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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210107
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210108
DTSTAMP:20210107T130636Z
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UID:1012-1609977600-1610063999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of GM Harry Golombek OBE (01-iii-1911 07-i-1995)
DESCRIPTION:Signature of H Golombek from a Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Southsea 1951.\nWe remember Harry Golombek OBE who passed away on Saturday\, January 7th\, 1995. \nHarry Golombek was born on Wednesday\, March 1st\, 1911 in Lambeth\, London and his parents were Barnet (Berl) Golombek (Golabek) (1878-1943) and Emma Golombek (née  Sendak) (1883-1967). \nThe Polish word Golabek translates to “small dove” in English. \nBarnet was a “Dealer of gas fittings” and was 33 when Harry was born and Emma was 26. Both of his parents were born in Zambov which is in the Lomza Gubernia region of the Kingdom of Poland which existed from 1867 – 1917. Their nationalities are both recorded as Russian in the 1911 UK census.  we don’t know (as yet) when Barnet and Emma settled in the UK. \nHarry had a brother Abraham (born in 1906) and a sister Rosy born in 1908. The family lived in 200b\, Railton Road\, Herne Hill. Lambeth. \n200b\, Railton Road\, Herne Hill\, Lambeth\, SE24 0JT\nHe is a recorded with a service number of 992915 as being a member of The Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1939 and was discharged as having reached the age limit in 1956 aged 45 and one day. \nHarry Golombek’s record of discharge in 1956 from the Army.\nHarry married his long time nurse\, Noel Frances Judkins (1941 – 2011) in January 1988 and they had (born in 1992) one son : Oliver Golombek-Judkins  BVSc MRCVS who is a successful Somerset based veterinary surgeon. The marriage was recorded in the district of Kensington & Chelsea. \n37\, Albion Crescent\, Chalfont St Giles\, Buckinghamshire\, HP8 4ET : the home of Harry Golombek OBE\nThe date of probate was 22 Mar 1995 and the executor of HGs will was David Anderton OBE. \nIn 1966 Harry became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)\, Civil division awarded in the 1966 Queen’s Birthday (rather than New Years) Honours list. \nThe citation read simply : \nHarry Golombek. For services to Chess : He was the first UK person to be so honoured. \nHastings memorial bench for Harry Golombek OBE\, Courtesy of John Upham Photography\nThe Harry Golombek memorial bench at St Giles Churchyard\, Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire. Photograph courtesy of Geoff Chandler.The Harry Golombek memorial bench at St Giles Churchyard\, Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire. Photograph courtesy of Geoff Chandler.In 1985 Harry was awarded the long overdue (but Honorary) title of Grandmaster by FIDE. \nHarry was Southern Counties (SCCU) Champion in the 1955-56 and 1963-64 seasons. \nHarry was in 1974-82 a FIDE Zonal President and from 1978-96 he was the FIDE Permanent Fund Administrator. \nSadly\, he never received the Presidents Award for Services to Chess from either the BCF or ECF : maybe a posthumous award is long overdue? \nHarry Golombek\, aged 20\, becomes the youngest winner of the Surrey Challenge Cup in 1931. British Chess Magazine 1931\, September\, page 419.\nHere (from British Chess Magazine\, Volume CXXXII (132)\, 2011\, Number 3 (March)\, pp.150-154 is an affectionate collection of memories from Bernard Cafferty : \n“In recalling four decades of knowing the GOM of 20th century English chess\, one has to stress the ‘English’ aspect. The ‘Harry’ part of his name was much more significant than the Polish surname\, and\, though he was the most cosmopolitan of men\, who fitted into any milieu\, my abiding memory of him always throws up the quirks that are the sign of an Englishman. I wonder how many of my readers recall the classic English actors Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford\, whose main preoccupation in their films was…. getting to know the latest cricket score from Lords or The Oval. \nHarry Golombek. Source : The Anglo-Soviet Radio Chess Match\nIndeed\, Harry was a long-time member of Surrey Cricket Club\, and once\, when he came back from being an arbiter at an international tournament in Tenerife\, his main comment to me was not about the event or the players\, but rather that the volcanic rock of the Atlantic island made for brackish water\, so that one could not get…. a decent cup of tea! \nLeft to right Baruch H Wood\, Philip Stuart Milner-Barry\, Vera Menchik (playing in the women’s world championship (held concurrently with the 1939 Buenos Aires Olympiad) which she won with 17 wins and 2 draws)\, Sir George Thomas\, Conel Hugh O’Donel Alexander and Harry Golombek. England withdrew after their preliminary group due to the outbreak of war despite qualifying for the top final. Thanks to Leonard Barden\nI first met Harry in the early 1950s when I was a teenage student keen on chess and accordingly spent my meagre pocket money on a day out in Manchester to watch the Counties Final match between Lancashire and the all-conquering Middlesex side of those years. Harry and I were about the only spectators. He was there reporting for The Times. I recall that the top board game was between the veterans William Winter and WA Fairhurst. The game duly appeared in the BCM with Harry’s notes\, for he was the long-serving Games Editor of that august publication. \nPlayers at the 1946 British Championships in Nottingham : Back (from left to right): Gabriel Wood\, Reginald Broadbent\, Philip Milner-Barry\, Andrew RB Thomas\, Baruch H Wood. Front (from left to right): Bob Wade\, Frank Parr\, William Winter\, Robert Combe\, Hugh Alexander\, Harry Golombek\, Gerald Abrahams.. Photograph : BritBase\nPerhaps I may enter a belated correction to “Who’s Who” here. Some editions stated that he was editor of BCM after the Second World War. Not so. His stint in the editorial chair was 1938-40\, after which he was called up\, initially being assigned to the Royal Artillery. Perhaps that is a sign of the speciality of the Services – fitting a square peg in a round hole – but he was swiftly transferred to the Intelligence Corps\, perhaps at the behest of Hugh Alexander who knew that Harry had studied German at his London grammar school in Camberwell and then at London University. \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 Judges / Arbiters from the 1953 Zurich Candidates tournament : Harry Golombek\, Alois Nagler and Alex Crisovan\nClearly\, under the conditions of 1940\, a linguist was just what was needed to make up the team of mathematicians\, cryptographers and such like who were tasked with breaking the secrecy of German coded messages. \nThe BCF Team at the Amsterdam Olympiad 1954. Left to right : Barden\, Clarke\, Penrose\, Wade\, Golombek (board three) and Alexander\nI once mentioned the misunderstanding over the “Who’s Who” entry to Brian Reilly. He laughed it off\, saying that it was almost certainly the abiding fault of HG – not taking Brian’s repeated advice to fit a new typewriter ribbon! \nHarry Golombek and Gordon Crown in around 1946-47.