Chess At Student Movement House

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Another lovely photo from the Getty Images archive.

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/ne ... /632122475

A Ghanaian student playing a Russian at chess at Student Movement House in Russell Square, London, 26th May 1933. Looking on are a Sinhalese and a French student. Student Movement House was a social centre, founded in 1917 in memory of students who died in World War I. At the time this photo was taken it was used by students representing fifty-seven nationalities. (Photo by A. R. Coster/Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

I don't suppose the Russian student went on to become a famous chess player. I really shouldn't assume that the Russian would have been better at chess than the other people from other countries!!

Student Movement House is still in existence today as International Students House:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internati ... se,_London

I believe weekend chess congresses were held there as recently as the 1990s or 2000s (but might be confusing this with another venue). Can anyone confirm this and/or does anyone have memories of this place from its earlier years?

[Brendan O'Gorman]

I played in weekend congresses at International Students House each year from 1997 to 2000. Some (perhaps all) were held in the basement. After 2000, I played in some one day rapidplays there in 2002 and 2003 by which time the chess had moved to a cramped room on the first floor.

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

I think the Russian is in this picture as well:
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/ne ... popup=true

I did a quick search to see if he was a well known (or even not so well known) player but without success. Whilst doing so I stumbled across this authenticated photo of "Jonathan Penrose":
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-photo-Po ... B01B5ER1PG

[John Upham]

I did a quick search to see if he was a well known (or even not so well known) player but without success. Whilst doing so I stumbled across this authenticated photo of "Jonathan Penrose":
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-photo-Po ... B01B5ER1PG

I have reported this to Amazon.

[Roger Lancaster]

I did a quick search to see if he was a well known (or even not so well known) player but without success. Whilst doing so I stumbled across this authenticated photo of "Jonathan Penrose":
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-photo-Po ... B01B5ER1PG

I have reported this to Amazon.

The point being, I assume, that it's not Penrose.

[Roger de Coverly]

The point being, I assume, that it's not Penrose.

The late Andrew Whiteley I would think.

[John Upham]

The point being, I assume, that it's not Penrose.

The late Andrew Whiteley I would think.

Correct.

[Roger Lancaster]

The point being, I assume, that it's not Penrose.

The late Andrew Whiteley I would think.

Correct.

Yes, that's before I knew him - probably in his days at Oxford - but unmistakably Andrew.

[Ian Thompson]

Whilst doing so I stumbled across this authenticated photo of "Jonathan Penrose":
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-photo-Po ... B01B5ER1PG

I had a browse through that seller's photos and discovered, to my surprise, that this forum has a Soviet player as a member.

[John Upham]

Whilst doing so I stumbled across this authenticated photo of "Jonathan Penrose":
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-photo-Po ... B01B5ER1PG

I had a browse through that seller's photos and discovered, to my surprise, that this forum has a Soviet player as a member.

The person on the left was the possible religious subject of a song by a popular beat combo called "Boney M."

[Roger Lancaster]

Whilst doing so I stumbled across this authenticated photo of "Jonathan Penrose":
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-photo-Po ... B01B5ER1PG

I had a browse through that seller's photos and discovered, to my surprise, that this forum has a Soviet player as a member.

The person on the left was the possible religious subject of a song by a popular beat combo called "Boney M."

That's Mary's Boy Child rather than Rasputin, I take it ..... ?