Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:38 am

This timeline attempts to cover GM, IM, WGM and WIM titles awarded between 1950 and 2010 for British Isles chess players (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland). The list includes both British-born players that later moved overseas or changed federations, and those that changed to British Isles federations. I am not aware of any Guernsey or Jersey chess players that were awarded the GM, IM, WGM, or WIM titles, but they may exist.

The list may not be complete, but is presumed to be reasonably complete for the modern era and complete for the data obtained in 2010. Entries that may be missing include unknown federation changes, the early titles in the period 1950 to 1972 (especially in Ireland), titles of people no longer alive, other name changes, and so on. It does not include titles below International Master (IM) or Woman International Master (WIM). The ages provided are calculated by subtracting the birth year from the title year, hence the range of two years provided.

This list was inspired by the two lists by Paul McKeown and Roger de Coverly that I've linked to elsewhere on the English Chess Forum (Paul's list in particular included non-OTB titles that I've excluded). Some entries are still based on those lists, but most entries can be checked against the following online sources (accessed in September 2010):

A) FIDE rating website (ratings history from 2001 onwards)
B) Olimpbase.org (archive of FIDE ratings lists from 1972-2001)
C) Chessgames.com (additional verification)

Various offline sources (such as the BCF/ECF Yearbooks and documentation from other British Isles federations) should also be checked to verify all this, as well as the standard chess history sources.

Please note that the title year should in most cases be when that player's title application was approved by FIDE, with that player appearing with that title in the next FIDE rating list, but there may be a few inconsistencies. More work needs to be done to verify which federation applied for the titles where players have switched federations (the current listing is mostly the player's current or last-known federation). This means that some of the titles listed below are not truly "British Isles" titles.

There are 216 entries below. I've split the list up by decades here, but it can be sorted in several other ways as well (by age when title gained, and years between different titles for the same players, for example).

The format of the entries is:

* Forenames Surname (birth-death) gender (m/f) [FEDERATION] TITLE (Title year, age: title age)

British Isles titles awarded between 1950-2010

1950s

* Jacques Mieses (1865-1954) m [n/a] GM (1950, age: 84-85) - SEE NOTE (xii)
* Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander (1909-1974) m [n/a] IM (1950, age: 40-41)
* Henry Ernest Atkins (1872-1955) m [n/a] IM (1950, age: 77-78)
* Cenek Kottnauer (1910-1996) m [n/a] IM (1950, age: 39-40)
* George Alan Thomas (1881-1972) m [n/a] IM (1950, age: 68-69)
* Robert Graham Wade (1921-2008) m [n/a] IM (1950, age: 28-29)
* William Winter (1898-1955) m [n/a] IM (1950, age: 51-52)
* Eileen Betsy Tranmer (1910-1983) f [n/a] WIM (1950, age: 39-40)
* William Albert Fairhurst (1903-1982) m [n/a] IM (1951, age: 47-48)
* Imre Koenig (1899-1992) m [n/a] IM (1951, age: 51-52)
* Rowena Mary Bruce (1919) f [n/a] WIM (1951, age: 31-32)
* Stefan Fazekas (1898-1967) m [n/a] IM (1953, age: 54-55)
* Anne Sunnucks (1927) f [ENG] WIM (1954, age: 26-27) - SEE NOTE (xv)
* Elaine Pritchard (1926) f [ENG] WIM (1957, age: 30-31)

1960s

* Jonathan Penrose (1933) m [ENG] IM (1961, age: 27-28)
* Jana Malypetrova (1947) f [CSR] WIM (1969, age: 21-22) - SEE NOTE (iv)
* David N. L. Levy (1945) m [SCO] IM (1969, age: 23-24)

