First British International Master

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Everyone knows who Britain's first Grandmaster was, but who was the first International Master?

I'm guessing that several players were awarded the title when it was first created in 1950; if this is the case I'd also be interested to know which British player first "won" the title after 1950.

[John Upham]

Every knows who Britain's first Grandmaster was

Indeed, it was Comins Mansfield in 1972.

[Roger de Coverly]

Every knows who Britain's first Grandmaster was, but who was the first International Master?

I'm guessing that several players were awarded the title when it was first created in 1950; if this is the case I'd also be interested to know which British player first "won" the title after 1950.

If you ignore those (including Bob Wade) who were "grandfathered" the title in the early fifties, the first to "qualify" would have been Jonathon Penrose. If you ignore David Levy (SCO) winning it as a prize in the 1969 Zonal, the second would have been Ray Keene in 1971 or 1972.

It either goes to show how difficult it was to gain international titles between about 1952 and 1970, or how badly the BCF did in arranging title opportunities.

[Richard James]

Every knows who Britain's first Grandmaster was, but who was the first International Master?

I'm guessing that several players were awarded the title when it was first created in 1950; if this is the case I'd also be interested to know which British player first "won" the title after 1950.

Of course we all know who Britain's first Grandmaster was. Jacques Mieses was a naturalised British subject in 1950 when he was one of the 27 original recipients of the Grandmaster title.

Perhaps you meant the first British-born Grandmaster for over-the-board chess?

Among those awarded the IM title in 1950 were Hugh Alexander and Harry Golombek, along with Bob Wade, who at the time was representing New Zealand.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Indeed, it was Comins Mansfield in 1972.

I'd never heard of him until today, or even realised that FIDE awarded titles for problem composition.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Of course we all know who Britain's first Grandmaster was. Jacques Mieses was a naturalised British subject in 1950 when he was one of the 27 original recipients of the Grandmaster title.

I've always had a problem considering him Britain's first Grandmaster, partly because he didn't become British until well after his chess career was over, but also because I don't think he was really all that good a player. Surely he was only among the 27 recipients of the first Grandmaster titles because he happened to still be alive?

Perhaps you meant the first British-born Grandmaster for over-the-board chess?

I think it's more to do with where someone grows up. For example I've never thought of Lennox Lewis as a British boxer because he learnt his craft in Canada. Offhand I can't think of any titled British players who were born abroad, though I'm sure there are some. Edit: Actually I've just remembered one - Jack Rudd.

[Richard James]

Indeed, it was Comins Mansfield in 1972.

I'd never heard of him until today, or even realised that FIDE awarded titles for problem composition.

And for problem solving as well. John Nunn and Jonathan Mestel are two of four who hold GM titles for OTB play and solving.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Among those awarded the IM title in 1950 were Hugh Alexander and Harry Golombek, along with Bob Wade, who at the time was representing New Zealand.

Sir George Thomas as well. Is there a definitive list somewhere? The list of 27 grandmasters is well known, but how about the international masters?

[IM Jack Rudd]

Edit: Actually I've just remembered one - Jack Rudd.

I wasn't; I was born in Britain - it's my mother who was born abroad.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Edit: Actually I've just remembered one - Jack Rudd.

I wasn't; I was born in Britain - it's my mother who was born abroad.

Everyone's mother was born a broad.

[Richard James]

Of course we all know who Britain's first Grandmaster was. Jacques Mieses was a naturalised British subject in 1950 when he was one of the 27 original recipients of the Grandmaster title.

I've always had a problem considering him Britain's first Grandmaster, partly because he didn't become British until well after his chess career was over, but also because I don't think he was really all that good a player. Surely he was only among the 27 recipients of the first Grandmaster titles because he happened to still be alive?

Perhaps you meant the first British-born Grandmaster for over-the-board chess?

I think it's more to do with where someone grows up. For example I've never thought of Lennox Lewis as a British boxer because he learnt his craft in Canada. Offhand I can't think of any titled British players who were born abroad, though I'm sure there are some. Edit: Actually I've just remembered one - Jack Rudd.

