English Chess Forum

You know there are often "lists" online of the greatest of all time, but I just typed in greatest English players and found that nobody has ever attempted to create such a list. Since this is the English chess forum, it seems only right that we should try and put forward some names to make a top 10 best English players who ever lived.

To get the ball rolling, I have a candidate list of successful players who might be considered our best....

1. Michael Adams
2. Jonathan Penrose
3. Nigel Short
4. Howard Staunton
5. Joseph Blackburne
6. Jon Speelman
7. Tony Miles
8. Henry Ernest Atkins
9. Julian Hodgson
10. Gawain Jones

Not sure I'd rank all of those above Jon Speelman, who participated in a Candidates series.

Well some of them are kind of hard to qualify because they are so old, but they did have great success in their time and deserved a mention.
Speelman could well be a candidate for the list, though I am not sure I would be brave enough to put him number one. The top 3 of the list also got into candidate series.

England's first GM at 8 is ridiculous.

Joey Stewart wrote:You know there are often "lists" online of the greatest of all time, but I just typed in greatest English players and found that nobody has ever attempted to create such a list. Since this is the English chess forum, it seems only right that we should try and put forward some names to make a top 10 best English players who ever lived.

To get the ball rolling, I have a candidate list of successful players who might be considered our best....

1. Michael Adams
2. Jonathan Penrose
3. Nigel Short
4. Howard Staunton
5. David Howell
6. Julian Hodgeson
7. Henry Ernest Atkins
8. Tony Miles
9. Gawain Jones
10.Luke McShane

Julian's surname hasn't got an e

Is this list in order?

NickFaulks wrote:England's first GM at 8 is ridiculous.

Well miles really didnt actually acomplish a whole lot, yeah he got that win against karpov with a dodgy opening but can anyone remember many other great successes of his? He deserves a place on the list, nevertheless, but I think those above him would do a little better if you threw them all into a big tournament. Plus, from what I hear, penrose was effectively a grand master level player but chose not to pursue the title.

Mick Norris wrote:
Julian's surname hasn't got an e

Is this list in order?

Fixed that now, I never realised it was spelled without an e - it doesnt quite look phonetically right but I guess it is up to him how he spells his name.

It is in a bit of an order, but these things are quite subjective so could easily change if somebody puts a strong case for their favourite master.

Joey Stewart wrote:

NickFaulks wrote:England's first GM at 8 is ridiculous.

Well miles really didnt actually acomplish a whole lot, yeah he got that win against karpov with a dodgy opening but can anyone remember many other great successes of his?

World Junior Champion for instance. The win against Karpov was also a sensational result.

JustinHorton wrote:World Junior Champion for instance. The win against Karpov was also a sensational result.

Agreed on both counts

How many English players have won a world title?

Blackburne would surely make the list?

Alexander maybe? - though perhaps not strong enough or English enough?

JustinHorton wrote: World Junior Champion for instance. The win against Karpov was also a sensational result.

I think everybody on the list has a win against a world champion to their name so it is not quite enough to elevate miles much higher.

Although you mentioned Jon Speelman earlier and, after looking up some of his games I have to say I am leaning towards making space for him somewhere - his creative play is amazing, it is a real pleasure to watch some of the genius attacks he comes up with.

Yes, I would have Blackburne and Speelman in for Jones and Hodgson - perhaps Nunn for Atkins too?

Of the players of earlier eras, Blackburne surely has to be a massive omission, and one could make a case for Yates (good enough to have beaten Alekhine, Rubinstein, Reti and Tarrash, among others).

Edit: spotted this previous thread, which touches on similar issues, and where someone makes an argument for 'making it into the world's top 10', or something analogous. There may well be other threads too.

Who is this blackburn guy? Not heard of him before.

Joey Stewart wrote:Who is this blackburn guy? Not heard of him before.

There's a book about him.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joseph-Henry-Bl ... 0786474734