\nI could relate to that since Harry’s handwritten game scores\, written in pencil and descriptive notation\, were very hard to decipher\, a real scribble that only the man himself could make sense of. When I asked him why he did not use algebraic notation\, he commented that he wrote for so many English-language outlets: The Times\, The Times Weekend Supplement\, Observer and chess book publishers like Bells and Penguin who knew their audiences of those years were supporters of the Pawn to King’s Knight Three school. In fact\, Harry commented\, he had made more money out of his Penguin book The Game of Chess than from all his other extensive book authorship and journalism. \nThe Game of Chess\, Harry Golombek\, 1954\, Penguin Books\nand the paperback version : \nThe Game of Chess\, Harry Golombek\, 1954\, Penguin Books\nMoreover\, it took him about three whole days to assemble the documents and papers to enable him to fill in his income tax form. \nHarry Golombek simultaneous display at Hull Chess Club. Year and photographer unknown\nThat reminds me that\, when he was in his final years\, and in an old person’s rest home\, he arranged for his extensive library to be transferred in many large tea chests from his house in Chalfont St Giles\, Bucks\, to the St Leonards address where I had worked for the BCM for the last 12 years and which had recently been vacated as a result of Murray Chandler deciding to transfer BCM operations to London. I had the task\, arranged with The Friends of Chess and the BCF\, to do a sort-out and preliminary catalogue of his books and magazines which Harry was bequeathing to the BCF to form the nucleus of a National Chess Library. That would be a pleasant enough task\, but it was prolonged into many weeks by having to decant the valuable chess material from the tea chests\, much of it covered in dust and even spiders’ webs\, from the many financial and other papers to do with his financial affairs. It was then that I first learned what a ‘tip sheet’ was\, and it was not until stockbroker David Jarrett\, BCF Hon Treasurer\, came down for a visit that the dross amongst the many papers was separated from the gold and passed to Harry’s executor David Anderton. \nHarry Golombek contemplates his options after White (JH Donner) played 9.a3 in the 1952 Anglo-Dutch Match. Donner won in 33 moves and the game was BCM #11\,074\nReverting to the cup of tea story\, the first time I got to know Harry well was at the British Championship at Leicester in 1960. Many of the participants were lodged in University accommodation near the venue. Every evening\, after play had finished\, a number of us got together for a chat over a cup of tea in the accommodation unit’s kitchen. There Harry would regale us with stories from his many visits abroad\, particularly to Moscow for the world title matches involving Botvinnik. Harry had formed many interesting views on Soviet society. Amongst the stories he told was of the all-pervasive dead hand of the bureaucracy. He was used to filing his reports on the match in English at the Central Post Office. One day\, a clerk behind the grille\, told him he could not accept it\, since the regulations stated that all outgoing material had to be in Russian. \nHarry Golombek\, Stanley Sedgwick\, Brian Reilly and DJ Morgan in the garden of Brian Reilly. Photo probably taken by Freddy Reilly.\nWith his logical mind\, and not appreciating the discipline and associated bureaucracy which the rulers tried to impose on Soviet society\, Harry commented that “Yesterday\, I submitted in English and it was accepted”\, at which the clerk drew herself up to her full height and stated firmly: “Yesterday was yesterday\, today is today”. Harry’s considered views included these: Communism would never be made to work properly in Russia\, since the Russians lack the requisite discipline. “They should have tried it on the Germans. They might have made it work”. He once commented that when he went to Germany in the decade or so after the war\, he was aware that some of those whom he met had been strong supporters of Nazism: “If they had had their way\, they would have turned me into a bar of soap!”. I got a benefit from Harry being in Moscow. I wanted to get a copy of Chigorin’s collected games by Grekov\, a very rare item. Harry duly promised to seek one out on his next visit to Moscow and a second-hand copy of this fine book came to me through the post some weeks later. No charge to me\, of course. \nHarry Golombek in play against Borislav Ivkov\, Hastings 1955/6.\nHarry played a big role in drawing up the Rules of Chess as they applied to post-1945 competitive play. He served on the appropriate FIDE commission for decades and always argued that too precise a codification limited the discretion of the arbiter to apply a common sense solution to a concrete set of circumstances. Alas\, that sensible approach has been moved away from in recent times\, especially with the introduction of quick-play finishes and associated fine points about time limits. \nKick Langeweg plays Hugh Alexander in the Anglo-Dutch Match of October 7th \, 1961. Peter Clarke (right) is playing Johan Teunis Barendregt and Harry Golombek observes\nA final shrewd comment from Harry\, based on his Moscow experience: “In 1917\, the new Bolshevik regime claimed that they were abolishing all titles\, privilege and so on. The result? Forty years later they have the most class-conscious society I have encountered.” One proof of this might be given – the Soviet internal passport system\, one point of which required the holder (and for a long time no peasant was allowed such an identity document – who\, then\, could claim that the Tsar had abolished serfdom in the middle of the 19th century?) to state his/her ethnic origin: Russian\, Ukrainian\, Kalmyk\, Armenian\, Jew and so on. The Western mind boggles… ” \nHarry Golombek during a team event\, Jonathan Penrose on the adjacent board.\nWe leave the final word in reminiscences of Golombek to his near-neighbour in Chalfont St Giles\, Barry Sandercock : \n” Harry was a very interesting man to talk to and liked to talk about the early days when he played against some of the great players. He was also very knowledgeable on many subjects\, the arts\, music etc. I played him when he gave a simul at Gerrards Cross in 1955 (Jan.21st} and managed a draw after 3 hours play. I remember\, the local paper once wrote an article about him\, calling him an ex-world champion. I got a letter published where I pointed out that he was an ex-British Champion not ex-world champion. I hope he didn’t see that!” \nHarry Golombek awaits the start of the game during an Anglo team match.\n“To finish\, a characteristic Golombek game\, with his own notes. I (Ed) have selected one of the games from his victorious British Championship playoff match against Broadbent in 1947. It is characteristic of him in many ways. The game features a typically smooth positional build-up\, from his beloved English Opening\, played with the Nh3 development plan\, which was a particular favourite of his. The notes are also very typically Golombek – concentrating in the main on verbal explanations\, with relatively few variations\, but also characterised by occasionally extreme dogmatism in his assessments\, such as the notes to moves 1\, 2 and 6\, for example. The game and notes were published in the December 1947 issue of The British Chess Magazine.” \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 The Anglo-Soviet Radio Chess Match by Klein and Winter : \n“Harry Golombek is a Londoner\, He was born in 1911\, and learned chess when twelve years of age. He is another of those who went through the mill of the British Boys’ Championship\, winning it in 1926. He has played in most English international tournaments\, and has represented Great Britain in team tournaments. In the London International Tournament\, 1946\, he came fifth. \nA graduate of London University\, he served in the Foreign Office during the war\, but has since retired to the country (Chalfont St. Giles). His literary activities include 50 Great Games of Modern Chess \nFifty Great Games of Modern Chess\, Harry Golombek\,\nLegend\, according to James Pratt\, has it that HG wrote the book without the aid of a chess set! \nand Capablanca’s Hundred Best Games. \n\nCapablanca’s 100 Best Games of Chess\, H. Golombek\, Bell and Sons\, London\, 1947\nHe reports chess tournaments for The Times\, and edits The Times Weekly chess column. \nThe World Chess Championship 1954\nHis chess is perhaps not inspired and lacks the spark of enterprise\, but he is a solid player on the whole and is apt to hold the best to a draw.” \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 HGs entry from Hooper & Whyld (The Oxford Companion to CHESS) : \n“English player and author. International Master (1950)\, International Arbiter (1954)\, honorary Grandmaster (1985). In 1945 Golombek became chess correspondent of The Times\, a position he held until 1989. Also in 1945 he decided to become a professional chess-player. \nThe World Chess Championship 1957\, Macgibbon & Kee\, H. Golombek\nHe won the British Championship three times (1947\, 1949\, 1955) and was equal first in 1959 but lost the play-off (to Jonathan Penrose) and played in nine Olympiads from 1935 to 1962. An experienced arbiter and a good linguist\, supervisor of many important tournaments and matches\, he served for 30 years on the FIDE Commission that makes\, amends\, and arbitrates upon The laws and rules of chess. \nHis many books include Capablanca’s Hundred Best Games (1947)\, \nThe