English Chess Forum

Remembering Elijah Williams (07-x-1809 08-ix-1854) https://britishchessnews.com/2026/09/04/remembering-elijah-williams/ :D The Bristol Sloth returns! "The Bristol Sloth" was coined by Mike Fox for The Complete Chess Addict. Guitarist Leo Kottke read the book and wrote a tune in his honour. https://...

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 31, 2026 12:41 pm

Fun fact: J.M. Barrie was an uncle of William Winter. Cannot immediately find on which side (mother or father). Maybe someone can help?

Barrie's sister Margaret (Maggie) was William Winter's mother.

1977 BBC documentary on Karpov here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O50kD8x2_a0

A lot of familiar faces for you to spot.

I think N R Springall was Norman Robert Springall. Born 31st July, 1922 (Happy Birthday!) in Penge, Kent. Died 1992 in London. I'm basing this on the following Family Tree on the Family Search page, which contains a picture of him: https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/GTSH-4YH And th...

Poolake is apparently a rare Estonian surname. The only Poolakes I can find in the UK are Max and his wife.

Philip C Owen (Richmond & Twickenham)

I thought it was a rather good impersonation by a Surrey chess player (that I won't identify in case he is shy and modest etc.) Kevin, contact the shy modest lad, he may have a copy. I recall hearing it in a students flat full of chess players in Edinburgh. I contacted him several months ago: he wa...

I have just received information telling me that David is very much alive. I have a copy of an email he sent to his Thames Valley League colleagues earlier this evening. "I am glad to let you know in the words of Mark Twain that rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I am not sure where ...

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My latest Minor Piece tells the inspirational story of the blind player Hans Cohn, of Willesden Chess Club.

https://minorpieces.uk/2026/06/29/minor ... mann-cohn/

My latest Minor Piece features Alexander Distler, a Viennese coffee-house player who fled the Nazis, ending up in London, where I played him in 1970. https://minorpieces.uk/2026/06/17/minor-pieces-107-alexander-distler/ The Chess Review piece in full https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/...

My latest Minor Piece features Alexander Distler, a Viennese coffee-house player who fled the Nazis, ending up in London, where I played him in 1970.

https://minorpieces.uk/2026/06/17/minor ... r-distler/

I've received a message from Malcolm's family about his funeral. If you'd like to attend, please contact me by private message or email so that I can inform Gill. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As you are ...

Links to earlier articles written since I last posted here: Minor Piece 91 introduces you to Dr JR Leeson, the President of the second Twickenham Chess Club in the 1920s. Minor Piece 92 tells you about CF Chapman, who promoted chess in Parkhurst Prison, along with his Kent namesake C Chapman. Minor ...

The most recent Minor Pieces cover, in very general terms, the connections between chess, eccentricity and madness. Minor Pieces 100 and 101 celebrate a notable milestone by looking at the life and chess career of Aleister Crowley. Minor Piece 102 features another star of The (Even More) Complete Ch...