Games of Sir George Thomas

[John Saunders]

I've put up a new item on BritBase this morning: a collection of Sir George Thomas's games...

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

It comprises a PGN of 1,206 game entries (including 164 stubs), plus some crosstables of which I shall add more soon.

My starting point was Roger Paige's 2005 self-published book of Sir George Thomas's games, which had 1,041 game entries, of which a similar proportion were stubs. Roger Paige clearly did a lot of assiduous research at a time when it meant visiting libraries rather than combing through online archives, and he deserves credit for his efforts. I've added to and emended the Paige material and also gone through BCM, CHESS, online newspaper archives, etc, looking for more games and other detail. I must also credit a number of other chess researchers such as Tony Gillam, Brian Denman, Andy Ansel, Ulrich Tamm and Gerard Killoran for their contributions.

I've run comparisons with Mega Database and chessgames dot com collections and identified where scores differ. (Mega 2022 had 958 of Sir George's games - like BritBase, it includes stubs - and chessgames dot com, which excludes stubs and part-games, has 773.)

No doubt a few more of Sir George's games can be found with a bit of digging. A visit to the ECF library may prove useful. Hopefully forum members can help to unearth a few more, or perhaps add useful detail such as round numbers, game dates and source references where they are lacking. Thanking you in advance...

[Leonard Barden]

John

Have you been in touch with Jonathan Manley, who for the last two years has been writing a biography of Sir George?

[John Saunders]

John

Have you been in touch with Jonathan Manley, who for the last two years has been writing a biography of Sir George?

No, I haven't. I wasn't aware he was writing a book about Sir GAT.

[GrahamStuart]

As always fantastic work by John. The games include the one between Sultan Khan and Sir George Thomas in the final of the 1932 Southern Counties Championship, which I will add to my recent post on this season.

https://hampshirechesshistory.co.uk/ham ... s-1931-32/

For some reason the players were on board two with board one being between Frank Elwell and John Morrison. Maybe Morrison was the county champion, which sometimes meant you played board one for the county team? Understandably Hampshire would then have played Thomas on board two to face Sultan Khan.

Middlesex thumped Hampshire 13 - 3 in this match, not unexpected due to their strength, with several players strong enough to play in the British Championship.

As another aside the following year Surrey objected to Sultan Khan inclusion, and Middlesex could not play him in the match between the two counties.

[Gerard Killoran]

[Event "Womanhood Tourney, Section A"]
[Site "Correspondence"]
[Date "1901.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pierce, William Timbrell"]
[Black "Thomas, George Alan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C38"]
[Opening "KGA: Hanstein gambit"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. O-O d6 6. d4 h6 7. c3 Ne7 8. g3 Ng6
9. Ne1 O-O 10. Qh5 Kh7 11. gxf4 gxf4 12. Bxf4 f5 13. Ng2 fxe4 14. d5 c6 15. Kh1
b5 16. Bb3 Rf5 17. Qd1 Bb7 18. Bg3 Rxf1+ 19. Qxf1 cxd5 20. Qxb5 Bc6 21. Qf1 Qe7
22. Na3 Nd7 23. Nc2 a5 24. Rd1 Qe6 25. Nce3 Nb6 26. a3 Be5 27. Qf5 Qxf5 28. Nxf5
Rf8 29. Nge3 Rf6 30. Rd2 Nf4 31. Ne7 Bb7 32. Kg1 d4 33. cxd4 Nh3+ 34. Kg2 Bxg3
35. hxg3 Ng5 36. Rc2 Na8 37. Bd5 Bxd5 38. N7xd5 Rf8 39. Rc6 Rd8 40. Nf5 Nf3 41.
g4 Rb8 42. Nf6+ Kg6 43. Nxe4 Nxd4 44. Rxd6+ Kf7 45. Rd7+ Ke6 46. Nc5+ Kf6 47.
Rxd4 Rxb2+ 48. Kg3 h5 49. Rd6+ {Womanhood Vol. VI 1901 p.131} 1-0