World Chess Championship 1948 (1949)\, \nThe World Chess Championship by Harry Golombek\nRéti’s Best Games of Chess (1954)\, \nRéti’s Best Games of Chess\, Harry Golombek\, Bell\, 1954\nand A History of Chess (1976).” \nChess : A History\, H. Golombek\, Putnam\, London\, New York\, 1976\nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Robert Hale 1970 & 1976)\, Anne Sunnucks : \n“International Master and International Chess Judge. British Champion in 1947\, 1949 and 1955. Captained the British Chess Federation team for many years in Chess Olympiads. In the 1972 Olympiad\, captained the BCF women’s team. Chess author and chess correspondent of The Times since 1945 and the Observer since 1955. British Chess Federation to FIDE. \nPost-banquet photograph – left to right : Harry Golombek\, Andras Adorjan\, Danny Wright\, Brian Eley\, Michael Stean\, D. Silk\, Robert Silk\, AK Henderson. The Robert Silk Fellowship Tournament\, Canterbury\, 1973. Source : British Chess Magazine\, Volume 93\, Number 5\, page 192\nBorn in London on 1st March 1911\, Golombek learned to play chess at the age of 12 and in 1929 won the London Boy’s Championship. Two years later he became the youngest player to win the Surrey Championships. After graduating in languages at London University\, Golombek devoted his full time to chess\, apart from the way years\, when served in the army and at the Foreign Office\, and was awarded the OBE for his services to the game in 1966. He was the editor of the British Chess Magazine from 1938 to 1939 and for many years served as its games editor. He is now its overseas news editor. In his capacity as International Chess Judge\, he has acted as judge in World Championship matches since 1954. \nTwo thirds of the BCF team for the 1964 Tel Aviv Olympiad. : Owen Hindle\, Michael Franklin\, Harry Golombek and Michael Haygarth\nHe has competed in a number of international tournaments\, his best results being 1st at Antwerp 1938\, 1st at Leeuwarden 1947\, 1st at Baarn 1948 and -4th with Barcza\, Foltys and Gliogoric at Venice 1949. in 1951\, he represented the British Chess Federation in the Zonal tournament at Bad Pyrmont and came 5th\, qualifying for the Interzonal. ” \nHarry Golombek\, Peter Wells\, Ray Keene\, Leonard Barden and Henry Mutkin take part in the obligatory “Staring at the board” posed picture during the 1985 Varsity Match\nHis publications include : Capablanca’s 100 Best Games of Chess (1947); World Chess Championship 1948 (1949); Pocket Guide to the Chess Openings (1949); \nA Pocket Guide to the Chess Openings\, RC Griffith and H Golombek Bell & Sons\, 1949\nHastings Tournament 1948-1949 (1949); \nHastings Tournament 1948-1949\, H Golombek and W Ritson Morry\, En Passant\, 1949\nSouthsea Tournament 1949 (1949); Prague 1946 (1950); \nPrague 1946\, H Golombek\, CHESS\, Sutton Coldfield\, 1950\nPrague 1946\, H Golombek\, CHESS\, Sutton Coldfield\, 1950\nBudapest 1952 (1952); \nBudapest 1952\, H. Golombek\, British Chess Magazine\, 1952\n50 Great Games of Modern Chess (1952); Reti’s Best Games of Chess (1954); 22nd USSR Championship (1956); \n22nd USSR Championship\, H. Golombek\, British Chess Magazine\, (1956)\nWorld Chess Championship 1957 (1957); Modern Opening Chess Strategy (1959); \nModern Opening Chess Strategy\, H\, Golombek\, Macgibbon & Kee\, London (1960)\nand a translation of The Art of the Middle Game by P. Keres and A. Kotov. \nHe enjoys classical music and has been known to be successful on the Stock Exchange.” \nA reasonable enquiry might be : “What did Harry write about himself?” Well\, according to \nThe Encyclopaedia of Chess (Batsford\, 1977) \nThe Encyclopaedia of Chess\nwe have : \n“British international master\, three times British champion and the first person to figure in that country’s Honours List on account of his services to chess. Golombek was born in London and lived there till the Second World War. Educated as Wilson’s Grammar School and the University of London\, he became London Boy Champion in 1929 and London University Champion 1930-3. By this time he was part of a trio of the leading players in England\, the other two being Alexander and Milner-Barry. (Ed : It is curious that HG does not mention William Winter : maybe they were not like minded souls?) \nHarry Golombek OBE\nHis best result in the British championship before the Second World War was -2nd with EG Sergeant\, 1/2 a point below Alexander at Brighton 1938. In that year he won first prize in a small international tournament at Antwerp ahead of Koltanowski. In 1938 too he became editor of the British Chess Magazine and occupied this post till he entered the army in 1940. \nHarry Golombek OBE\nBefore the war he had already played in three International Team Tournaments (or Olympiads as they subsequently became called) at Warsaw 1935\, Stockholm 1937 and Buenos Aires 1939. \nMorris (Moses) Sobkowski\, Anatoly Karpov and Harry Golombek\nAfter the Buenos Aires event he went onto play in an international tournament at Montevideo where he came second to the World Champion\, Alexander Alekhine. \nBrian Reilly\, Ray Keene\, George Botterill\, Anatoly Karpov\, Harry Golombek and Viktor Korchnoi\nIn the war he served first in the Royal Artillery\, from 1940-1 and then\, for the rest of the war\, in the Foreign Office at Bletchley Park\, employed (like Alexander\, Milner-Barry and quite a number of other chess-players) in code breaking. \nJohn Nunn\, Adrian Hollis and Harry Golombek posing for the obligatory “staring at the board” picture for the 19?? Varsity Match sponsored by Lloyds Bank\nAfter the war he made chess and writing about the game his livelihood\, becoming Times Chess Correspondent in 1945 and Observer Chess Correspondent in 1955. As a player he had a consistently good record in the British Championship\, coming in the prize list on fourteen out of eighteen occasions he competed in the event. He was British Champion at Harrogate 1947\, Felixstowe 1949 and Aberystwyth 1955. \nHarry Golombek OBE\nHere is HGs win against his old friend PS Milner-Barry from Aberystwyth 1955 : \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nHarry Golombek OBE plays Sir Philip Stuart Milner-Barry OBE\nHe represented England in six more Olympiads\, Helsinki 1952\, Amsterdam 1954\, Moscow 1956\, Munich 1958\, Leipzig 1960 and Varna 1962. \nHarry Golombek OBE\nHis best individual international results were first prizes at small tournaments in Leeuwarden 1947\, Baarn 1948 and Paignton 1950 (above Euwe and Donner); =4th with O’Kelly at Beverwijk 1949\, =4th with Barcza\, Foltys and Gligoric at Venice 1949\, and 5th at the European Zonal tournament at Bad Pyrmont 1951\, thereby becoming the first British player to have qualified for the Interzonal. He was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday List in 1966. \nHarry Golombek\, Norman Fishlock-Lomax and Denis Victor Mardle at the Hastings International Congress of 1965(?)\nA founding member of the FIDE Commission for the Rules of Chess\, he became a FIDE International Judge and as such officiated at six World Championship matches. He was also chief arbiter at a FIDE Candidates tournament\, at an Interzonal and two European Team Championship finals\, etc. When the FIDE President\, Dr Euwe\, had to return home from Reykjavik before the 1972 Spassky-Fischer match got started. Golombek represented FIDE in Iceland and did much to ensure that the match took place and that it continued to be played. \nHarry gave more than the average number of simultaneous displays in this career. For the photograph below Leonard Barden provided the following caption : \n“Harry was invited because it was the 50th anniversary of his victory in the London Boys 1929 a success which he often referred to in his Times column. There were seven 30-board simuls that day\, the top three being England Juniors v USSR (Spassky\, Vasyukov\, Kochiev) where Spassky had the worst simultaneous result of his career. No 4 was by Murray Chandler\, Harry was No5 and the others by Whiteley and Rumens. The juniors who played the Russians were personally invited.” \nHarry was invited because it was the 50th anniversary of his victory in the London Boys 1929 a success which he often referred to in his Times column. There were seven 30-board simuls that day\, the top three being England Juniors v USSR (Spassky\, Vasyukov\, Kochiev) where Spassky had the worst simultaneous result of his career. No 4 was by Murray Chandler\, Harry was No5 and the others by Whiteley and Rumens. The juniors who played the Russians were personally invited.