Arthur Hugh Spencer Palmer

[Gerard Killoran]

The British Newspaper Archive has just published the East African Standard (Nairobi, Kenya) with a chess column written by A. H. Spencer Palmer.

A biography of Arthur Hugh Spencer Palmer

https://www.europeansineastafrica.co.uk ... erson=1554

describes him as, 'A brilliant chess player'.

However on his only appearance in the British Chess Chapionships in 1923

https://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/pgn/19 ... iewer.html

he scored 0/5 in the Premier Preliminary group 5.

He had more success here,

https://www.thornburyroots.co.uk/wp-con ... -Ghost.pdf

where an an unusal photograph of him can be seen.

[Gerard Killoran]

He did make one draw at the congress however....

[Event "GBR-ch Alekhine simul-37"] [Site "Southsea"] [Date "1923.08.18"] [Round "?"] [White "Alekhine, Alexander"] [Black "Spencer-Palmer, Spencer Hugh"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D07"] [Opening "QGD: Chigorin defence"] 1. c4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. cxd5 Qxd5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Nf6 8. e3 b5 9. a4 Ba6 10. Bd3 O-O 11. O-O e5 12. axb5 Bxb5 13. Bxb5 Qxb5 14. Qb1 Qxb1 15. Rfxb1 exd4 16. exd4 Ne4 17. Be1 f6 18. Nh4 Nd6 19. Nf3 a6 20. Kf1 Rfe8 21. Nd2 h6 {'At this point Alekhin looked a the board a long time. I had a passed pawn. "Will you win?" said he. "I don't know, perhaps." I replied. "Will you draw?" said Alekhin. I said "Certainly with pleasure." so the game was drawn at the 21st move.' East African Standard - Saturday 22 December 1923 p.19} 1/2-1/2

And obtained a selfie with the great man.

East African Standard - Saturday 12 April 1924 p.47.png (1.04 MiB) Viewed 2259 times