English Chess Forum

Is Dana Reizniece-Ozola (Wikipedia article) the strongest current chess-playing politician (WGM and rated 2243 - peak rating of 2355 in 1999)? I was surprised to find that the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Latvia was able to take the time to play at the Chess Olympiad, but she got an excellent result in the final round, beating Hou Yifan.

(Found here: Kavelek's chess column.)

Well many would call Garry Kasparov a politician....
If you mean actively emplyed in politics then probably Dana yes.

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Is Dana Reizniece-Ozola the strongest current chess-playing politician (WGM and rated 2243 - peak rating of 2355 in 1999)?

She is about 100 points above this UKIP MEP
https://ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?event=408077
who is thought to be highest rated UK MP or MEP.

There's a thread about this every time there's an election.

Thanks. That would be stronger than Bonar Law and Rutherford, but is Marmaduke Wyvill still the strongest ever?

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/bonarlaw.html

Roger de Coverly wrote: There's a thread about this every time there's an election.

I see: http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... ill#p27957

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:...is Marmaduke Wyvill still the strongest ever?

In terms of actual playing strength, no. In terms of how far behind the then world #1 he was, probably yes.

As mentioned when an Angela Eagle leadership candidacy for Labour seemed possible, there is also the late Julius Silverman.

(apparently a good friend with B H Wood of CHESS fame - even though their politics, by all accounts, somewhat differed)

Jack Rudd and Chris Kreuzer have given judgement about UK MPs but what about the Bonar Law question: was he the strongest chess player who also became UK PM? Perhaps Peter Hennessy might know??

IanCalvert wrote:was he the strongest chess player who also became UK PM?

In the sense of playing at a level sufficient for his games to be collected and published, surely the only player?

I'm sure I've mentioned this before but Lembit Opik (LibDem - also associated with Sian the weather girl and one of the cheeky girls) certainly played while he was at P&G in Gosforth - I guess late 80's or early 90's. I know he turned out for my father's team in the local league. Probably 120-ish but may have been stronger in his youth

Paul

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Is Dana Reizniece-Ozola (Wikipedia article) the strongest current chess-playing politician (WGM and rated 2243 - peak rating of 2355 in 1999)? I was surprised to find that the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Latvia was able to take the time to play at the Chess Olympiad, but she got an excellent result in the final round, beating Hou Yifan.

(Found here: Kavelek's chess column.)

The strongest chessplaying politician in the world at the moment is not Dana Reizniece, despite her giant-killing success against Hou Yifan.

It is Viktorija Cmilyte, member of the Lithuanian parliament, currently rated 2536, twice Lithuanian champion against men, holder of the GM title at men's level, currently No2 in the Lithuanian rankings behind Rozentalis, ex-wife of Alexei Shirov, current wife of Magnus Carlsen's second Peter Heine Nielsen, mother of three sons, women's Olympiad board one gold medallist in 2000 and 2004, and a volleyball player in her youth. How does she manage it all?

Leonard Barden wrote:How does she manage it all?

She does'nt get man-flu

Alan Reid, Lib-Dem MP for Argyll and Bute from 2001-2015 represented Scotland at the 1978 Olympiad.
He came second in the 1979 Scottish Championship, and in the 1980 Scottish championship he is listed with a Scottish Chess grading of 2255.

I seem to recall that Brian Walden (Lab) was quite useful. I remember him speaking at the Karpov simul in 1977.

Didn't know about Rutherford.- new one to me.There will be late and strong Victorian ones

I will try a list without him for British Lords, PMs, Mps etc.
Wyvill - highly rated by Staunton - lost the 1851 International final to Anderssen
Julius Silverman - beating Paul Keres when he was one of the best players in the world.
Alan Reid - International
Bonar Law (PM) - "over 200" -- behind Westminster 1922 made the opening move on JR Capa's board v R Reti - the "London system"was born.
Arnott (MEP)
I would place Marsha Singh, (only saw him outplayed by A J Mestel) above Warwicks junior champion Brain Walden
I dont know the strength of William Clough Bradford c.c (MP for Skipton) who beat Capablanca in a simul.
Then further down Angela and Maria Eagle etc
Middlesborough had a chess playing MP that Gerry Walsh knew.