\nA prolific writer and translator of books on the game\, he has had some thirty-five books published on various aspects of chess. Among them are : Capablanca’s Best Games of Chess\, London\, New York 1947; Reti’s Best Games of Chess\, London 1954; New York 1975;  The Game of Chess\, London 1954; Modern Opening Chess Strategy\, London 1959; A History of Chess\, London\, New York 1976.“ \nHarry Golombek OBE\nFrom British Chess (Pergamon Press\, 1983)\,  Botterill\, Levy\, Rice and Richardson\,  we have this rather brief biography : \n“Thee times British Champion (Harrogate 1947\, Felixstowe 1949\, Aberystwyth 1955) and the first person to figure on the Honours List for services to Chess. He has represented England in 9 Olympiads. A FIDE International Judge and Arbiter has has officiated at 6 World Championship matches. He is chess correspondent of The Times and a prolific writer and translator” \nHere is his brief Wikipedia entry \nand here is a fascinating insight into HGs Bletchley Park days. \nBill Hartston wrote this excellent obituary published in The Independent. \nA recent article from Andre Schultz of Chessbase. \nEdward Winter has written this interesting article last updated in December 2020 despite announcing self-dormancy in March 2020. \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 we have  a selection of publications not already mentioned above : \nSouthsea Chess Tournament\, Harry Golombek\, En Passant\, 1949\nB.C.M. Quarterly\, number 3: 4th Candidates Tournament 1959\, H. Golombek\, 19??.\nB.C.M. Quarterly\, number 6: 1930 Scarborough International Tournament\, H. Golombek\,\, 1962.\nChess\, Harry Golombek and Hubert Phillips\, HG & G Witherby\, 1959\nInstructions to Young Chess Players\, Harry Golombek\, The Brompton Library\, 1966\nFischer v Spassky\, the World Chess Championship\, 1972\, Harry Golombek\, Times Newspapers\, 1973\nThe Laws of Chess and Their Interpretations\, H. Golombek\, Pitman Publishing\, 1976\nImprove Your Chess\, Harry Golombek\, Pitman\, 1976\nThe Best Games of C.H.O’D. Alexander\, 1976\nA Dataday Chess Diary for 1979 with a foreword from Harry Golombek\nB.C.M. Classic Reprints\, number 20: World Chess Championship 1948\, Golombek\, Harold\, 01-03-1982 (1949). ISBN 978-0-900846-35-9.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-harry-golombek/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Honours,Player,Writer
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210107
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210108
DTSTAMP:20210120T121210Z
CREATED:20190823T092701Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210120T121210Z
UID:1064-1609977600-1610063999@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of WIM Elaine Pritchard (née Saunders) (07-i-1926 07-i-2012)
DESCRIPTION:Signature of Elaine Saunders from a Brian Reilly “after dinner” postcard from Hastings Christmas Congress\, 1945-1946\nWe remember Elaine Pritchard who passed away on Saturday\, January 7th\, 2012. \nDorée Elaine Zelia Saunders was born on Thursday\, January 7th\, 1926. Her father was Henry de Beaufort Saunders (b. 7 Aug 1900\, Folkestone\, Kent d. Between Jul 1989 and Sep 1989) and her mother was Dorée Nellie Irene Dudley (b. 3 May 1900\, d. 9 Jun 1970) \nIn the 1939 register Henry is listed as a Garage proprietor who had “retired through incapacitation”. He is recorded as a Air Raid Precautions Warden who was also a first aider. His wife is listed as undertaking “unpaid domestic duties”. The record for Elaine is blanked out with “This Record Officially Closed” meaning that they believe that she might still be alive. They are listed as residing at The George & Dragon Hotel in High Wycombe\, Buckinghamshire. \nThe George and Dragon Hotel\, High Street\, West Wycombe\, Buckinghamshire \, HP14 3AB\nShe was taught chess by her father and then her early trainer was Charles Dealtry Locock who lived with the family in the hotel above. \nElaine aged 10 playing her father Henry de Beaufort Saunders\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\nShe married David Pritchard on Friday March 7th 1952 in the Chelsea Registry Office. Elaine was living at Wylderne\, Bridge Street\, Great Kimble\, Aylesbury HP17 9TW. At the time of their marriage David was a Flight Lieutenant. \nElaine and David had a daughter\, Wanda H Zelia Pritchard on March 21st 1958. She became Wanda Dakin who was also a chess player. Wanda attended Guildford High School for Girls and then Royal Holloway College\, Egham. \nIn their later years Elaine and David lived at Badgers Wood\, Hascombe Road\, Godalming\, Surrey\, GU8 4AA : \nBadgers Wood\, Hascombe Road\, Godalming\, Surrey\, GU8 4AA\nFrom British Chess (Pergamon Press\, 1983)\, Botterill\, Levy\, Rice and Richardson : \n“Chesswise I seem already to have lived an alarmingly long time\, the era of Capablanca and Alekhine back across the war years was another world. The three games I have chosen belong to three distinctly different periods in these fifty years – the juvenile long-ago\, the most elderly present and the middle when I was playing tolerably well and was awarded the WIM title. \nMy father\, assisted by a 2d. (= almost 1p) book of rules from Smiths\, taught me the moves at somewhere round the age of five. We were rescued by the problemist CD Locock who noticed me playing in a girls’ tournament two years later. It was he who brought me up on a diet of the Scotch\, the Evans and any gambit that was going. We analysed them in some depth – for those days – and my severe task-master made me copy out long columns of dubious lines. He also made me his guinea-pig for his Imagination in Chess and it is small wonder that I still find it hard to resist a sacrifice\, and much of my undoing comes from premature sorties such as f4 and Qh5. \nMiss Elaine Saunders\, the girl chess champion playing in the annual WW White Memorial Tournament in Sevenoaks. on June 25th 1939. Source : https://www.chessmarginalia.com/miss-elaine-saunders/\nIn retrospect he must have been a brilliant teacher. Starting in 1936 a succession of girls’ titles came my way including the FIDE under-21\, and in 1939 the British Ladies at the age of 13. It is hard to assess how strong or weak one was at the time because there has been such a marked improvement in the standard of play among women over recent years. At all events\, those pre-war years were happy ones\, especially away from chess which took second place to horses and more physical pastimes. \nThirteen Years Old Chess Champion Elaine Saunders\, of Twickenham has entered for next months British Ladies’ Championship. Source : The People\, July 23rd\, 1939.\nThe incident which received the most publicity was the ‘affair Alekhine’. Most of the pre-war giants were kindly if a little condescending towards me but the new World Champion – he had just regained the title from Euwe – showed me no mercy. He took on 30 Kent players at the Charing Cross Hotel and after 5 hours demolished all except myself. The ending was equal. He stood over our board and glowered. ‘Give the child a draw’\, said someone in Russian in the audience\, which despite them mid-night hour were everywhere on chairs and even under tables. ‘I know what I am doing’ came the reply\, and of course he did. I lost. \nAt 13 the world changed. I almost gave up chess. There were no celebrations after that Ladies Championship. The foreign masters packed their bags for home; we packed them for exile in Buckinghamshire and filling sandbags. \nMy saddest personal loss of the war was Vera Menchik\, perhaps the strongest lady player of all time. \nLeaving university with a poor\, but lightning degree in French\, I was employed by the Foreign Office and spent the next few years in London. While at college I had won the Notts County Championship and like to remember my last game on top board for county against the great HE Atkins\, so many times British Champion\, making his final appearance for Leicestershire. \nI forsook women’s events and achieved probably my best results\, finishing equal 3rd in the London Championship final\, having beaten David Hooper with an Allgaier Gambit\, and qualifying for the British Championship at Buxton in a section which included L. Barden\, V. Berger and DB Pritchard. \nMarrying David