[Event "Womanhood Tourney, Section A"]
[Site "Correspondence"]
[Date "1901.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Thomas, George Alan"]
[Black "Braund, Frederick Norman"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C79"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: Steinitz defence deferred (Russian defence)"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. d4 Bd7 7. Bb3 Be7 8. c3
Bg4 9. Bd5 O-O 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Qd3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Nd7 13. Qd3 c5 14. d5 Bg5 15.
Na3 Bxc1 16. Raxc1 Qg5 17. Rce1 f5 18. exf5 Qxf5 19. Qd2 Rf6 20. Re3 Rg6 21. Nc2
Nb6 22. b3 a5 23. Na3 a4 24. Nb5 axb3 25. axb3 c4 26. Qe2 Nxd5 27. Qxc4 Qf7 28.
Rg3 Rf6 29. Rf3 Rxf3 30. gxf3 Kh8 31. Rd1 Qg6+ 32. Qg4 Qf7 33. Qe4 Nb6 34. c4
Qe7 35. Qb7 Qe8 36. Nxc7 {Womanhood Vol. VI 1901 p.217} 1-0

[Event "Womanhood Tourney, Section A Play-off"]
[Site "Correspondence"]
[Date "1901.??.??"]
[White "Thomas, George Alan"]
[Black "Pierce, William Timbrell"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C80"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: open (7.Bb3)"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. a4
Be6 9. dxe5 Nc5 10. axb5 Nxb3 11. cxb3 axb5 12. Rxa8 Qxa8 13. Nc3 Na7 14. Nd4 b4
15. Nce2 c6 16. Nf4 Kd7 17. Be3 Nb5 18. Nxb5 cxb5 19. Qd3 Be7 20. Qxb5+ Qc6 21.
Qd3 g6 22. Rc1 Qb7 23. Qd4 Rc8 24. Rxc8 Kxc8 25. h3 Qb5 26. g4 h5 27. gxh5 gxh5
28. Kg2 h4 29. Nxe6 fxe6 30. Qa7 Qc6 31. Bd4 Kd8 32. Qb6+ Kd7 33. Qxc6+ Kxc6 34.
Kf3 Bc5 35. Be3 d4 36. Bg5 Kd5 37. Bxh4 Kxe5 38. Bg3+ Kf5 39. Ke2 e5 40. f3 Bf8
41. Kd3 Bh6 42. Be1 Bf8 43. Bd2 Be7 44. Bh6 Kg6 45. Bc1 Bg5 46. f4 exf4 47. Kxd4
Kf5 48. Kd3 Bh4 49. Bd2 Be7 50. Be1 Bc5 51. Ke2 Ke4 52. h4 f3+ 53. Kf1 Kf5
{Womanhood Vol. VI 1901 p.438} 1/2-1/2

[John Saunders]

Many thanks, Gerard. I've added them to the collection.

[Gerard Killoran]

[Event "1st Womanhood Tourney, Final Section"]
[Site "Correspondence"]
[Date "1902.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Leroy, J."]
[Black "Thomas, George Alan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C50"]
[Opening "Giuoco Pianissimo"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. h3 Be6 7. Bg5 O-O 8. Bd5
Bxd5 9. exd5 Ne7 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. c4 Kh8 12. Nbd2 Rg8 13. Ne4 Ng6 14. Nxc5 Nf4
15. Ne1 f5 16. Kh2 Qh4 17. Qf3 Rg5 18. Nb3 Rag8 19. Rh1 Rxg2+ 20. Nxg2 Qh5 21.
Qxf4 exf4 22. Raf1 Rg5 23. Nd4 f3 24. Ne3 f4 25. Ndf5 fxe3 26. Nxe3 Rg6 27. Rhg1
Qe5+ 28. Kh1 Qxb2 29. Rg4 Qxa2 30. Re4 a5 31. Nf5 Qd2 32. Re8+ Rg8 33. Re3 h5
34. Nh4 a4 35. Nxf3 Qb2 36. Ree1 a3 37. Ra1 a2 38. Nh4 Qf6 39. f4 Qxh4
{Womanhood Vol. VIII 1902 p.134} 0-1


