1935/36 (16th) Hastings Premier, 27 December 1935 - 4 January 1936, White Rock Pavilion
1935/36 Hastings Premier |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Reuben Fine |
USA |
|
1 |
½ |
½ |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7½ |
2 |
Salo Flohr |
Prague |
0 |
|
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
½ |
½ |
6½ |
3 |
Saviely Tartakower |
Poland |
½ |
½ |
|
½ |
1 |
½ |
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
6 |
4 |
George Koltanowski |
Antwerp |
½ |
0 |
½ |
|
1 |
½ |
½ |
1 |
1 |
½ |
5½ |
5 |
C Hugh O'D Alexander |
Winchester |
½ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
Harry Golombek |
London |
0 |
0 |
½ |
½ |
1 |
|
½ |
½ |
0 |
½ |
3½ |
7 |
Sir George Alan Thomas |
London |
0 |
0 |
½ |
½ |
0 |
½ |
|
½ |
1 |
½ |
3½ |
8 |
Reginald Pryce Michell |
Kingston |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
½ |
½ |
|
½ |
1 |
3 |
9 |
Theodore Henry Tylor |
Oxford |
0 |
½ |
½ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
½ |
|
½ |
3 |
10 |
William Winter |
London |
0 |
½ |
0 |
½ |
0 |
½ |
½ |
0 |
½ |
|
2½ |
BCM, February 1936, ppn 45-56
HASTINGS CHRISTMAS CONGRESS.
A record number of entries was obtained in the sixteenth annual Christmas meeting organised by the Hastings and St. Leonards Chess Club. The previous best, 120, was reached twice, but this year no less than 130 were recorded, and the full number was maintained right to the opening day with 13 sections of 10 players each.
An early invitation to Dr. Euwe had to be declined, the great master intimating that by Christmas he would have had enough chess for a time, and that he would be glad of a rest.
Botvinnik, the Russian champion, who failed to come off at his 1934 appearance, was obliged this year to refuse, as his post-graduate studies did not permit him to play tournament chess more than once a year. In a cordial reply, however, he alluded to the enjoyment of his stay in "beautiful Hastings," and hoped that a further opportunity would some time be offered him to improve on his first performance.
The great master, Salo Flohr, was able to come, and this time he was in the position to bring a "better half" with him. In view of the fact that a little mishap in his opening game caused him to finish second for a change, it is worth while recalling Flohr’s remarkable record in six successive congresses at Hastings :—
- 1929. Premier Reserves, equal third with Rejfir and Rellstab (5½ each) to Koltanowski and Tylor (6½ each).
- 1930. Premier Reserves, first with 7 wins and 2 draws.
- 1931. Premier, first with 7 wins and 2 draws, followed by Kashdan, Euwe and Sultan Khan.
- 1932. Premier, first with 5 wins and 4 draws, followed by Pirc, L. Steiner and Sultan Khan.
- 1933. Premier, first with 5 wins and 4 draws, followed by Alekhine and Lilienthal (tie).
- 1934. Premier, tied for first place with Sir G. Thomas and Euwe, followed by Capablanca, Botvinnik and Lilienthal. Again Flohr had no loss, his score of 6½ having 4 wins and 5 draws. Thus he had played 45 games in five successive tournaments without a loss.
Reuben Fine, the 21-year-old American champion, was another attractive participant, this being his first appearance at Hastings. Another newcomer was to have been Paul Keres, a youngster of 18 or so, who led the Estonian team finely in the recent Warsaw team tournament. He accepted the invitation, but illness at the last moment prevented his attendance. Dr. Tartakover, who had not been at Hastings for a few years, made a welcome re-appearance, and the foreign contingent was completed by Koltanowski (for Paul Keres) who has been first reserve for the Premier contest in emergency for some time past. This was the Belgian master’s eleventh successive Hastings congress.
The British players were led by W. Winter, the present champion, and Sir George Thomas, last year’s holder and runner-up at Yarmouth, the others being C. H. O’Death [sic!] Alexander, H. Golombek, R. P. Michell and T. H. Tylor.