in 1952\, we went to the Far East for three years and on our return I made a come-back to women’s chess and won the title at Blackpool in 1956. I was consequently despatched to the Western Zonal in Venice and finished equal 2nd with Lazaravic. This qualified me for the Interzonal\, but my daughter Wanda arrived (March 21st 1958) before I could get to the starting post. Meanwhile with Eileen Tranmer we represented the BCF in the first women’s Olympiad in Emmen in 1957 where we finished 7th. The Finals went well for me and included a draw against Rubtsova\, the then world champion. The results of the two tournaments were sufficient for me to be awarded the IWM title. My BCF grading at that time was 200 and has gone down ever since! \nFriedl Rinder (Germany) plays Elaine Pritchard at the Havering Women’s Tournament in Romford on August 25th 1967. Tournament was won by Nona GaprindashvilliMandatory Credit: Photo by ANL/Shutterstock (1876414a)\nAnd so some 20 years on and still a teacher\, we reach the final period\, that of comparative dotage. Notwithstanding\, I have been fortunate enough to have played in the last four Olympiads at Skopje\, Medellin\, Haifa and Buenos Aires\, twice as captain of the team. It was\, of course\, pleasurable to win a silver medal at Haifa\, despite the fact that the East European bloc was missing. The last of the three games comes from Haifa at a crucial stage. Playing for a team has always seemed more fun. \nAlso in my dotage belong two books\, Chess for Pleasure \nChess for Pleasure by Elaine Pritchard\nand The Young Chess Player (Faber) and organisation of girl’s chess\, particularly the Faber Cup” \nThe Young Chess Player by Elaine Pritchard\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            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \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\nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Robert Hale 1970 & 1976)\, edited by Anne Sunnucks : \n“International Woman Master (1957) and British Woman Champion in 1939\, 1946\, 1956 and 1965. \nRowena Bruce and Elaine Saunders at Nottingham 1946 where they tied for 1st place. Elaine won the play-off with 2.5/3. Courtesy of Keverel Chess.\nElaine Pritchard was\, as a child\, one of the few girl prodigies in the history of the game. She was taught the moves by her father when she was 5.5 and started to play in tournaments at the age of 7. When she was 10 years old\, she won an under-21 girls’ tournament sponsored by FIDE and at the age of 13 won the British Ladies Championship for the first time. \nShe is married to David Pritchard\, ex-Southern Counties Champion and Malayan Champion in 1955\, when she was stationed with the RAF in Singapore\, who tells of how when he first met her\, when she was about 7\, she was unable to reach the far side of the board. \nHer successes in more recent years include 2nd in the Western European Women’s Zonal Tournament of 1957 and 6th in the same event at Arenys de Mar in 1966; 3rd at Havering 1967 and 3rd at Paignton 1967. She played for the British Chess Federation team in the First Women’s Chess Olympiad at Emmen in 1957.” \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess\, Edited by Harry Golombek : \n“International Woman master and British Woman champion 1939\, 1946\, 1956 and 1965\, she was a girl prodigy with perhaps the most natural talent for the game of any British-born woman. She was playing competitive chess at the age of seven and was only ten when she won the FIDE Girls Open chess championship (under-21) in London in 1936\, winning eleven out of twelve games played. \nBritish Girl Champion (under-18) 1936-8 she won the British Women’s Championship in 1939 at the age of thirteen. Winning the title on three more occasions she hardly ever had a bad result in the event but\, by profession a teacher\, she did not always have the time to devote to the game. \nHer best international results were 2nd in the Western European Zonal Women’s tournament in 1957 (the year she gained the Woman master title)\, and two 3rd places in Paignton and Havering 1967. She represented the B.C.F. in Women’s Olympiads at Emmen 1957\, Skopje 1972\, Medellin in 1974 and Haifa 1976. (H.G.)” \nElaine did not merit mention by Hooper & Whyld it would appear. \nThe following obituary by James Pratt appeared in the February 2012 issue of British Chess Magazine : \n“Via Godalming Chess Club we learn of the death of International Woman Master\, Elaine Pritchard (née Dorée Elaine Zelia Saunders ) (7 i 1926 Brentford – 7 i 2012 Gloucester). British Lady Champion in 1939\, 1946\, 1956 and 1965\, she became an IWM in 1957. A child prodigy\, she won the World Girls Under 21s at the age of ten and first captured the British Ladies title at the outbreak of WWII. Mrs Pritchard wrote two books\, Chess for Pleasure and The Young Chess Player. She was an occasional BCM contributor. Her last published grade was in 2003. She was an Honorary Life Member of the ECF.” \nand here courtesy of Edward Winter is an excellent article on chess prodigies including many scanned photographs of Elaine. \nand here is an obituary for the ECF written by Stewart Reuben \nand here is her Wikipedia entry \nand some more photographs. \nand finally a discussion of Elaine on the English Chess Forum.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-elaine-pritchard/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player,Writer
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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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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210113
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210114
DTSTAMP:20210123T154214Z
CREATED:20190822T155947Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210123T154214Z
UID:987-1610496000-1610582399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Samuel Boden (04-v-1826 13-i-1882)
DESCRIPTION:We remember Samuel Boden\, who passed away on this day\, Friday\, January 13th in 1882 at 3 Tavistock Street\, Bedford Square\, Middlesex. \nDeath notice for Samuel Standidge Boden from The London Gazette of 21 Apr 1882\nSamuel Standidge Boden was born on Thursday\, May 4th\, 1826 in East Retford\, Nottinghamshire. His parents were James (b. 1795/96) and Mary Frances Boden (b. 1800/01). \n(Several secondary and tertiary sources give the birth month as April. It would appear that a transcription error was responsible.) \nJames was an Independent Congregational Minister who worked in West Retford and was responsible for recording parish birth and baptismal (and probably marriage) records including those of his own children. \nSamuel was baptised by his father (for the first time!) on July 27th at Chapel Gate (independent) Church. \nBirth and (first) baptismal record of Samuel Standidge Boden recorded by his father. The record set is “England & Wales Non-Conformist Births And Baptisms”\nSamuel had at least nine siblings and the details of these plus other family members (including multiple baptisms) may be found on Steve Mann’s Yorkshire Chess History. \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks : \n“Boden was considered by Paul Morphy to be the strongest player in England in 1858. However\, he is generally considered to have ranked below Staunton and to have been either the second of third strongest player\, the other player being Buckle. \nBorn in Hull on 4th April 1826\, Boden first came to the notice of British chess players when he won a provincial tournament in 1851. In 1858 he played two matches against John Owen \, winning both\, the first by +5 -3 =1 and the second by +5 -1. He played in very few major tournaments and his strength ws judged mainly from friendly games and small tournaments. He was the author of A Popular Introduction to Chess and conducted the chess column in The Field for 13 years. \nHe died of typhoid fever on 13th January 1882 and is buried in Woking\, Surrey.” \nAccording to Steve Mann : \n“He was buried on 17/01/1882 at Brookwood Cemetery\, Brookwood\, Surrey. This cemetery was also known as the London Necropolis\, having been specially instituted to take London’s dead at a time when space within London was becoming scarce. A transcription of the Surrey Burial Registers gave his name as “Samuel Standage Boden” and his age to be 55. The burial date\, the deceased’s age\, and the nature of