In fact Mieses' career continued long after he became a British subject. He was still active in the late 1940s. I see what you mean about not considering him British though.

Titled British players born abroad - off the top of my head William Watson (Baghdad), James Plaskett (Cyprus).

[John Upham]

Among those awarded the IM title in 1950 were Hugh Alexander and Harry Golombek, along with Bob Wade, who at the time was representing New Zealand.

Mieses was born in Leipzig.
Bob was born in Dunedin, New Zealand as well as representing New Zealand.
Hugh was born in Cork, Ireland.
Harry was born in London.

Čeněk Kottnauer was born in Prague, and, I believe, became a naturalised British Citizen and was also awarded the IM title in 1950.

Imre König was born in Gyula, Hungary and became a naturalised British Citizen in 1949 and was awarded the IM title in 1951.

[Simon Ansell]

Edit: Actually I've just remembered one - Jack Rudd.

I wasn't; I was born in Britain - it's my mother who was born abroad.

Everyone's mother was born a broad.

I was born in Germany.

[Ian Kingston]

Among those awarded the IM title in 1950 were Hugh Alexander and Harry Golombek, along with Bob Wade, who at the time was representing New Zealand.

Sir George Thomas as well. Is there a definitive list somewhere? The list of 27 grandmasters is well known, but how about the international masters?

International Championship Chess, by Bozidar Kažić (Batsford, 1974) lists all of the players awarded GM, IM and WIM titles up to 1973, including the year in which the title was gained. Google having failed me, I have extracted the names of those awarded the IM title in 1950:

Argentina (1)
Julio Bolbochan

Australia (1)
Lajos Steiner

Austria (1)
Hans Müller

Bulgaria (1)
Alexandre Tsvetkov

Czechoslovakia (4)
Jan Foltys
Miroslav Katetov
Jaroslav Å ajtar
František Zita

Denmark (1)
Jens Enevoldsen

England (7)
C. Hugh O’D Alexander
Henry Ernest Atkins
Harry Golombek
Cenek Kottnauer
George A. Thomas
Robert Wade
William Winter

Finland (1)
Eero Böök

East Germany (3)
Rudolf Keller
Berthold Koch
Kurt Richter

West Germany (4)
Carl Ahues
Georg Kieninger
Ludwig Rellstab
Paul Schmidt

Hungary (5)
Lajos Aztalos
Tibor Florián
Geza Nagy
Jozsef Szily
Arpad Vajda

Italy (2)
Vicenzo Castaldi
Mario Monticelli

Netherlands (3)
Nicolas Cortlever
Lodewijk Prins
Tjeerd Damel Van Scheltinga

Peru (1)
Esteban Canal

Poland (2)
Kasimierz Makarczyk
Kasimierz Plater

Romania (2)
Stefan Erdelyi
Octav Troianescu

Spain (1)
Garcia Antonio Medina

Sweden (2)
Folke Ekström
Erik Lundin

Switzerland (3)
Ernö Gereben
Henry Grob
Hans Johner

USA (5)
Arnold Denker
Israel Albert Horowitz
Hans Kmoch
George Koltanowski
Herman Steiner

USSR (20)
Vladimir Alatortsev
Lev Aronin
Vitaly Chekhover
Peter Dubinin
Fedor Dus-Hotimirsky
Viktor Goglidze
Ilya Kan
Genrik Kasparian
Alexander Konstantinopolsky
Georgt Lisitzin
Vladimir Makagonov
Vladas Mikenas
Vladimir Nenarokov
Nikolai Novotelnov
Vasily Panov
Peter Romanovsky
Ludmila Rudenko
Gavril Veresov
Boris Verlinsky
Mikhail Yudovich

Yugoslavia (4)
Serćko Nedeljković
Stoian Puc
Braslav Rabar
Milan Vidmar

Wikipedia says that 94 IMs were created in 1950, but if you add up the numbers above you'll see only 74 names. I don't know whether the discrepancy comes from; Wikipedia has no citation for the number.

[Richard James]

Sir George Thomas was born in Therapia, Turkey.