The Congress was opened on Friday afternoon, December 27, by the Mayor, Councillor E. M. Ford, who was introduced by H. E. Dobell, the club’s president. Mr. Dobell took occasion to notice the presence of Jacques Mieses. He and Dr. Emanuel Lasker are the only two survivors of the twenty-two masters who took part in the great international tourney at Hastings in 1895. Reference was also made to the participation in the Premier Reserves contest of Frank Parr, aged 16 years, who won the British boys’ championship at Easter, and has done remarkably well in Surrey and London chess since.
The Mayor was pleased to welcome players from fifteen nations, as he was informed, mentioning in particular Flohr, Dr. Tartakover and Reuben Fine, and the champions of Britain, France, Belgium and Spain. On the Mayor’s suggestion a telegram of congratulation was sent to Dr. Euwe.
A. F. Kidney, hon. secretary, read a letter from Sir John Simon regretting his inability to be present, and wishing the congress success. G. M. Norman and R. Fine moved and seconded a vote of thanks to the Mayor for his attendance. Afterwards the Mayor and leading officials took tea together at the invitation of Councillor Dobell, play having been set in motion by the tournament director, E. A. Lewcock. (Towards the end of the tournament Mr. Dobell’s hospitality was similarly extended to some score or more of British and foreign chess journalists, along with Hastings town officials.)
Play proceeded evenly and without hitch throughout the period, two rounds being taken on Monday, December 30, to enable the nine rounds to be completed by the following Saturday. Fine had a stroke of luck in winning his first round game against Flohr, getting at the same time a half-point lead over all the others in the Premier section, since the other four games were all drawn. Subsequent analysis established a win for Flohr at the height of his combination; but this he missed through time shortness. Fine kept his lead throughout and finished a popular winner. The four professional players from overseas took the four prizes, as might be expected; for, though the gap between the amateurs and professionals is not so great in chess as in some other games, it has to be recognised that there is, and perhaps ought to be, a gap. Alexander had the best score of the home players. Sir George Thomas’s self-sacrificing labours on behalf of the Nottingham Congress funds left their mark on him, and he was obviously too fatigued mentally to do himself justice. It is to be hoped he will get some time for a rest before the Margate and Nottingham tournaments come along. Winter was quite out of form.
Premier Reserves.
The entry in this division was so strong and numerous that, for the first time, it had to be played in two sections. As far as could be judged it was arranged that the sections should be of equal strength, but in the event it turned out that Section I was possibly rather the stronger at the top. (The transfer of Koltanowski no doubt contributed to this.) The games in these and the Major sections were often protracted, and the score cards showed a rather bare appearance for some time through unfinished and postponed games. Only a couple of days before the close about fifty games in all sections were hanging fire, but a brisk effort on the part of the director of play reduced these in a few hours to three! To fill the place of Koltanowski, Fraulein Sonja Graf was moved up, and in the regretted absence through illness of Arthur Eva (Manchester), F. van Seters was another promotion. Their places in Major A section were filled by F. W. Boff and A. H. Crothers, who were immediately available in readiness. Lenton and Morry with an equal score led their section up to the last round, when both lost and let in three others for a quintuple tie.