1970s

* Raymond D. Keene (1948) m [ENG] IM (1972, age: 23-24)
* William R. Hartston (1947) m [ENG] IM (1973, age: 25-26)
* Anthony John Miles (1955-2001) m [ENG] IM (1974, age: 18-19)
* John D. M. Nunn (1955) m [ENG] IM (1975, age: 19-20)
* Michael F. Stean (1953) m [ENG] IM (1975, age: 21-22)
* Anthony John Miles (1955-2001) m [ENG] GM (1976, age: 20-21)
* Raymond D. Keene (1948) m [ENG] GM (1976, age: 27-28)
* Craig W. Pritchett (1949) m [SCO] IM (1976, age: 26-27)
* Murray G. Chandler (1960) m [NZL] IM (1977, age: 16-17) - SEE NOTE (v)
* A. Jonathan Mestel (1957) m [ENG] IM (1977, age: 19-20)
* Michael F. Stean (1953) m [ENG] GM (1977, age: 23-24)
* Simon Webb (1949-2005) m [ENG] IM (1977, age: 27-28) - SEE NOTE (xvi)
* Robert Bellin (1952) m [ENG] IM (1978, age: 25-26)
* George S. Botterill (1949) m [WLS] IM (1978, age: 28-29) - SEE NOTE (xix)
* John D. M. Nunn (1955) m [ENG] GM (1978, age: 22-23)
* Jonathan S. Speelman (1956) m [ENG] IM (1978, age: 21-22)
* Shaun M. Taulbut (1958) m [ENG] IM (1978, age: 19-20)

1980s

* Michael J. Basman (1946) m [ENG] IM (1980, age: 33-34)
* Paul E. Littlewood (1956) m [ENG] IM (1980, age: 23-24)
* Nigel D. Short (1965) m [ENG] IM (1980, age: 14-15)
* Jonathan S. Speelman (1956) m [ENG] GM (1980, age: 23-24)
* Sheila Jackson (1957) f [ENG] WIM (1981, age: 30-31)
* H. James Plaskett (1960) m [ENG] IM (1981, age: 20-21)
* Jana Miles (1947) f [ENG] WGM (1982, age: 34-35) - SEE NOTE (iv)
* Nigel R. Davies (1960) m [ENG] IM (1982, age: 21-22)
* David S. C. Goodman (1958) m [ENG] IM (1982, age: 23-24)
* Mark L. Hebden (1958) m [ENG] IM (1982, age: 23-24)
* Daniel J. King (1963) m [ENG] IM (1982, age: 18-19)
* A. Jonathan Mestel (1957) m [ENG] GM (1982, age: 24-25)
* William N. Watson (1962) m [ENG] IM (1982, age: 19-20)
* Murray G. Chandler (1960) m [ENG] GM (1983, age: 22-23) - SEE NOTE (v)
* Glenn C. Flear (1959) m [ENG] IM (1983, age: 23-24)
* Julian M. Hodgson (1963) m [ENG] IM (1983, age: 19-20)
* Nigel Edward Povah (1952) m [ENG] IM (1983, age: 30-31)
* Mark L. Condie (1965) m [SCO] IM (1984, age: 18-19)
* John G. Cooper (1954) m [WLS] IM (1984, age: 29-30)
* David H. Cummings (1961) m [ENG] IM (1984, age: 22-23) - SEE NOTE (xviii)
* Tony Kosten (1958) m [ENG] IM (1984, age: 25-26) - SEE NOTE (ix)
* Geoff W. Lawton (1960) m [ENG] IM (1984, age: 23-24)
* Jonathan P. Levitt (1963) m [ENG] IM (1984, age: 20-21)
* Andrew D. Martin (1957) m [ENG] IM (1984, age: 26-27)