the cemetery\, together make it clear this was the chess-player\, even though they misspelt his middle name.” \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by David Hooper & Ken Whyld : \nEnglish player active in the 1850s. In 1851 he wrote A Popular Introduction to the Study and Practice of Chess\, an excellent guide introducing the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit which at once became popular. In the same year he won the ‘provincial tournament” run concurrently with the London international tournament. At Manchester 1857\, a knock-out event\, he came second to Lowenthal— he drew one game of the final match and then withdrew. In 1858 Boden defeated Owen in a match ( + 7=2-3) and he played many friendly games with Morphy\, who declared him to be the strongest English player; since Staunton and Buckle had retired this judgement was probably right. Also in 1858 he restarted the chess column in The Field \, handing over to de Vere in 1872. The column has continued uninterruptedly ever since. Besides chess and his work as a railway company employee Boden found time to become a competent amateur painter and an art critic. \nSamuel Standidge Boden\nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess by Harry Golombek OBE : \nBritish master\, considered by Morphy to have been the strongest opponent whom he played while in England (Boden’s record against Morphy in casual games was +1-6=4). Tournament results include 2nd Manchester 1857 and 2nd Bristol 1861. Chess editor of The Field 1858-1873. His name is linked with the Boden-Kieseritsky Gambit : 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nxc3 5.dxc3 f6 (article authored by Ray Keene). \n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess diagram visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nSamuel Standidge Boden\nMost players will be familiar with this mating pattern that is Boden’s Mate using two bishops in a cross pattern. \n\nHere is an example puzzle from 1001 Chess Exercises for Club Players that demonstrates the pattern : \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 to play and checkmate. \nHere is an in-depth article about Boden’s Mate from Edward Winter
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-samuel-standidge-boden/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210115
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210116
DTSTAMP:20210120T150822Z
CREATED:20190823T084454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210120T150822Z
UID:1044-1610668800-1610755199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of James Mason (19-xi-1849 15-i-1909)
DESCRIPTION:We remember James Mason who passed away on this day\, January 15th\, 1909. \nJames Mason (19-XI-849\, 15-I-1909)\nHere is his Wikipedia entry \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by David Hooper & Ken Whyld : \nJames Mason (19-XI-849\, 15-I-1909)\nOne of the world’s best half-dozen players in the early 1880s\, journalist. He was born in Kilkenny\, Ireland\, and adopted the name James Mason (his real name is not known) when he and his family emigrated to the USA in 1861. He became a boot-black in New York\, frequenting a Hungarian cafe where he learned chess. Coming to the notice of J. G. Bennett of the New York Herald he was given a job in the newspaper’s offices\, a start in life that both suited his literary aspirations and gave him the chance to study the game; and in 1876 he made his mark\, winning first prizes at the fourth American Chess Congress\, Philadelphia\, and in the New York Clipper tournament\, and defeating the visiting master Bird in match play (411=4-4)\, Settling in England In 1878 he drew a match with Potter (+5=11— 5) in 1879\, and at Vienna 1882\, the strongest tournament held up to that time\, he took third prize (+17=12-5) after the joint winners Steinitz and Winawer.  \nThis was his finest achievement\, but he had some other good tournament results; London 1883 (won by Zukertort)\, equal fifth; Nuremberg 1883\, third after Winawer and Blackburne; Hamburg 1885\, second equal with Blackburne\, Englisch\, Tarrasch\, and Weiss after Gunsberg; Manchester 1890 (won by Tarrasch)\, equal fifth; and Belfast 1892\, first equal with Blackburne. Fond of drink\, Mason is alleged to have lost many games when in a ‘hilarious condition’. ‘A jolly good fellow first and a chess-player afterwards’ he never fulfilled the promise of his first years in England\, Instead he wrote books on the game\, in excellent style\, notably two popular textbooks. The Principles of Chess in Theory and Practice (1894) and The Art of Chess (1895): both ran to several editions. Another of his books. Social Chess (1900)\, contains many short and brilliant games.  \nJames Mason (19-XI-849\, 15-I-1909)\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \nA British master of Irish birth\, Mason emigrated in early youth to the USA before settling in England in 1878. In America he won matches against Delmar\, Martinez\, Bird etc\, ; In England he beat Mackenzie and drew with Potter\, remaining unbeaten in match-play. He played in most of the important tournaments of the eighties and nineties\, but the first prize he won on his début at the Philadelphia congress 1876 remained his only victory. \nJames Mason (19-XI-849\, 15-I-1909)\nHis best results were the third prizes at Vienna 1882 (behind Steinitz and Winawer)\, Nuremberg 1883 and Amsterdam 1889; =2nd at Hamburg 1885 and =3rd at Bradford 1888; also his 7th place in the great New York 1889 tournament. He wrote The Principles of Chess\, London 1894\, The Art of Chess\, London 1895\, compiled a collection of brilliancies in a series Social Chess\, London 1900\, and was co-author with Pollock of the 1895/6 tournament book. (Article by William Hartston). \nThe Art of Chess\nThe Principles of Chess\nJames Mason in America\nWe reviewed the most recent book about James Mason here \nJames Mason in America
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-james-mason/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210118
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210119
DTSTAMP:20210120T151720Z
CREATED:20190823T191907Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210120T151720Z
UID:1134-1610928000-1611014399@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of John Wisker (30-v-1846 18-i-1884)
DESCRIPTION:We remember John Wisker who passed away on this day\, 18th January\, 1884. \nAccording to Wikipedia : \nJohn Wisker (30 May 1846 in Kingston upon Hull\, England – 18 January 1884 in Richmond\, Victoria) was an English chess player and journalist. By 1870\, he was one of the world’s ten best chess players\, and the second-best English-born player\, behind only Joseph Henry Blackburne. \nWisker moved to London in 1866 to become a reporter for the City Press and befriended Howard Staunton. His proficiency at chess improved rapidly\, and he won the 1870 British Chess Championship after a play-off against Amos Burn\, ahead of Blackburne\, the defending champion. He won again in 1872 after a play-off against the first British champion\, Cecil Valentine De Vere. After this second victory\, the British championship was not resumed until 1904. Wisker edited chess columns for The Sporting Times and Land and Water. From 1872 to 1876\, Wisker was Secretary of the British Chess Association and co-editor of The Chess Player’s Chronicle. After learning that he had contracted tuberculosis\, Wisker emigrated to Australia in the autumn of 1876 to try to regain his health. In Australia\, he wrote a chess column for the Australasian. In 1884\, Wisker died from bronchitis and tuberculosis. \nJohn Wisker (30-v-1846\, 18-i-1884)\nHere is a short item from the Ken Whyld Association web site : \nand here is a more detailed article from chess.com \nFrom The Oxford Companion to Chess by David Hooper & Ken Whyld : \nJohn Wisker was an English player and journalist. After moving from Yorkshire to London in 1866 Wisker improved rapidly\, so that in the early 1870s he could be ranked among the world’s best ten and second only to Blackburne among English-born players. In 1870 Wisker won the British Championship ahead of Blackburne (the holder) after a play-oil against Burn\, and in 1872 he again won the title after a play-off against De Vere. (winner of the first British Championship). By winning twice in succession Wisker retained the trophy and the