1935/36 Hastings Premier Reserves A
1935/36 Hastings Premier Reserves A |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Ernst Ludwig Klein |
Vienna |
|
½ |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7½ |
2 |
Dr Salo Landau |
Amsterdam |
½ |
|
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
7½ |
3 |
Jens Enevoldsen |
Copenhagen |
1 |
0 |
|
½ |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5½ |
4 |
Edward Guthlac Sergeant |
London |
0 |
½ |
½ |
|
0 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
5 |
5 |
Bruno Ullrich |
Berlin |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
Frank Parr |
London |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
Frits van Seters |
Brussels |
0 |
0 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
½ |
4 |
8 |
Amédée Gibaud |
Fourgs |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
½ |
1 |
3 |
9 |
Baruch Harold Wood |
Birmingham |
0 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
0 |
1 |
0 |
½ |
|
½ |
2½ |
10 |
Charles Herbert Stacey |
Brighton |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
0 |
½ |
|
1 |
1935/36 Hastings Premier Reserves B
1935/36 Hastings Premier Reserves B |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Alfred Lenton |
Leicester |
|
0 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5½ |
2 |
Jacques Mieses |
Leipzig |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5½ |
3 |
William Ritson Morry |
Birmingham |
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
½ |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5½ |
4 |
Lodewijk Prins |
Amsterdam |
½ |
0 |
1 |
|
½ |
1 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
5½ |
5 |
Dr Ramón Rey Ardid |
Zaragoza |
0 |
1 |
½ |
½ |
|
½ |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5½ |
6 |
Francis George Tims Collins |
Oxford |
0 |
½ |
1 |
0 |
½ |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
7 |
Alexander Koblencs |
Riga |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
(Alfred) Rupert Neale Cross |
Chelsea |
1 |
0 |
1 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
3½ |
9 |
Edward Mackenzie Jackson |
Bexhill |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
½ |
3½ |
10 |
Sonja Graf |
Munich |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
½ |
|
2½ |
1935/36 Hastings Major A
In the Major A, as in the second of the Premier Reserves sections, British players showed to better advantage, and more than held their own with the foreign players included. The prizes in each of the Major sections were £5, £4 and £3.
1935/36 Hastings Major A |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Emil Josef Diemer |
Amsterdam |
|
½ |
1 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
Francis Herbert Terrill |
Birmingham |
½ |
|
½ |
1 |
½ |
0 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
6 |
3 |
(William) Arthur Winser |
Hastings |
0 |
½ |
|
1 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
Jurrien Cornelis Scheffer |
Amsterdam |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5½ |
5 |
Frederick William Boff |
London |
½ |
½ |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
Antonie Theodoor Knoppers |
Amsterdam |
0 |
1 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4½ |
7 |
Alfred Dudley Barlow |
London |
0 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
½ |
3 |
8 |
Alan Hamilton Crothers |
Christchurch |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
0 |
½ |
3 |
9 |
E A Morrison / M Hes |
Amsterdam |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
3 |
10 |
John James O'Hanlon |
Dublin |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
½ |
0 |
|
2 |
1935/36 Hastings Major B
1935/36 Hastings Major B |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Cecil Perfect Hammond |
Bexhill |
|
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
½ |
7 |
2 |
Theophil Demetriescu |
Berlin |
1 |
|
½ |
½ |
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6½ |
3 |
E Green |
Birmingham |
½ |
½ |
|
½ |
½ |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
½ |
5½ |
4 |
Leonard Charles Birch |
Morden |
0 |
½ |
½ |
|
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
Olga Menchik |
London |
0 |
1 |
½ |
½ |
|
½ |
½ |
½ |
0 |
½ |
4 |
6 |
Raymond Hampden Blomfield |
Hastings |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
½ |
|
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
4 |
7 |
Maurice Ellinger |
London |
0 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
½ |
½ |
|
1 |
1 |
½ |
4 |
8 |
Edith Mary Ann Michell |
Kingston |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
3½ |
9 |
Ernest Montgomery Jellie |
London |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
3½ |
10 |
C Lewis |
Hastings |
½ |
0 |
½ |
0 |
½ |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
1935/36 Hastings Major C
1935/36 Hastings Major C |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Harold John Francis Stephenson |
Hastings |
|
1 |
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
2 |
G Fletcher |