* Colin McNab (1961) m [SCO] IM (1984, age: 22-23)
* Teresa Needham (1965) f [ENG] WIM (1984, age: 18-19)
* Nigel D. Short (1965) m [ENG] GM (1984, age: 18-19)
* Keith C. Arkell (1961) m [ENG] IM (1985, age: 23-24)
* Stuart C. Conquest (1967) m [ENG] IM (1985, age: 17-18)
* Harry Golombek (1911-1995) m [ENG] GM (1985, age: 73-74)
* James C. Howell (1967) m [ENG] IM (1985, age: 17-18)
* Bogdan Lalic (1964) m [YUG] IM (1985, age: 20-21) - SEE NOTE (x)
* Susan K. Walker (1965) f [ENG] WIM (1985, age: 19-20) - SEE NOTE (xi)
* David R. Norwood (1968) m [ENG] IM (1985, age: 16-17)
* H. James Plaskett (1960) m [ENG] GM (1985, age: 24-25)
* Gulnar Sakhatova (1963) f [URS] WIM (1985, age: 21-22) - SEE NOTE (xiv)
* Ketevan Arakhamia (1968) f [URS] WIM (1986, age: 17-18) - SEE NOTE (ii)
* John C. Hawksworth (1963) m [ENG] IM (1986, age: 22-23)
* Neil McDonald (1967) m [ENG] IM (1986, age: 18-19)
* Roderick M. McKay (1952) m [SCO] IM (1986, age: 33-34)
* Malcolm Pein (1960) m [ENG] IM (1986, age: 25-26)
* Michael Adams (1971) m [ENG] IM (1987, age: 15-16)
* Ketevan Arakhamia (1968) f [URS] WGM (1987, age: 18-19) - SEE NOTE (ii)
* Glenn C. Flear (1959) m [ENG] GM (1987, age: 27-28)
* Joe Gallagher (1964) m [ENG] IM (1987, age: 22-23) - SEE NOTE (vii)
* Gary Lane (1964) m [ENG] IM (1987, age: 22-23) - SEE NOTE (xvii)
* Peter G. Large (1956) m [ENG] IM (1987, age: 30-31)
* Ingrid Lauterbach (1960) f [GER] WIM (1987, age: 26-27) - SEE NOTE (xx)
* Paul Motwani (1962) m [SCO] IM (1987, age: 24-25)
* Peter K. Wells (1965) m [ENG] IM (1987, age: 21-22)
* Neil H. Bradbury (1964) m [ENG] IM (1988, age: 23-24)
* Gavin Crawley (1963) m [ENG] IM (1988, age: 24-25)
* Julian M. Hodgson (1963) m [ENG] GM (1988, age: 24-25)
* Sheila Jackson (1957) f [ENG] WGM (1988, age: 30-31)
* Byron A. Jacobs (1963) m [ENG] IM (1988, age: 24-25)
* Bogdan Lalic (1964) m [YUG] GM (1988, age: 23-24) - SEE NOTE (x)
* Susan K. Arkell (1965) f [ENG] WGM (1988, age: 22-23) - SEE NOTE (xi)
* Mark J. L. Orr (1955) m [IRL] IM (1988, age: 32-33)
* Matthew D. Sadler (1974) m [ENG] IM (1988, age: 13-14)
* Andrew J. Whiteley (1947) m [ENG] IM (1988, age: 40-41)
* Michael Adams (1971) m [ENG] GM (1989, age: 17-18)
* Angus J. Dunnington (1967) m [ENG] IM (1989, age: 21-22)
* Daniel J. King (1963) m [ENG] GM (1989, age: 25-26)
* David R. Norwood (1968) m [ENG] GM (1989, age: 20-21)
* Ian Thomas (1967) m [ENG] IM (1989, age: 21-22)