contests ceased until 1904 (when\nNapier won). Against two of his contemporaries Wisker played six matches: Bird in 1873 (+6 =1 -6 and +4 =3 -7) and again in 1874 (+10 =3 -8 and +3 =1 -5); and MacDonnell in 1873 ( = 1 -3) and 1875 ( + 7 =4 -4)\, Discovering that he had tuberculosis\, Wisker emigrated to Australia in the autumn of 1876\, hoping to improve his health. In England he edited excellent chess columns in The Sporting Times and Land and Water\, and was co-editor of the Chess Player’s Chronicle from 1872 to 1876; in\nAustralia he edited a chess column in the Australasian. \nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks : \nBritish Champion in 1879 and 1872 and Hon. Secretary of the British Chess Association from 1872 – 1877. Wisker was born in Hull. His parents were poor and\, he received little schooling\, but by his own efforts educated himself and by the time he was 19 was contributing articles to the Fortnightly Review. In 1866 he came to London to report for the City Press and was introduced to London chess circles by Howard Staunton. His play rapidly improved\, and his victory in the British Championship in 1870 was achieved after a ply-off against Burn\, ahead of Blackburne. In 1872\, by successfully defending his title\, he won the BCA Challenge Cup outright. On this occasion he won a play-off against De Vere. In 1872 Wisker became co-editor with Skipworth of the Chess Player’s Chronicle. \nin 1875\, Wisker was found to have consumption\, and two years later. on medical advice\, he emigrated to Australia. He became chess editor of The Australian\, an appointment which he held at the time of his death. He died on 18th January 1884 from bronchitis on top of consumption. \nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \nA prominent British player and chess administrator. Wisker won the BCA Challenge Cup in 1870 after a play-off with Burn. In 1871 he narrowly lost (+2 -3 =4)a match to the French master Rosenthal\, who had fled to London to avoid the rigours of war. Wisker retained the Challenge Cup in 1872\, this time after a play-off with De Vere. In the following year Wisker played a series of matches against Bird\, drawing the first (+6 -6 =1) losing the second (+4 -6 =2) and winning the third (+10 -8 = 3). \nFrom 1872 to 1877 Wisker was secretary of the BCA and jointly edited the Chess Player’s Chronicle. wisker suffered from consumption and in 1877 under doctor’s orders emigrated to Australia where he died (H.G.)
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-john-whisker/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210125
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210126
DTSTAMP:20210120T162858Z
CREATED:20191211T175514Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210120T162858Z
UID:2062-1611532800-1611619199@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Ian Wells (22-vi-1964 25-i-1982)
DESCRIPTION:We remember Ian Duncan Wells who very sadly passed away on this day (January 25th) in 1982 aged seventeen years. \nFrom Chessgames.com : \nIan Duncan Wells was born in Scarborough\, England. He was awarded the FM title in 1982. At the Islington Open in December 1981 he finished 1st= with John Nunn and Tony Miles. Following a 5th= placing in the Golden Pawn of Brazil Junior tournament held in Rio de Janeiro he and other players went swimming outside their hotel. He got into difficulties and although he was brought ashore by lifesavers he died after six days in a coma. \nHere is an excellent article from chess.com written by Neil Blackburn. \nID Wells (left) plays GM RD Keene\nIan Wells plays GM Alexander Kotov at the home of Mike Fox\n\n\n \n\n\n    \n        \n            You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.        \n    \n    \n    \n\n\n \n\nIan Duncan Wells (standing\, third from left)\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
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-ian-duncan-wells-22-vi-1964-25-i-1982/
CATEGORIES:Death Anniversary,History,Player
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210131
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210201
DTSTAMP:20220131T112458Z
CREATED:20190822T152139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220131T112458Z
UID:975-1612051200-1612137599@britishchessnews.com
SUMMARY:Death Anniversary of Henry Atkins (20-viii-1872 31-i-1955)
DESCRIPTION:We remember Henry Atkins who passed away\, Monday\, January 31st\, 1955. \nHenry Ernest Atkins was born in Leicester on Tuesday\, August 20th\, 1872 to Edward (a schoolteacher) and Jane Atkins (née Threapland). \nHe was baptised on August 6th\, 1872 in the Anglican Cathedral Church of St. Martin\, Leicester. At the time of the baptism the Atkins family was living at 57\, King Richard’s Road\, Leicester. The address in 2021 appears to be occupied by an industrial premise for Sunco Knitwear Specialists. The signatory on the baptism record is that of DJ Vaughan. \nBaptismal record for Henry Ernest Atkins\nHenry was admitted to Wyggeston Boys Grammar School\, Leicester on March 30th 1880 when eight years old. He was expected to leave at the end of the Winter Term in 1890. \nSchool admission record for Henry Ernest Atkins\nCuriously his school admission record includes the following addition (although we don’t know exactly when) : \nAmendment to school admission record for HEA.\nHenry\, aged 18\, went up to Peterhouse College\, Cambridge in 1890 to study mathematics. From his year of entry he was ranked as 9th “Wrangler” studying for the Mathematical Tripos. As part of his Part II examinations he did well enough to be “mentioned” for the Smith’s Prize for examination performance. \nNottingham Evening Post\, 3rd June 1895\n(Here is more on Kummer’s Proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem.) \nFollowing University Henry became a teacher of mathematics at Northampton County Modern School and then returned to Wyggeston Boys Grammar School from 1902 – 1908. He then became the principal of Huddersfield College in 1909 and continued until 1915. Huddersfield College (founded in 1839) was merged with Hillhouse Technical School to form a new boys’ grammar school at a new campus at Salendine Nook with 950 boys. \nAccording to Ranneforths Schach-Kalender (cited by C.N.)\, 1915\, page 55\, during the period at Huddersfield College Henry lived firstly at 49 New North Road\, Huddersfield\, Yorkshire : \n49 New North Road\, Huddersfield\, Yorkshire\, HD1 5NR\nand then \n36 Gledholt Road\, Huddersfield\, Yorkshire\, HD1 4HP : \n36 Gledholt Road\, Huddersfield\, Yorkshire\, HD1 4HP\nOn June 1st\, 1915 (aged 43) Henry was registered as a teacher whilst at Huddersfield College for the fee of one guinea : \nTeacher registration form for Henry Ernest Atkins\nHenry retired from teaching in 1936. \nIn the 1939 register Henry (now a retired schoolmaster) was recorded as living with his wife\, Elspeth Skene Atkins (née Wilson) at 29 East Avenue\, Leicester\, Leicestershire : \n29 East Avenue\, Leicester\, Leicestershire\, LE2 1TE\nElspeth was born on August 5th 1880 and was therefore roughly eight years his junior. She carried out “unpaid domestic duties” but as a member of the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) she was a surgical dresser. The WVS transformed into the RVS. It would seem that Henry and Elspeth did not have children. She outlived Henry passing away in 1973 in Southampton. \nOn Monday\, January 31st 1955 passed away in The Fielding Johnson Private Hospital : \nProbate notice from March 26th 1955\nThe Fielding Johnson Private Hospital\nHenry was buried at Gilroes Cemetery and Crematorium\, Groby Road\, Leicester\, Leicestershire\, LE3 9QG. \nIn the October 1976 issue of Newsflash Badmaster (aka GH Diggle) wrote : \n“… we well remember his giving a “simultaneous” at the Lincoln Chess Club in 1924\, winning 17 and drawing two. One of his more elderly opponents (a notorious non-resigner) who for 30 moves had been wobbling along with a piece down until “time” had to be called\, then proceeded to “demonstrate a draw” by concocting a continuation so optimistic that even clubmates with lifelong experience of his powers stood aghast. Atkins\, with his greatcoat on ready to go home\, made no attempt to refute this analytical masterpiece but merely remarked with great deference: “I don’t think we can play it quite like that!” and then beat a craven retreat “escorted by Club