Nottingham |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
H C Lewis |
Blackburn |
½ |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6½ |
4 |
Richard Edward Lean |
Brighton |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
J H Wise |
Croydon |
½ |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
½ |
4½ |
6 |
Minnie Musgrave |
St Leonards |
0 |
½ |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3½ |
7 |
Agnes Margaret Crum |
Edinburgh |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
Rev. Charles Fenton Bolland |
Hastings |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
H Ward |
Saltdean |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
½ |
2½ |
10 |
Capt. Hugh Windsor Fiesch Heneage |
Brighton |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
1 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
|
2 |
The scores in the remaining sections were as follows:— (prizes £4, £3, £2 in the First Class Sections; £3, £2 and £2 10s. in other sections)
1935/36 Hastings First Class (Morning)
1935/36 Hastings
First Class (Morning) |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Mrs. Edith Martha Holloway |
London |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
2 |
Gustave Pepers |
Louvain |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
3 |
Charles William Roberts |
Brighouse |
0 |
1 |
|
½ |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6½ |
4 |
Charles Henry Taylor |
Wells |
0 |
0 |
½ |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5½ |
5 |
Mrs. Anne Muriel Shannon Shannon née Kerr |
London |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
5½ |
6 |
Dennis Bernard Mercer |
London |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
Miss Emily Eliza Abraham |
Deal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
Mrs. Edith St John [née Fraser] |
Manchester |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
½ |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
2½ |
9 |
Julian Mayne Ilott |
Bexhill |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
10 |
Mrs. Muriel Ivy Scobell Mackereth née Watson |
Stockport |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1935/36 Hastings First Class (Afternoon)
1935/36 Hastings
First Class (Afternoon) |
Residence |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Total |
1 |
Hon. Arthur James Beresford Lowther |
Woodbridge |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7½ |
2 |
W Barker |
Wolverhampton |
0 |
|
1 |
1 |
½ |
1 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
Herbert William Tidball |
Birmingham |
1 |
0 |
|
1 |
½ |
0 |
½ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
Dr. William Ernest McKechnie |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
William Courtney Dawes Cruttenden |
Hastings |
0 |
½ |
½ |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
W H Jones |
Hastings |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
7 |
Mlle. N Krotosch |
Brussels |
½ |
½ |
½ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
3½ |
8 |
Samuel Frederick Dalladay |
Hastings |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
H Golden |
York |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
10 |
Arthur Douglas Field |
Croydon |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
2 |
Second Class (morning): (1-2) Geoffrey George Homan (Rochester), Capt. J MacKenzie (Exmouth) 7/9; (3) James Edmund Sandford Fawcett (London) 6½; (4-5) J F Coleman (Leicester), Philip John Lindsay Homan (West Malling) 5½; (6) Ronald Stanley Lockwood (Winchester) 4½; (7) Paul Foster (Hastings) 4; (8) Mrs. Helen Muriel Cobbold (London) 2½; (9) Miss Marjorie Colville Strachey (Haslemere) 2; (10) Mrs. Margaret Elizabeth Rosina Garden [née Tame - listed as Mrs A D Garden - her husband played in the Second Class (pm, B) section] (Battle) ½.
Second Class (afternoon) Section A: (1) Dr. F Herzog (London) 7; (2) J E Stevens (Hastings) 6½; (3-4) Gilfred Norman Knight (St. Leonards), George Newnham (Hastings) 5½; (5-6) Miss E Neilson (Glasgow), Tony Clendon Daukes (Charterhouse) 4½; (7) Gerald Hugh Borlase Fox (East Grinstead) 4; (8) George Henry Wheeler (Hastings) 3; (9) Mrs. Pauline Peckar (Hastings) 3; (10) Thomas Gasson (Rye) 1.
Second Class (afternoon) Section B: (1) Ralph Carter Woodthorpe (Brighton) 8½/9; (2) Mrs. C M Lillie (Rye) 7; (3) Dr. Alexander Davidson Garden (Battle) 6; (4) Arthur Albert Rider (Hastings) 5½; (5) J Francis (Hastings) 5; (6-7) John E Coleman (Grays), Mrs. Clara Margaret MacVean [née Sanders] (Bournemouth) 4; (8) Mrs. M Healey (St. Leonards) 3; (9-10) Stephen Poulson Lees (Hastings), Mrs. C Lewis (Hastings) 1.
Third Class (morning): (1) Philip C Hoad (London) 9/9; (2) E F Norris (Bexhill) 7; (3-4) W F Freeman (St. Leonards), Ald[erman]. George Shoesmith (Hastings) 6; (5-6) Miss Edith Maud Eleanor John Goodacre (Cheltenham), C H Southwood (St. Leonards) 4; (7) J T Hardy (St. Leonards) 3½; (8) Mrs. G E Hunt (Hastings) 2½; (9) William Horace Perdriau (Croydon) 2; (10) E Swanson (Hastings) 1.