1990s

* Aleksandar Baburin (1967) m [URS] IM (1990, age: 22-23) - SEE NOTE (iii)
* John M. Emms (1967) m [ENG] IM (1990, age: 22-23)
* Cathy Forbes (1968) f [ENG] WIM (1990, age: 21-22)
* Joe Gallagher (1964) m [ENG] GM (1990, age: 25-26) - SEE NOTE (vii)
* Tony Kosten (1958) m [ENG] GM (1990, age: 31-32) - SEE NOTE (ix)
* Jonathan P. Levitt (1963) m [ENG] GM (1990, age: 26-27)
* Philip J. Morris (1967) m [ENG] IM (1990, age: 22-23)
* Andrew J. Muir (1958) m [SCO] IM (1990, age: 31-32)
* Chris G. Ward (1968) m [ENG] IM (1990, age: 21-22)
* William N. Watson (1962) m [ENG] GM (1990, age: 27-28)
* Demetrios Agnos (1970) m [ENG] IM (1991, age: 20-21) - SEE NOTE (i)
* Stuart C. Conquest (1967) m [ENG] GM (1991, age: 23-24)
* Colin S. Crouch (1956) m [ENG] IM (1991, age: 34-35)
* Michael T. Hennigan (1970) m [ENG] IM (1991, age: 20-21)
* Rita Zimmersmann (1969) f [HUN] WIM (1991, age: 21-22) - SEE NOTE (viii)
* Mark L. Hebden (1958) m [ENG] GM (1992, age: 33-34)
* Colin McNab (1961) m [SCO] GM (1992, age: 30-31)
* Paul Motwani (1962) m [SCO] GM (1992, age: 29-30)
* Ketevan Arakhamia (1968) f [GEO] IM (1993, age: 24-25) - SEE NOTE (ii)
* Stephen R. Mannion (1964) m [SCO] IM (1993, age: 28-29)
* Nigel R. Davies (1960) m [ENG] GM (1993, age: 32-33)
* Dharshan Kumaran (1975) m [ENG] IM (1993, age: 17-18)
* Jonathan F. Parker (1976) m [ENG] IM (1993, age: 16-17)
* Jonathan Penrose (1933) m [ENG] GM (1993, age: 59-60)
* Matthew D. Sadler (1974) m [ENG] GM (1993, age: 18-19)
* Andrew Webster (1973) m [ENG] IM (1993, age: 19-20)
* Douglas M. Bryson (1957) m [SCO] IM (1994, age: 36-37)
* Harriet V. Hunt (1978) f [ENG] WIM (1994, age: 15-16)
* Andrew J. Ledger (1969) m [ENG] IM (1994, age: 24-25)
* Ali Mortazavi (1971) m [ENG] IM (1994, age: 22-23)
* Aaron P. Summerscale (1969) m [ENG] IM (1994, age: 24-25)
* Matthew J. Turner (1975) m [ENG] IM (1994, age: 18-19)
* Peter K. Wells (1965) m [ENG] GM (1994, age: 28-29)
* Keith C. Arkell (1961) m [ENG] GM (1995, age: 33-34)
* Graeme N. Buckley (1971) m [ENG] IM (1995, age: 23-24)
* Dagne Ciuksyte (1977) f [LTU] WIM (1995, age: 17-18) - SEE NOTE (vi)
* John M. Emms (1967) m [ENG] GM (1995, age: 27-28)
* James C. Howell (1967) m [ENG] GM (1995, age: 27-28)
* Jonathan Rowson (1977) m [SCO] IM (1995, age: 17-18)
* Richard J. D. Tozer (1970) m [ENG] IM (1995, age: 24-25)
* Dimitri Anagnostopoulos (1970) m [GRE] GM (1996, age: 25-26) - SEE NOTE (i)
* Simon T. Ansell (1975) m [ENG] IM (1996, age: 20-21)
* Alexander Baburin (1967) m [IRL] GM (1996, age: 28-29) - SEE NOTE (iii)
* Chris W. Baker (1958) m [ENG] IM (1996, age: 37-38)
* Mark Ferguson (1977) m [ENG] IM (1996, age: 18-19)
* Susan K. Lalic (1965) f [ENG] IM (1996, age: 30-31) - SEE NOTE (xi)
* Neil McDonald (1967) m [ENG] GM (1996, age: 28-29)
* Ruth Sheldon (1980) f [ENG] WIM (1996, age: 15-16)
* Chris G. Ward (1968) m [ENG] GM (1996, age: 27-28)
* Jacob Aagaard (1973) m [DEN] IM (1997, age: 23-24) - SEE NOTE (xxi)
* Richard A. Bates (1979) m [ENG] IM (1997, age: 17-18)
* Dagne Ciuksyte (1977) f [LTU] WGM (1997, age: 19-20) - SEE NOTE (vi)
* Daniel W. Gormally (1976) m [ENG] IM (1997, age: 20-21)
* Harriet V. Hunt (1978) f [ENG] WGM (1997, age: 18-19)
* Andrew P. H. Kinsman (1964) m [ENG] IM (1997, age: 32-33)
* Dharshan Kumaran (1975) m [ENG] GM (1997, age: 21-22)
* Luke J. McShane (1984) m [ENG] IM (1997, age: 12-13)
* Mark Quinn (1976) m [IRL] IM (1997, age: 20-21)
* Aaron P. Summerscale (1969) m [ENG] GM (1997, age: 27-28)
* Mark Heidenfeld (1968) m [IRL] IM (1998, age: 29-30)
* Miroslav Houska (1978) m [ENG] IM (1998, age: 19-20)
* Brian Kelly (1978) m [IRL] IM (1998, age: 19-20)
* Simon K. Williams (1979) m [ENG] IM (1998, age: 18-19)
* Lawrence H. Cooper (1970) m [ENG] IM (1999, age: 28-29)
* Jovanka Houska (1980) f [ENG] WIM (1999, age: 18-19)
* Harriet V. Hunt (1978) f [ENG] IM (1999, age: 20-21)
* Karl C. C. Mah (1980) m [ENG] IM (1999, age: 18-19)
* Michael A. Rahal (1970) m [ENG] IM (1999, age: 28-29)
* Jonathan Rowson (1977) m [SCO] GM (1999, age: 21-22)
* John Shaw (1968) m [SCO] IM (1999, age: 30-31)

