An overlooked game by England's first FIDE Grandmaster?

[Gerard Killoran]

No, not Tony Miles. As all good chess trivia fans know, it was Comins Mansfield who was awarded the title for chess composition four years before Tony got his for over the board play.

There aren't many of Mansfield's games available online and I haven't seen this one anywhere else.

So here's the top board clash between Mansfield's Bristol & Clifton Chess Club and local rivals Bath. Mansfield's opponent was the veteran G. E. Wainwright and this is the last published game of his that I could find. Indeed it is the sort of loss from a won position that would make anyone feel like retiring.

From the Western Daily Press, Monday 15th February 1926:

[Event "Bath CC vs Bristol & Clifton CC"] [Site "Bath"] [Date "1926.02.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Wainwright, George Edward"] [Black "Mansfield, Comins"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C49"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Ne7 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nh4 Kh8 11.f4 c6 12.Bc4 Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.fxe5 dxe5 15.Qh5 Qe8 16.Qh6 Ng6 17.Rf3 Nxh4 18.Qxh4 f5 19.exf5 exf5 20.Raf1 Qe6 21.Qh3 Qxa2 22.Rxf5 Qa3 23.Qh6 Rxf5 24.Rxf5 Qe7 25.Qh5 Rf8 26.Rxe5 Qf6 27.Qe2 b5 28.d4 a5 29.g3 Qf3 30.Qxf3 Rxf3 31.Rc5 a4 32.Rxc6 Rf8 {Mansfield offers a draw, Wainwright turns it down} 33.d5 Kg7 34.Ra6 Rc8 35.Rc6 Ra8 36.Re6 Rc8 37.d6 Kf8 38.Re5 Ra8 39.Rxb5 Ke8 40.c4 Kd7 41.c5 Kc6 42.c4 a3 43.Rb1 Kxc5 44.Kf2 Kxc4 45.d7 a2 46.Rd1 Rd8 0-1 {Source: Western Daily Press Monday 15/02/1926}

[Event "Bath CC vs Bristol & Clifton CC"]
[Site "Bath"]
[Date "1926.02.15"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wainwright, George Edward"]
[Black "Mansfield, Comins"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C49"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Ne7 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nh4 Kh8 11.f4 c6 12.Bc4 Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.fxe5 dxe5 15.Qh5 Qe8 16.Qh6 Ng6 17.Rf3 Nxh4 18.Qxh4 f5 19.exf5 exf5 20.Raf1 Qe6 21.Qh3 Qxa2 22.Rxf5 Qa3 23.Qh6 Rxf5 24.Rxf5 Qe7 25.Qh5 Rf8 26.Rxe5 Qf6 27.Qe2 b5 28.d4 a5 29.g3 Qf3 30.Qxf3 Rxf3 31.Rc5 a4 32.Rxc6 Rf8 {Mansfield offers a draw, Wainwright turns it down} 33.d5 Kg7 34.Ra6 Rc8 35.Rc6 Ra8 36.Re6 Rc8 37.d6 Kf8 38.Re5 Ra8 39.Rxb5 Ke8 40.c4 Kd7 41.c5 Kc6 42.c4 a3 43.Rb1 Kxc5 44.Kf2 Kxc4 45.d7 a2 46.Rd1 Rd8 0-1 {Source: Western Daily Press Monday 15/02/1926}

[IM Jack Rudd]

Depending on whether you count naturalized citizens, the referent of "England's first FIDE Grandmaster" could also be Jacques Mieses.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

What was the winning method for Wainwright after turning down the draw offer? Maybe a bit of psychology there by Mansfield. The a-pawn looks very strong.

[Gerard Killoran]

35. d6 should win