Third Class (afternoon): (1) M Pearse (Sandown) 9/9; (2-3) Patrick Foster (Hastings), Arthur Trimnell (Hornsey) 6½; (4-5) Miss Mabel Annie Lankey (Hastings), Miss I M Shaw (St. Leonards) 5½; (6) W H Moore (Hastings) 5; (7-8) Miss Ramsbotham (Bexhill), Frederick William Binge (St. Leonards) 2½; (9) Geoffrey Clendon Daukes (Hurst Court School) 2; (10) Mrs. F Simpson (Brighton) 0.
In addition to the above prizes, Mrs. A M S Shannon, in her efforts to further the interests of women’s chess, kindly promised to provide three prizes of one guinea each for the most brilliant game, the shortest won game, and the best end-game, won by a woman competitor. These are now under consideration. [see below]
At the final meeting on Saturday afternoon, January 4, the Mayor and Mayoress were in attendance, and the latter distributed the prizes. Fine and Flohr were received with acclamation by a large audience; and Dr. Tartakover and Koltanowski also received evidence of their popularity among English players. A special prize was handed to Miss Lewcock by the Mayoress on behalf of the players and Pressmen for her invaluable clerical assistance. Dr. Garden and E. Klein expressed the thanks of the congress to the Mayor and Corporation for their generous financial assistance,, and the Mayor in reply said the borough authorities set a great value on the annual Christmas chess festival. Thanks to the Club and the organisers, Mr. Kidney and Mr. Lewcock in especial, were given by T. H. Tylor and C. H. Alexander, and Messrs. Morry and Lenton thanked the Mayoress for distributing the awards. A vote of thanks to the Press was moved by Ald. Shoesmith and responded to by Mr. Tinsley (The Times).
In the middle of the second week two evening contests were arranged. The first, a lightning tournament, attracted 40 entrants, and the prizes were taken by Dr. R. Rey [Ardid], F. van Seters, R. C. Woodthorpe and C. H. Taylor. Thirty-six players took part in a "Rapid" tourney, 10 minutes being allowed for each game. The winners were R. Fine and F. Parr, H. Golombek and W. Winter. E. H. Church (Cambridge) genially handled the prize distribution. [written by] A.J.M. [Arthur John Mackenzie]
The Times, 9 March 1936
HASTINGS CONGRESS AWARDS
The Hastings Chess Club announce that the three special prizes presented by Mrs. Shannon for the best results among the lady competitors in the Christmas Congress have been awarded as follows:—
- Shortest Winning Game.—Miss Goodacre, for her win in 16 moves against Mr. W. H. Perdriau. (Third Class Morning Tournament.)
- Brilliancy Prize.—Mrs. Holloway, for her win against Miss Abraham. (First Class Morning Tournament.)
- Best End Game.—Miss O. Menchik, for her win against Mr. Th. Demetriescu. (Major Tournament "B")
Mrs. Shannon states it is her intention to present these prizes annually at Hastings, and that she will give them at Margate, Nottingham, and Stockholm as well.
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 01 February 1936
"Demetrescu [sic], of Germany, who played in the Major "B" tourney, is said to have been the most interesting figure that has come to Hastings for many a day. He is a pianist of international renown, with a commanding presence and a great head of hair. On his way here he gave two piano recitals "over the air," from the Hilversum radio station. Quite up to the end of the chess tourney he was heading for the first prize in his section, not having lost a game, but in the last round he had to meet Miss Olga Menchik, of Hastings, and lost, so that at the finish he only occupied second place. He now explains that the name Olga has always been his besetting weakness." [Theophil Demetriescu (1891-1958) was a Romanian pianist. Wikipedia (in Romanian).]
BCM, April 1943, ppn 80-81
OBITUARY
L[eonard]. C[harles]. BIRCH
It was probably while taking part in the attack from Egypt that Mr. L. C. Birch died of wounds last autumn. He had been in the Army only ten months.