2000s

* Jovanka Houska (1980) f [ENG] WGM (2000, age: 19-20)
* Adam C. Hunt (1980) m [ENG] IM (2000, age: 19-20)
* Luke J. McShane (1984) m [ENG] GM (2000, age: 15-16)
* Chris R. Beaumont (1952) m [ENG] IM (2001, age: 48-49)
* Simon J. B. Knott (1958) m [ENG] IM (2001, age: 42-43)
* Richard J. D. Palliser (1981) m [ENG] IM (2001, age: 19-20)
* Jonathan F. Parker (1976) m [ENG] GM (2001, age: 24-25)
* Nicholas Pert (1981) m [ENG] IM (2001, age: 19-20)
* Richard G. Pert (1981) m [ENG] IM (2002, age: 20-21)
* Natasha K. Regan (1971) f [ENG] WIM (2002, age: 30-31)
* Heather S. Richards (1983) f [ENG] WIM (2002, age: 18-19)
* Matthew J. Turner (1975) m [ENG] GM (2002, age: 26-27)
* Leighton Williams (1977) m [WLS] IM (2002, age: 24-25)
* Stewart G. Haslinger (1981) m [ENG] IM (2003, age: 21-22)
* Nicholas Pert (1981) m [ENG] GM (2003, age: 21-22) - SEE NOTE (xiii)
* Gavin Wall (1968) m [IRL] IM (2003, age: 34-35)
* Sam E. Collins (1982) m [IRL] IM (2004, age: 21-22)
* Anya Corke (1990) f [ENG] WGM (2004, age: 13-14)
* Eddie Dearing (1980) m [SCO] IM (2004, age: 23-24)
* David W. L. Howell (1990) m [ENG] IM (2004, age: 13-14)
* Gawain C. B. Jones (1987) m [ENG] IM (2004, age: 16-17)
* Daniel W. Gormally (1976) m [ENG] GM (2005, age: 28-29)
* Andrew N. Greet (1979) m [ENG] IM (2005, age: 25-26)
* Jovanka Houska (1980) f [ENG] IM (2005, age: 24-25)
* Lawrence Trent (1986) m [ENG] IM (2005, age: 18-19)
* Dagne Ciuksyte (1977) f [LTU] IM (2006, age: 28-29) - SEE NOTE (vi)
* John J. Cox (1962) m [ENG] IM (2006, age: 43-44)
* Stephen J. Gordon (1986) m [ENG] IM (2006, age: 19-20)
* Thomas E. Rendle (1986) m [ENG] IM (2006, age: 19-20)
* John Shaw (1968) m [SCO] GM (2006, age: 37-38)
* Jacob Aagaard (1973) m [SCO] GM (2007, age: 33-34) - SEE NOTE (xxi)
* Craig A. Hanley (1984) m [ENG] IM (2007, age: 22-23)
* Stewart G. Haslinger (1981) m [ENG] GM (2007, age: 25-26)
* David W. L. Howell (1990) m [ENG] GM (2007, age: 16-17)
* Gawain C. B. Jones (1987) m [ENG] GM (2007, age: 19-20)
* Charles A. Cobb (1978) m [ENG] IM (2008, age: 29-30)
* Lorin A. R. D'Costa (1984) m [ENG] IM (2008, age: 23-24)
* Maxim L. Devereaux (1976) m [ENG] IM (2008, age: 31-32)
* Jeff Horner (1949) m [ENG] IM (2008, age: 58-59)
* Simon K. Williams (1979) m [ENG] GM (2008, age: 28-29)
* Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (1968) f [SCO] GM (2009, age: 40-41) - SEE NOTE (i)
* James Cobb (1977) m [WLS] IM (2009, age: 31-32)
* Stephen J. Gordon (1986) m [ENG] GM (2009, age: 22-23)
* Gary Quillan (1970) m [ENG] IM (2009, age: 38-39)
* Jack Rudd (1979) m [ENG] IM (2009, age: 29-30)

2010s

* Jonathan Hawkins (1983) m [ENG] IM (2010, age: 26-27)
* Thomas R. J. Hinks-Edwards (1977) m [ENG] IM (pending 2011, age: 33-34)

Corrections and/or additions welcomed, particularly for the 1950-1972 period.

