Elaine Saunders/Pritchard (1926-2012)

[Matt Mackenzie]

The death has been announced of the former child progidy and ex-British Ladies Champion. One of the last living links to the pre-war chess world.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

The death has been announced of the former child progidy and ex-British Ladies Champion. One of the last living links to the pre-war chess world.

Sad news. Some links for those who want to read more:

http://www.britishchessmagazine.co.uk/?p=2684

http://goddesschess.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... nders.html

That one leads to Edward Winter's page of chess prodigies, which includes some pictures:

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

I also found this photograph on the Getty Images website:

http://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-p ... to/3228730

[Gordon Cadden]

Indeed, Elaine Pritchard was one of the last links with pre-war chess in Great Britain. Her late husband, David Pritchard, was the leading expert on Variant Chess. Her last contribution to the chess world, was to complete his book on " The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants".
With the help of John Beasley, this book was published in 2007.
It is a lasting Memorial to the memory of David Brine Pritchard, and his wife Elaine. Requiscat in Pace.

[Mike Gunn]

John Beasley was responsible for completing the 2nd of "the Encyclopedia of Chess Variants" (2007). The first edition was produced by David P in 1994.

I remember playing Elaine a few times in Border League Guildford v Godalming matches (I have found a game score for 5th Jan 1998, French defence exchange, and I'm afraid the game was not very exciting, most bits swapped off and a draw agreed in 18 moves.) I was quite please to draw with en ex British Ladies champion, albeit not at her strongest!

[Matt Mackenzie]

D B Pritchard will be best known to many here and elsewhere, of course, as the author of "The Right Way to Play Chess" - one of the best selling primers ever.

[Gordon Cadden]

John Beasley was responsible for completing the 2nd of "the Encyclopedia of Chess Variants" (2007). The first edition was produced by David P in 1994.

I remember playing Elaine a few times in Border League Guildford v Godalming matches (I have found a game score for 5th Jan 1998, French defence exchange, and I'm afraid the game was not very exciting, most bits swapped off and a draw agreed in 18 moves.) I was quite please to draw with en ex British Ladies champion, albeit not at her strongest!

[Gordon Cadden]

David Pritchard left material for an additional 200+ games. The second edition has every game classified by type, and is the definitive hardback volume.
A considerable achievement by John Beasley in the categorization of 1600+ variants.

[Colin Patterson]

Also a picture of Elaine in Sunnucks' Encyclopedia of Chess. She must have been fond of simultaneous exhibitions, as this one shows her playing Botvinnik at London University - not sure when - but she appears a fair bit older than the photos above, and wearing glasses.

None of my texts (including Chess Personalia) have her middle name Zelia, but I noticed it in one of Winter's pieces. Can anyone confirm this is correct? Stewart used it, but not sure if he just got it from Winter.

[Richard James]

None of my texts (including Chess Personalia) have her middle name Zelia, but I noticed it in one of Winter's pieces. Can anyone confirm this is correct? Stewart used it, but not sure if he just got it from Winter.

Interesting - her marriage record gives her name as Doree E Z Saunders (spouse David B Pritchard so it must be the right person) and her birth record gives Dore E Z Saunders. I presume an acute accent on the (first) e.

[Richard James]

Edward Winter's article on Elaine Saunders is worth reading - and this is where the Zelia comes from:

In 1939 P.W. Sergeant dedicated to her his book An Introduction to The Endgame at Chess, as follows:

‘Dedicated to Miss Elaine Zelia Saunders because she doesn’t (at present) like the Endgame.’

You'll find it all here (about 3/4 of the way down)

[Colin Patterson]

Yes, the birth record I saw confirms Dorée E Z Saunders, with the acute accent you speak of.

Born in Brentford (mother's maiden name Dudley).

[John Moore]

C D Locock also dedicated his book "Imagination in Chess" to Elaine Saunders in the following terms:-

To Elaine Saunders (b 1926) who has solved many of them.

Locock's book, published by Whitehead and Miller of Leeds (then publishers of the BCM) is undated, but an American edition on ABE Books is dated 1937 so here maybe is the answer to Edward Winter's question about the youngest dedicatee of a chess book.

[Gordon Cadden]

C D Locock also dedicated his book "Imagination in Chess" to Elaine Saunders in the following terms:-

To Elaine Saunders (b 1926) who has solved many of them.

Locock's book, published by Whitehead and Miller of Leeds (then publishers of the BCM) is undated, but an American edition on ABE Books is dated 1937 so here maybe is the answer to Edward Winter's question about the youngest dedicatee of a chess book.

The UK edition was published in 1937. The US edition was published in 1939, by Philadelphia, McKay. ref: Betts Bibliography.

[Gordon Cadden]

A splendid Obituary Notice in yesterday's TIMES for Elaine Pritchard; 4 columns deep. C.D. Locock was her personal coach, and a friend of the family.
She was not fond of Alexander Alekhine, who sat in her rail compartment for an entire journey from London to Margate, without uttering a single word.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

A splendid Obituary Notice in yesterday's TIMES for Elaine Pritchard; 4 columns deep. C.D. Locock was her personal coach, and a friend of the family.
She was not fond of Alexander Alekhine, who sat in her rail compartment for an entire journey from London to Margate, without uttering a single word.

Thanks for pointing out the obituary in The Times.

A quick question about C. D. Locock, who I believe is Charles Dealtry Locock (British amateur champion in 1887). Would you (or anyone) know if he is related to this Charles Locock?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Locock

I'm asking as I'm not sure how common the name Locock is.

EDIT: Found the answer on a croquet website!

https://www.scottishcroquet.org.uk/inde ... ournaments

"Sir Charles Bird Locock (CA silver medal 1906) was the grandson of Queen Victoria’s obstetrician for whom the baronetcy he inherited was created. His brother Charles Dealtry Locock wrote a number of books on croquet, was editor of the CA Gazette until 1915 and was the paid CA Handicapper from 1907 to 1929."

The father (and son of the Victorian obstetrician) was the Revd Alfred Henry Locock.