Officials” \nFrom British Chess Magazine\, Volume LXXV (75\, 1955)\, Number 3 (March)\, pp.102-3 we have this obituary written by RN Coles : \n“With the passing\, on January 31st\, at the age of eighty-two of Henry Ernest Atkins the chess world has lost a recognized international master\, and British chess one of its strongest players of all time. Yet Atkins was the despair of chess enthusiasts because he played so little international chess and confined himself largely – and at that intermittently – to local affairs\, where the strength of most of his opponents could hardly extend him. One leading player recently regretted that Atkins spent so much time “in the wilds\,” but Atkins would have taken an opposite view and have considered that he was “in the wilds” if he had spent more of his time playing chess; teaching was his whole life\, and the game of chess he insisted on treating as a game. \nConsequently as a chess-player Atkins was almost always out of practice and playing below his true strength\, yet in his five international events-Amsterdam\, 1899; Hanover\, 1902; London\, 1922; London Team Tourney\, 1927; and Warsaw Team Tourney\, 1935-he scored 63.2 per cent\, or if Amsterdam which was virtually a Hauptturnier is excluded\, 53.5 per cent. \nFull crosstable from Amsterdam 1899\nSir George Thomas considered that only lack of opportunity prevented him from establishing himself in the world championship class. As it is\, he will be remembered chiefly by chess-players as the man who played eleven times in the British Championship and won it nine times\, failing only at the first attempt in 1904 after a tie for first place\, and at the last in 1937\, at the age of sixty-five\, when he shared third place\, a record which has never been remotely approached by any other player and is not likely to be. Atkins played in a clear-cut strategical style which makes his games ideal studies for the beginner\, and he finished them with the elegance to enchant the artist; like the Etudes of Chopin\, they provide technical exercises and works of art in one. \nBut I believe that if Atkins had his wish – and this wish I am sure he will have – he would wish to be remembered by his many pupils\, whether they be pupils of the chess master or of the schoolmaster\, not for any practical achievements but for being a true guide\, philosopher\, and friend to all who came under his tutelage.-R. N. C.” \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 The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld \nEnglish player\, born in Leicester\, International Master (1950)\, schoolmaster. Between 1895 and 1901 he played in seven minor tournaments\, winning four\, taking second place in three\, and losing only three out of 70 games. In one of these events\, Amsterdam 1899\, he made a clean score against 15 opponents. In his first international tournament\, Hanover 1902\, he came third (+8=7-2) after Janowski and Pillsbury ahead of Mieses\, Chigorin\, and Marshall. Emanuel Lasker believed that Atkins would have joined the leading grandmasters had he continued his international career\, but Atkins played in only one more big tournament (London 1922). He had a genuine concern for his profession\, and preferred not to give more of his life to chess. He played in 12 of the Anglo-American cable matches\, won the British Championship nine times (1905-11\, 1924\, 1925)\, and represented the British Chess Federation in the Olympiads of 1927 and 1935. \nHenry Ernest Atkins\nFrom The Encyclopedia of Chess by Anne Sunnucks : \nInternational Master (1950) and nine times British Champion. Born in Leicester on 20th August 1872\, Atkins learned the game at school in Leicester at the age of 12. When he was 15\, he joined Leicester Chess Club and within two years was playing on top board. In 1890 he went up to Peterhouse\, Cambridge\, and played top board for the University. On leaving Cambridge he became a schoolmaster. \nHis first appearance in the British Championship was in 1904\, when he came 2nd. The following year he won the championship and repeated his success every year up to and including 1911. He did not compete between 1912 and 1923\, and on reappearing in the event in 1924\, he regained his title and held it the following year. His final appearance in the British Championship was in 1937\, when at the age of 65 he came =3rd.\nIn the five international events in which he played – Amsterdam 1899\, Hanover 1902\, London 1922 and the Chess Olympiads of 1927 and 1935 – he scored over 60 per cent. \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 devotion to teaching and his insistence on treating chess as merely a game was all that prevented him from becoming one of the leading players in the world. \nHe died on 31st January\, 1955. \nH. E. Atkins Doyen of British Chess Champions by R. N. Coles\nIn the above book RN Coles points out that Atkins regularly played f4 or …f5 early in the game and claims this was HEAs pet or signature move. \nHenry Ernest Atkins\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 The Encyclopaedia of Chess by Harry Golombek : \nBritish international master and regarded by many as Britain’s more talented player in the history of the game. Born in Leicester and never very fond of leaving England. Atkins was a schoolmaster and devoted relatively little time to chess\, and yet he became one of the strongest amateurs every known to chess. He was known on the Continent as “the little Steinitz“. \nHis record in British Championship is unique; out of eleven appearances he won the event nine times : 1905\, 1906\, 1907\, 1908\, 1909\, 1910\, 1911\, 1924 and 1925. I t should be added that in 1904 (his first attempt) he finished 1st= and only lost to Napier after a play-off and in 1937 (his last championship) he finished =3rd at the age of 65! \nThe British Chess Championship Trophy\nHis international career comprises only six events. In 1895 Atkins was placed =2nd behind Maróczy in the Hastings Minor Tournament and in 1899 he won the Amsterdam tournament\, leading the field by 4 points. At Hanover 1902 he scored his most notable result : 3rd prize behind Janowski and Pillsbury but ahead of Chigorin and Marshall among others. At London 1922 he finished only 10th of 16 but still claimed Rubinstein and Tartakower among his victims. He represented the B.C.F. in the Olympiads of 1927 and 1935. \nAtkins was retrospectively awarded the title of international master in 1950 on his pre-war record. (Ray Keene). \nAccording to chessgames.com : “He graduated from Cambridge and taught mathematics at Northampton and Wyggeston. In 1909\, he was appointed Principal of Huddersfield College.” \nFrom The Encyclopaedia of Chess (Robert Hale\, 1970 & 1976)\, Anne Sunnucks : \n“International Master (1950) and nine times British Champion. \nBorn in Leicester on 20th August 1872\, Atkins learned the game at school in Leicester at the age of 12. When he was 15\, he joined Leicester Chess Club and within two years was playing on top board. In 1890 he went up to Peterhouse\, Cambridge\, and played on top board for the University. On leaving Cambridge he became a schoolmaster. \nHis first appearance in the British Championship was in 1904\, when he came 2nd. The following year he won the championship and repeated his success every year up to and including 1911. He did not compete between 1912 and 1923\, and on reappearing in the event in 1924\, he regained his title and held it the following year. His final appearance in the British Championship was in 1937\, when at the age of 65 he came =3rd. \nIn the five international events in which he played – Amsterdam 1899\, Hanover 1902\, London 1922\, and the chess Olympiads of 1927 and 1935 – he scored over 60 per cent. \nHis devotion to teaching and his insistence on treating chess as merely a game was all that prevented him from becoming one of the leading players in the world. \nHe died on 31st January\, 1955. ” \nHere is an article from the Yorkshire Chess History site \nand here is an obituary from the MCCU site \nHere is his Wikipedia article \nand here is an excellent article on chess.com \nRecently renowned journalist and write John Saunders has turned his attention to HEA.
URL:https://britishchessnews.com/event/death-anniversary-of-henry-ernest-atkins/
CATEGORIES:British Championships,Death Anniversary,History,Player,Remembering
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