APPENDIX 1 (notes on the list)

*(i) Dimitri Anagnostopoulos (previously known as Demetrios Agnos, name change took place in 1996 when he switched from ENG to GRE around the same time as he gained the GM title, so it is not clear which federation the application was made by, but when he first appears in the lists, it is as a Greek GM, not an English GM; He did gain the IM title while registered for England)
*(ii) Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (née Arakhamia, now Arakhamia-Grant; gained WIM and WGM titles while registered for USSR, code changed to Georgia in 1992, the switch to Scotland under the name Arakhamia-Grant took place in 2008, and her GM title was while registered for Scotland)
*(iii) Alexander Baburin (registered as Aleksandar Baburin for URS when he gained the IM title, the code changed to RUS in 1992, with the name change and federation change to IRL taking place in 1995; the GM title was awarded a year later while registered for IRL)
*(iv) Jana Bellin (née Malypetrova, then Hartston (1970), later Miles (1978), then Bellin (1988); born in Prague, CSR, was registered as ENG from at least 1972 onwards and won the 1970 British Women's Championship; she gained the WIM title in 1969 while registered CSR; she gained her WGM title while registered for ENG)
*(v) Murray Chandler (gained his IM title while registered for NZL, switched to ENG in 1982, gained his GM title while registered for ENG, switched back to NZL in 2007)
*(vi) Dagne Ciuksyte (gained the WIM, WGM and IM titles while registered for Lithuania, switched to England in 2007)
*(vii) Joe Gallagher (gained his titles when registered for England, switched to SUI in 1994)
*(viii) Rita Hennigan (née Zimmersmann, later Hennigan (1997), and later Atkins (by around 2010); was registered to HUN when she gained the WIM title and switched to ENG in 1997)
*(ix) Tony Kosten (registered for England when he gained his titles, switched to FRA in 2002)
*(x) Bogdan Lalic (gained his titles while registered for Yugoslavia, code changed from YUG to CRO in 1992, then CRO to ENG in 1999, and changed from ENG back to CRO in 2005)
*(xi) Susan Lalic (née Walker; later Arkell, 1986; then Lalic, 1994)
*(xii) Jacques Mieses (born in Germany, moved to England in 1930s, was on the list of inaugural grandmasters in 1950)
*(xiii) Nick Pert (GM title year possibly 2004, FIDE says 2001, personal website biography says 2003)
*(xiv) Gulnara Sachs (previously Gulnar Sakhatova) (gained her WIM title while registered for URS, switched to KAZ in 1992, and then to ENG in 1993 at same time as name change)
*(xv) Anne Sunnucks (née Patricia Anne Sunnucks, now listed as Anne Mothersill, "earned the Woman International Master title by placing second in the 1954 Western European Zonal", name change was around 1988)
*(xvi) Simon Webb (gained IM title when registered for ENG, later moved to Sweden but continued to be registered as ENG)
*(xvii) Gary Lane (gained his IM title while registered for ENG, and switched to CAN and then AUS in 2001)
*(xviii) David H. Cummings (gained his IM title while registered for ENG, and switched to WLS in 1995 and then CAN in 2000)
*(xix) George S. Botterill (initially registered for ENG, but gained his IM title while registered for WLS; switch from ENG to WLS took place in 1974)
*(xx) Ingrid Lauterbach (gained her WIM title while registered for GER, switching to ENG in 1993)
*(xxi) Jacob Aagaard (obtained his IM title while registered for DEN, switched to SCO in 2007, obtained his GM title while registered for SCO, then switched back to DEN in 2009)

Some details still missing, particularly post-2001.

APPENDIX 2 (norms and other strong performances)

In addition to the above, there are examples of players who achieved strong performances and norms, but did not attain the relevant titles. This category includes Ian Duncan Wells (1964-1982) and Jessie Gilbert (1987-2006). Both Golombek and Barden have said Wells would have "become a great master" and "reached at least IM strength" had he lived, and Gilbert had achieved 3 WIM norms and what appears to have been a rating-conditional WIM title application had been presented to FIDE the month before she died. There are likely other examples of strong players active in the 1950-2010 period who did not attain the relevant titles, but should be considered for inclusion in any history of the period.

