Last time I considered Charles Dealtry Locock’s tournament and match play in the 1880s and 1890s, at which point he gave up competitive chess. But it was far from the end of his chess career. Alongside his chess playing he had a parallel career as a chess problemist. In The Chess Bouquet (1897) he was … Continue reading Minor Pieces 75: Charles Dealtry Locock (2)
You’ve already read about Charles Dealtry Locock’s career as a chess player and problemist. In the final part of this trilogy you’ll learn more about his life, and about what might be seen as his most lasting and significant contribution to chess. You’ll recall that he married his first cousin, Ida Gertrude Locock, and that … Continue reading Minor Pieces 76: Charles Dealtry Locock (3)
Sir Charles Locock (1799-1875) was an interesting chap. Queen Victoria’s obstretician, he also pioneered potassium bromide as a treatment for epilepsy and conducted the autopsy in the notorious Eastbourne Manslaughter Case, establishing that an unfortunate 15-year-old boy had died as a result of corporal punishment. Locock had five sons, four of whom had distinguished careers. … Continue reading Minor Pieces 74: Charles Dealtry Locock (1)
From Amazon: Once a chess player has learned not to drop pieces, that innate feeling of not wanting to sacrifice them willingly takes place in our consciousness. Why should give up our pieces unless we must? This book tries to remedy that thinking pattern by introducing the student and reader to the concept of imagination. … Continue reading Imagination in Chess (CD Locock/Carsten Hansen)
Ralph Jackson won the Sydney Junior Championship back in 1976 and is currently ranked 7th among players in Australia born before 1960. He is also intrigued by family history, and his interest was piqued in 2015 when a cousin showed him transcripts of letters his great grandfather’s brother had been sent by an English nephew … Continue reading Minor Pieces 79: Antony Alfred Geoffrey Guest
Last time I told you about Charles Dealtry Locock’s pioneering work in promoting chess for girls in the 1930s, and, in particular about his private pupil Elaine Saunders, the first genuine girl chess playing prodigy. She wasn’t the first girl chess prodigy, though. Back in 1891 9-year-old Lilian Baird was making headlines round the world … Continue reading Minor Pieces (77): James Kistruck
In January 1924 there was some big news for chess players in the Richmond area. A new chess club, the Barnes Village Chess Club, was to be formed. None of the names at this meeting are familiar, but they soon started playing matches against other local clubs. Here they are a year or so later, … Continue reading Minor Pieces 46: George Archer Hooke Part 1
Last time we left George Edward Wainwright at the time of the 1921 census, when, approaching the age of 60, he’d recently retired from his senior post with the now defunct Local Government Board and moved to his wife’s home village of Box, not far from Bath. Chess in London for him was now over: … Continue reading Minor Pieces 29: George Edward Wainwright Part 4