1949/50 Hastings Congress

[John Saunders]

I've just uploaded a file to BritBase with full details of the 1949/50 Hastings Congress...

https://www.saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn/1 ... iewer.html

The games have been widely available for some time but I needed to correct a faulty game score (Rossolimo-Winser, round 7) which users at chessgames.com had spotted, so thought I may as well use the opportunity to provide some extras — a handful of games from subsidiary events, crosstables, results and text, etc, in line with my current BritBase editorial policy.

Question for Leonard Barden: the 1949/50 Hastings Premier Reserves Major, in which you participated, had a Dutch IM in the field, playing incognito under the name "L. Smith". I've reason to believe this was Lod Prins. Can you confirm or otherwise?

Players of the present day may raise their eyebrows at the idea of somebody playing incognito. It would never do, would it, in an era when grades and ratings are regarded as more important than the game itself. The last player I can remember doing it was the fellow with the Irish surname who reversed it (thereby rendering it rather more Italian/Spanish) and used it to play in a different style. No doubt the forum has discussed him at some point in the past.

[David Sedgwick]

Players of the present day may raise their eyebrows at the idea of somebody playing incognito. It would never do, would it, in an era when grades and ratings are regarded as more important than the game itself. The last player I can remember doing it was the fellow with the Irish surname who reversed it (thereby rendering it rather more Italian/Spanish) and used it to play in a different style. No doubt the forum has discussed him at some point in the past.

On the contrary, online chess seems positively to encourage players to play incognito and to play in different styles under different names.

[Leonard Barden]

Question for Leonard Barden: the 1949/50 Hastings Premier Reserves Major, in which you participated, had a Dutch IM in the field, playing incognito under the name "L. Smith". I've reason to believe this was Lod Prins. Can you confirm or otherwise?

Yes, it was Prins. He said that the full name was Len Smith. Everybody at the congress knew his real identity and he did not attempt to deny it. As I recall, he had some obscure explanation about not wanting to take the event seriously and therefore avoiding being listed as Prins in the Dutch press. He may also have wanted to make a point about not being invited to the Premier.

He scored around 50 per cent and played some bad games, but not against me unfortunately. I prepared the French and the game opened 1 e4 e6 2 b3 d5 3 Bb2!? dxe4 4 Qe2 Nf6 5 g4! which completely bamboozled me. I resisted and possibly survived till the ending, but he played it all at Prins level and I felt crushed at the finish.

It may have been at this event that Rowena Bruce asked him "Mr Prins, do you roll your r's in Dutch?" which Lodewijk thought hilarious.

[John Saunders]

On the contrary, online chess seems positively to encourage players to play incognito and to play in different styles under different names.

Yes, but online chess isn't chess.

[John Saunders]

Question for Leonard Barden: the 1949/50 Hastings Premier Reserves Major, in which you participated, had a Dutch IM in the field, playing incognito under the name "L. Smith". I've reason to believe this was Lod Prins. Can you confirm or otherwise?

Yes, it was Prins. He said that the full name was Len Smith. Everybody at the congress knew his real identity and he did not attempt to deny it. As I recall, he had some obscure explanation about not wanting to take the event seriously and therefore avoiding being listed as Prins in the Dutch press. He may also have wanted to make a point about not being invited to the Premier.

He scored around 50 per cent and played some bad games, but not against me unfortunately. I prepared the French and the game opened 1 e4 e6 2 b3 d5 3 Bb2!? dxe4 4 Qe2 Nf6 5 g4! which completely bamboozled me. I resisted and possibly survived till the ending, but he played it all at Prins level and I felt crushed at the finish.

It may have been at this event that Rowena Bruce asked him "Mr Prins, do you roll your r's in Dutch?" which Lodewijk thought hilarious.

Thanks, Leonard. I hope I haven't stirred unhappy memories.

[John Moore]

John, are you referring to O'Sullivan who also played as Navilluso!

[John Saunders]

John, are you referring to O'Sullivan who also played as Navilluso!

Yes. There was something about him here a few years ago, about how the grader twigged the fact that the two were one and the same and graded the games together. I don't think he did it with any malice aforethought, it was just for a bit of fun.

[Leonard Barden]

John, you have H Fuhe in last place. That should be Heinrich Juhe. Also no question mark is needed on Smith>Prins.

[Kevin Thurlow]

I see Harry Golombek was a bit disapproving of preparation, "Barden is a player of youthful promise who is, however, over-addicted to opening theory", "ahead of his time", surely?

It was good to see the complete list of results and see familiar names there - I have even played half a dozen of them which makes me feel old. Was the
"Miss E. M. Michell", Mrs EM Michell I wonder? (Born Edith Mary Ann Tapsell, the widow of RP Michell.)

[Roger de Coverly]

It was good to see the complete list of results and see familiar names there - I have even played half a dozen of them which makes me feel old.

I reckon I did as well. Referring to the previous post H Juhe was still visiting the UK in 1970 for the Whitby Congress.

[Ian Thompson]

It was good to see the complete list of results and see familiar names there - I have even played half a dozen of them which makes me feel old.

Hmm. I spotted 6 that I've played as well.

[John Saunders]

I've now made those amendments suggested by Leonard (thank you) and added a paragraph from the Times of 30 December 1949 in which Viscount Simon, opening the congress, remarked, "chess is the only game I know in which you cannot cheat." If only...

[Kevin Thurlow]

"chess is the only game I know in which you cannot cheat."

Yes - I had already included that in my (just about finished) History of Civil Service Chess and commented that he was being unduly optimistic.

[John Saunders]

OK, since I was in the mood, I've also added the 1950/51 Hastings to BritBase, with all the trimmings - crosstable, contemporary reports and comprehensive results of subsidiary sections. Leonard's debut in the Premier, with his legendary win against Weaver Adams...

https://www.saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn/1 ... iewer.html

Incidentally, if anyone can lay their hands on games from the subsidiary sections at these venerable Hastings congresses, I would be pleased to add them to the BritBase page. I recall Brian Denman asked me about this some time ago, and I'm hoping he has some to share.

[Paul Habershon]

John, are you referring to O'Sullivan who also played as Navilluso!

Yes. There was something about him here a few years ago, about how the grader twigged the fact that the two were one and the same and graded the games together. I don't think he did it with any malice aforethought, it was just for a bit of fun.

I remember him and I think his initials were B F (O'Sullivan). I assume he didn't invent those for effect.

In the East Anglian Union we have had another 'nom de plume' or 'nom de whatever you think appropriate' in Johnny Danger (of Norfolk?). I can't remember his real name or whether he ever played under it.