EDIT HISTORY: Notes have been appended above, and the Anne Sunnucks/Mothersill and Rita Zimmersman/Hennigan/Atkins entries updated above, and various other updates made, including notes added for others. A further major update has been made, correcting the names and federations in the main list where these were different at the time of the titles, with reference made to the notes for full details and current names and federations. Nine IMs and 2 WIMs added for the period 1950 to 1953 when inaugural awards were being made based on the playing strength of the current masters at the time (Mieses, who was awarded the GM title, is another example of this). This part of the listing was largely supplied by Leonard Barden (see later in thread), and should now be complete. The primary documents would be the records of the FIDE Qualifications Committee that dealt with these applications. Notes still to be added giving the background of these players. For a summary of the 16 non-British Isles title awards, please see the list here. A further major update has been the addition of Appendix 2 on norms and other strong performances by those who didn't (or probably didn't) attain the titles in question.
Last edited by Christopher Kreuzer on Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:09 am, edited 29 times in total.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:53 am

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Corrections and/or additions welcomed, particularly for the 1950-1972 period
As far as over the board titles are concerned, Ray Keene was both the second British GM ( you should show his name below Tony's) but also the second English IM (after Penrose). I don't think there were any others.
Christopher Kreuzer wrote:* Rita Atkins (1969) f [ENG] WIM (unknown, age: unknown)
You might find more on Rita Atkins under the name of Rita Hennigan ( but that too is a married name)

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John Upham
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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by John Upham » Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:00 am

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: * Anne Mothersill (1927) f [ENG] WIM (unknown, age: unknown)
Anne Mothersill is /was

Captain Patricia Anne Sunnucks

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Sunnucks

and was, for some time, the host of Camberley Chess Club via BMS Chess Supplies in conjunction with ? Mothersill at 48, Brackendale Close, Camberley.
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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Howard Grist » Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:43 am

According to the FIDE rating lists, Rita Atkins did not have the title in October 2001, but did have it in April 2002. For some strange reason her name is missing from the January 2002 list.
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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:51 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Corrections and/or additions welcomed, particularly for the 1950-1972 period
As far as over the board titles are concerned, Ray Keene was both the second British GM ( you should show his name below Tony's) but also the second English IM (after Penrose). I don't think there were any others.
Christopher Kreuzer wrote:* Rita Atkins (1969) f [ENG] WIM (unknown, age: unknown)
You might find more on Rita Atkins under the name of Rita Hennigan ( but that too is a married name)
I've fixed the Miles/Keene GM title order (the list was sorted by year and then alphabetically by surname, but as you said, the order for the first GM title is important). Thanks for the tip on Rita Hennigan, which reminds me I forgot to post the "notes" column, which I will do now in the main post, including the Anne Sunnucks information from John Upham.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:02 pm

Howard Grist wrote:According to the FIDE rating lists, Rita Atkins did not have the title in October 2001, but did have it in April 2002. For some strange reason her name is missing from the January 2002 list.
The list I'm looking at is this one:

http://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/player/Hen ... 0Rita.html

Gives Rita Hennigan from 1998 to 2001 as an ENG WIM.

The 2010 ECF Yearbook gives "Rita Hennigan":

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=2975

The September 2010 FIDE list gives "Rita Atkins" as an (inactive) ENG WIM:

http://ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?event=408050

I suspect she was awarded the title before 1998, but when I don't know.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:03 pm

John Upham wrote:
Christopher Kreuzer wrote: * Anne Mothersill (1927) f [ENG] WIM (unknown, age: unknown)
Anne Mothersill is /was

Captain Patricia Anne Sunnucks

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Sunnucks

and was, for some time, the host of Camberley Chess Club via BMS Chess Supplies in conjunction with ? Mothersill at 48, Brackendale Close, Camberley.
Thanks! I was drawing a complete blank on that one.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:16 pm

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: Gives Rita Hennigan from 1998 to 2001 as an ENG WIM.

The 2010 ECF Yearbook gives "Rita Hennigan":

http://www.englishchess.org.uk/?page_id=2975

The September 2010 FIDE list gives "Rita Atkins" as an (inactive) ENG WIM:

http://ratings.fide.com/card.phtml?event=408050

I suspect she was awarded the title before 1998, but when I don't know.
Try http://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/player/Zim ... 0Rita.html
which matches by date of birth.

