English Chess Forum

As I have now entered my anecdotage, I enjoy flicking through the back pages of my venerable magazine. Given that I am also a dab hand with a scanner, there seems no good reason why I should not share some of my findings with other people online. Here, for starters, is a link to a file containing the 1979 Grading Lists for England and Scotland as published in the November and December 1979 issues of BCM...

http://www.bcmchess.co.uk/news/bcm1979-11p554.pdf

Those aged 40+ may enjoy a nostalgic ramble through some 300 names of players who were graded 175 or above at that time, while those younger than that can check to see if the elderly club member who always tells them he was a 'contender' back in the olden days really was as good as he likes to make out.

I shall put a few more bits and pieces from the magazine on the BCM website from time to time so keeping watching...

I couldn't find Norman Stephenson on the list (perhaps he was taking a break from chess for a while?) but I did find RVM Hall - he was 188 at the time.

Might have been the first grading list I was on, that, though some long way below 175 of course.

Is the J Silman on 217 the Californian IM and writer?

BTW I was tempted to see how many on that list are still around but decided the result may be too depressing!

Curious fact: 3 of my games this season, out of a total of 10 so far, has been against players on this list.

I don't see why it's depressing that many of people are still around after 30 years. The depressing part surely is that not enough new players have joined them.


(first ever elo of 1471 achieved on the Danish Federation rating list of 01/01/81, so not far off the 30 years myself. )

Justin Horton wrote

Is the J Silman on 217 the Californian IM and writer?

Almost certainly. I can remember being told that while he was over in this country he was prevailed upon by the then Match Captain to turn out for the Essex Open team. Alas I will not have that luxury against Herts this coming Saturday.....

Stuart Rachels, who was later (I believe ) a surprise US Champion, played some games for Oxfordshire. Jesse Kraai, who only recently got his GM title, probably did the same and certainly played for Cowley.