Champions' Names

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

One other thing I forgot to mention - the 1986 U16 Girls Champion, Hazel Eaves, has switched her first and middle names round and is now known as Shanti (Hazel) Eaves. She was Hazel Eaves when she won the title though!

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Perhaps our film expert Stewart Reuben knows of this programme or can track it down?

This program is mentioned by Edward Winter in his Chess Notes column (http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter60.html):

Miss Fatima was interviewed about Sultan Khan in the Bandung Limited television production The Sultan of Chess broadcast by Channel 4 in the United Kingdom on 19 September 1990. She mentioned that she had given some chess instruction to Queen Mary, the wife of George V.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Thanks for the further information which has been built into another mini-update at Britbase (URL given in my 'sig').

Brian Denman and Bernard Cafferty were unable to provide forenames for PW Murphy or MN Walsh but thought someone might consult P Almond who was also from Blackburn and might therefore have known PW Murphy. I understand P Almond is still a Lancashire player/organiser - could someone perhaps make contact with him and ask? Thanks.

He also plays for SASRA in Cumbria - though hopefully by the time one gets to see him in the coming season, this mystery will already be solved

[John Saunders]

It's Peter W Murphy. Bernard Cafferty put me in touch with Mike Conroy, and Mike gave me his forename. When Bernard mentioned Mike Conroy's name, it reminded me that I have a copy of Mike's excellent History of Lancashire (1871-2009). I found Peter Karmaz in there (from Bolton, as was his co-champion of 1967, Martyn Corden, I think, as well as a couple of well-known GMs, of course). That's two more names done.

Mike's pondering the name MN Walsh but hasn't got a forename for me yet. Mike thought that PG (Peter) Moore might be able to help with the name of someone from Crewe. I don't know him - can anyone help?

[John Saunders]

I've just had the following additions/corrections from Harriet Hunt:

'K Horsfield' (U13G, 1989) - first name Kate

'Traci Thompson' appears a few times - correct spelling is Tracey

'Louise Orton' (U13G, 1990) - should be Louisa

'Daniel Rosenburg' (U9, 1987) should be Rosenberg

I can confirm that R Murphy (U9, 1992) is Ronan

'Rachel Mothershill' (U14G, 1988) should be Mothersill.

Thanks to Harriet for providing this info. I shall put up a corrected list online in the next few minutes.

[James Pratt]

I would like to buy Conroy's history. Harding advertsied it but the link didn't work.

Can you help, John Saunders?

[email protected]

[James Pratt]

Regarding the Miss Fatima interview, I gather from Stewart that it was an actress and not Miss Fat herself.

I think Rachel Mothersill (U14 g 1988) is the step daughter of Anne Sunnucks. Can anybody confirm please?

[James Pratt]

Mark Walker was Botley and a strong Hampshire Junior, MI Walker yes. His cousin, Oliver R Worsfold won the U-15s at Blackpool 1988. A strong Basingstoke junior from Ken Harman's club at Popley (as was I!)

[John Saunders]

I would like to buy Conroy's history. Harding advertsied it but the link didn't work.

Can you help, John Saunders?

[email protected]

James, I'll PM you with Mike Conroy's phone number. I don't have an email address for him. Others may know of another source for the Lancashire history but I'm sure Mike can help.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

"Mike Conroy’s recent book A History of Lancashire Chess from 1871 to 2009 also includes several Littlewood games and facts about his career. (This 470-page A4-format book, including many photographs, is only available from the Lancashire Chess Association, price ten pounds plus postage and voluntary donation. For details, email Bill O’Rourke: [email protected])."

[Paul Littlewood]

"Mike Conroy’s recent book A History of Lancashire Chess from 1871 to 2009 also includes several Littlewood games and facts about his career. (This 470-page A4-format book, including many photographs, is only available from the Lancashire Chess Association, price ten pounds plus postage and voluntary donation. For details, email Bill O’Rourke: [email protected])."

I have a copy of this excellent publication but I know only a limited amount were initially produced. Unless they have done another edition you may find it difficult to get hold of a copy.

[Jonathan Rogers]

E Micheal White above:

1984 I think Matthew Walker should be Mark Walker. He was from Hampshire, Portsmouth or Southampton, and this reminds me of a bad mistake I made as BCF junior squad manager.

In May 1985 Garry Kasparov, fresh from winning the world title, agreed to give a free simul against English juniors. This was organised by Peter Barton at Uppingham. Due to imminent exams, our team was not at its very strongest but still pretty good with James Howell, then already IM standard, on top board, and future GMs Conquest, Adams, Wells and McDonald (who entered chess history that day with his oft-quoted queen sac for stalemate) slightly lower down. I remember that Kasparov asked for a team list beforehand then went off for an hour to prepare for individual opponents.....

I was given to understand that the number of boards (20 or 25, I forget) could not be increased so agonised who to put on the bottom boards. I seriously considered a promising 9-10 year old but finally decided against him. When I reached Uppingham on the day I found that Walker pere, who was helping with the arrangements, had casually suggested to Kasparov that there could be a couple of extra boards. Garry readily agreed, so naturally Mark Walker got a place as one of the extras. The 9-10 year old I omitted? Matthew Sadler

Sadler would have been 11 in 1985. To be fair, I think that Mark actually drew with Kasparov. I learnt this the following year when Mark, I and two other juniors interviewed Karpov and Kasparov for Thames TV, just before the London half of their World Ch, as a filler to be used in the event of time-outs. Kasparov remembered their game and teased Mark about how lucky he had been.

[Nick Thomas]

Leonard. I seem to have a signed book (The Test Of Time) by Kasparov and can't remember if I played in that match (I must have been about 19 at the time). Do you have a team list? (If I did play I certainly didn't win as I think I might have remembered!).

[Philip Adams]

1989 U16 P Brown U13

This was Paul Graham Brown of 3Cs, a fierce tactician. After leaving Oldham he played a bit in Scotland while attending Edinburgh University. After that he moved to the Far East.

A good example of his style:

[Event "Edinburgh ECC 4th"]
[Site "Edinburgh"]
[Date "1996.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Brown, Paul"]
[Black "Roberts, Paul"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B20"]
[BlackElo "2215"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "1996.??.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "SCO"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. Bb2 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. d4 Nf6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2 e6 8.
O-O Be7 9. a3 bxa3 10. Rxa3 O-O 11. c4 Qd8 12. Rb3 Qc7 13. Nc3 a6 14. d5 exd5
15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. cxd5 Nd7 17. Qd4 Nf6 18. Rc1 Qd8 19. Rxb7 Bc8 20. Rxe7 Qxe7
21. Bd3 Rd8 22. Re1 Qb7 23. Ng5 Rb8 24. Bxh7+ Kh8 25. Qxf6 gxf6 26. Bxf6# 1-0

[LozCooper]

It's scary how many of these talented players gave up the game at such an early age