If you look at 4NCL players in the 1998-2001 period, this may give additional confirmation.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:33 pm

Questions still left (ones marked with an asterisk needed to answer question of whether a title is 'British' or not or to otherwise provide basic data concerning the title):

*(1) Year of WIM title for Rita Hennigan/Atkins
*(2) Federation that applied for GM title for Agnos/Anagnostopoulos
(3) Year of Arakhamia/Arakhamia-Grant name change
*(4) Year that Arakhamia/Arakhamia-Grant switched from GEO to SCO
(5) Name changes and years for Rita Hennigan/Atkins
(6) Year of name change from Malypetrova to Hartston for Jana Bellin
*(7) Year that Malypetrova/Hartston (Jana Bellin) switched from CZE to ENG
(8) Year that Murray Chandler switched from ENG to NZL
*(9) Year that Dagne Ciuksyte switched from LTU to ENG
(10) Year that Tony Kosten switched from ENG to FRA
(11) Year that Bogdan Lalic switched from ENG to CRO
*(12) Confirm year of Nick Pert's GM title (2003 or 2004?)
(13) Confirm year of Anne Sunnucks/Mothersill name change
(14) Confirm whether Simon Webb registered for Sweden at some point after 2001
Last edited by Christopher Kreuzer on Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:15 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:38 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote: Try http://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/player/Zim ... 0Rita.html
which matches by date of birth.

If you look at 4NCL players in the 1998-2001 period, this may give additional confirmation.
That's good enough for me.

http://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/player/Zim ... 0Rita.html
http://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/player/Hen ... 0Rita.html

Same birth date, same rating in the cross-over period.

Thanks for the 4NCL tip, but this has provided all I needed.

Should someone tell Olimpbase that they may (depending on how they confirm things) want to merge their records for Zimmersmann/Hennigan and Sunnuck/Mothersill? Someone may also want to tell the ECF that their website lists Rita Hennigan, but the FIDE website lists Rita Atkins (not sure how that sort of thing is dealt with).

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:21 pm

Roger de Coverly wrote:
Christopher Kreuzer wrote:Corrections and/or additions welcomed, particularly for the 1950-1972 period
As far as over the board titles are concerned, Ray Keene was both the second British GM ( you should show his name below Tony's) but also the second English IM (after Penrose). I don't think there were any others.
That presumes that no-one else gained a title while registered for ENG, SCO, IRL, WLS in the period 1972-2010 (I'm particularly uncertain about the Irish history) and then either switched to a different federation (I'm less concerned about those that switched later in life to a British Isles federation) or died, which can sort of be seen as switching federations, I suppose! :shock:

For the record, the ones on this list that have since died and gone to the big chess federation in the sky, are Jacques Mieses (1865-1954), Harry Golombek (1911-1995), Anthony John (Tony) Miles (1955-2001), and Simon Webb (1949-2005). It is also important not to forget those strong chess players that tragically died young, as Leonard Barden mentioned in some of the other threads. It is difficult to know where to mention them, though, when compiling such lists.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Leonard Barden » Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:42 pm

I don't see Hugh Alexander or Bob Wade in your list.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Leonard Barden » Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:43 pm

Or Imre Konig.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Roger de Coverly » Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:49 pm

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: That presumes that no-one else gained a title while registered for ENG, SCO, IRL, WLS in the period 1972-2010 (I'm particularly uncertain about the Irish history) and then either switched to a different federation (I'm less concerned about those that switched later in life to a British Isles federation) or died,
My personal recollections date to before 1972. The chess magazines of that era were full of gripes about why the UK never produced any titled players, so I am reasonably sure there were none that switched.

Regarding the Irish, Baburin is the only "Irish" GM ever. I don't believe they didn't have any IMs either prior to recent times.

You could look at players who played a lot in the UK whilst still being eligible to play for someone else in Olympiads.

These could include
Yanofsky (CAN), a GM who won the British in the 1950s whilst a student here (Oxford?)
Persitz (ISL) , an IM (I think) who was resident in the UK for a number of years in the 1950s and 60s. He was often number 2 to Penrose in the grading lists and played for England in the Student Olympiads ( the selection for these teams was BUCA rather than BCF)
Kottnauer (IM) who emigrated from Czechoslovakia in the mid 50s
and not to forget Bob Wade (IM) who retained a NZL designation for much of this period.

Kottnauer and Wade were, I think, part of the original FIDE award of titles as distinct from those who qualified by performance.

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Re: Timeline of British Isles titles (1950-2010)

Post by Leonard Barden » Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:51 pm

...or Eileen Tranmer or William Fairhurst....
Last edited by Leonard Barden on Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.