearn From Your Chess Mistakes\nDynamic Black Opening Repertoire\nA Startling Chess Opening Repertoire
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/birthday-of-im-christopher-wallace-baker-29-v-1958/
CATEGORIES:Birthday,Player,Writer
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