[Event "2nd Womanhood Tourney, Section A"]
[Site "Correspondence"]
[Date "1902.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mackenzie, Arthur John"]
[Black "Thomas, George Alan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D53"]
[Opening "QGD: Orthodox, incl. Lasker/Tartakower/Pillsbury (plus exchange)"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nf3 b6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 Bb7 8. Bd3
Nbd7 9. Rc1 O-O 10. Ne2 c5 11. Ng3 Ne4 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. dxc5 Ndxc5 14. Be2 Nxg3
15. hxg3 Ne4 16. a3 Rac8 17. O-O Nxg3 18. Re1 Ne4 19. Qa4 Qf6 20. Qd4 Qxd4 21.
Nxd4 Rxc1 22. Rxc1 Rc8 23. Rxc8+ Bxc8 24. Nc6 Kf8 25. Nxa7 Bd7 26. Bb5 Ke7 27.
Bxd7 Kxd7 28. Nb5 Nd2 29. b4 Nb3 30. g4 d4 31. exd4 Kc6 32. a4 Kd5 33. Nc7+ Kxd4
34. Na8 Kc4 35. Nxb6+ Kxb4 36. Nc8 Nc5 37. Nd6 f6 38. Ne8 Ne6 39. Kg2 Kxa4 40.
Kg3 Kb5 41. Nd6+ Kc5 42. Nf5 Kd5 43. Ne3+ Kd4 44. Nf5+ Kd3 45. f4 Ke4 46. Nd6+
Kd5 47. Nf5 g5 48. fxg5 fxg5 49. Ne7+ Ke4 50. Nf5 Ke5 51. Nh6 Kf6 52. Nf5 h5 53.
Nh4 {Womanhood Vol. VIII 1902 p.291} 1/2-1/2

[Gerard Killoran]

Is there a problem with the pgn viewer, or is it me?

[Event "Consultation Game"]
[Site "Tunbridge Wells"]
[Date "1902.05.21"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Thomas, George Alan & Chapman, Charles Frederick"]
[Black "Pillsbury, Harry Nelson"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C43"]
[Opening "Petrov: modern attack, symmetrical variation"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Be3 c5 8. f4
cxd4 9. Bxd4 Nc6 10. c3 Nxd4 11. cxd4 Qb6 12. Bxe4 dxe4 13. Nc3 f5 14. Qb3+ Qxb3
15. axb3 Be6 16. Nc4 Rfd8 17. Nxd6 Rxd6 18. Nb5 Rd7 19. Rfc1 Bxb3 20. Rc5 g6 21.
Rxa7 Rxa7 22. Nxa7 Rxd4 23. Rc8+ Kg7 24. Rc7+ Kh6 25. Rxb7 e3 {Kent & Sussex
Courier - Friday 07 November 1902 p.2} 0-1

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Not just you. Me too.

[JonManley]

Many thanks to John and Gerard for gathering these games. Tibor Karolyi and I are writing a book on Sir George (not a complete games collection) covering his careers in chess, badminton and tennis. Forum members are welcome to contact me by private message if they have any information about Sir George they would like to share.

[David Shepherd]

I suspect he is in this video seated second left in the front row of the second team shown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGhCszMBV3c

[Geoff Chandler]

George Thomas, & C. F. Chapman - H. Pillsbury, Tunbridge Wells, 1902 (0-1)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Be3 c5 8. f4 cxd4 9. Bxd4 Nc6 10. c3 Nxd4 11. cxd4 Qb6 12. Bxe4 dxe4 13. Nc3 f5 14. Qb3+ Qxb3 15. axb3 Be6 16. Nc4 Rfd8 17. Nxd6 Rxd6 18. Nb5 Rd7 19. Rfc1 Bxb3 20. Rc5 g6 21. Rxa7 Rxa7 22. Nxa7 Rxd4 23. Rc8+ Kg7 24. Rc7+ Kh6 25. Rxb7 e3

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Not just you. Me too.

Bit puzzled now. I see some games displaying and some not. Was Gerard temporarily posting games without the pgn tags while there was a problem (maybe now fixed)?

[Geoff Chandler]

I think, though happy to be mistaken, apart from Blackburne and Short, Sir G.T. is the only other British Chess Champion to be named on a stamp. (I could have used this as a trick trivia question.)
He donated the cup for a world team badminton event. It was first run in 1949.

[Gerard Killoran]

Not just you. Me too.

Bit puzzled now. I see some games displaying and some not. Was Gerard temporarily posting games without the pgn tags while there was a problem (maybe now fixed)?

It's me, or at least my Firefox browser - and/or its extensions. I'll use the tags in future.