Mr. G. A. C. Ashcroft, secretary of the Battersea C.C., gives the following details of his work there:
"L. C. Birch first joined Battersea in 1925, but studies occupied most of his time and he had to resign for a short time. When he rejoined in 1932 he rapidly gained strength as a player and was so keen on organizing the game that he was soon nominated to the committee, on which he remained up to his death. In 1932-33 he won the Minor and the Handicap Cups and in the following season was secretary with G. Wernick (when there were over 70 members), but his most outstanding work appeared in 1935 to mark the jubilee of the club. Fifty Years of Chess at Battersea received great praise, at the time, from London Leaguers; and the late W. H. Watts in its preface says: 'It is a monument of application and research, and in this respect unstinted praise is due to Mr. L. C. Birch, the editor and compiler.'
"Let then this book full of chess lore be his monument to a great chess fighter and an even greater fighter for chess. I am sure he would wish for no other."
Later more work was done at Morden, where he will be remembered by many young players at his school and the local club (called St. Helier until 1939). This he had founded in 1936, an exacting task which has left some lasting results. It is perhaps a tribute that he failed to hold its championship after the first two seasons, for he scored well in the 1935 Surrey Championship and in several first-class and major open sections of B.C.F. and Hastings Congresses. In the Major A at Christmas, 1937, at Hastings he was second.
But he was more interested in providing chess for others. He was diffident about his enthusiasm, partly concealing it by a quiet and sometimes blunt manner with dry humour.
He taught English and History, and readers of the British Chess Magazine in 1941-42 will know he could write. He would mark with comments passages in his chess and other periodicals, often underlined for bad or clumsy English. History led to an interest in left-wing politics: typical, too, was a large and well-read library on all these subjects, which was kept extremely tidy, as was everything else he handled, in his room at home where he lived with his mother and father. A brother, who also had been a Battersea player, survives him. Many more will miss him. M. E. W."
The following game is a good example of L. C. Birch's style:
Leonard Charles Birch (born 6 July 1906, died 24 October 1942, on active service, buried El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt; private 1/7 Bn., Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey). B.Sc. (Econ.), London University and teaching diploma. Occ. school teacher (Grantham Boys' Central School, 1929-1932; St Helier Central Boys' School, 1932- )
File Updated
Date |
Notes |
Previously |
Uploaded as part of 1930s Hastings games (zipped file) |
2016 |
Page created, with 45 Premier games. |
28 December 2022 |
Crosstables and results added, plus 34 games/part-games from subsidiary sections. |
30 December 2022 |
Correction made to Alexander-Tylor (rd 7). White's last move was 37 Kg1 (not 37 Kg2 which would allow a perpetual). Apologies for the error and profound thanks to Gert Ligterink for pointing it out. |
30 December 2022 |
Added two games: (1) C.Stacey 0-1 S.Landau (Premier Reserves A, rd 3); (2) R.Rey Ardid ½-½ L.Prins (Premier Reserves B, rd 2). Many thanks to Ron de Haas, who found these games in the Delpher.nl archive. |
2 January 2023 |
A tentative addition to the games: O.Menchik 0-1 E.M.Jellie (Major B). Score input from an image which is displayed at the Streatham & Brixton blog; what is not certain is whether the game was played as part of the 1935/36 Hastings Congress but it seems probable. |
3 January 2023 |
The quota of games from subsidiary sections now stands at 39 complete games plus 17 part-games. Many thanks to Ulrich Tamm. |
11 December 2023 |
Added two games: (1) J.Enevoldsen 1-0 F.Parr (rd 6, Premier Reserves A0; (2) E.Diemer 1-0 W.A.Winser (rd 2, Major A). Many thanks to Ulrich Tamm. |
13 March 2023 |
One part-game is now a complete score: J.Mieses 1-0 R.Cross (Preier Reserves B) and another part-game has 12 more half-moves added at the end (though still probably incomplete): E.Klein 0-1 J.Enevoldsen (Premier Reserves A). My thanks to Michael Kühl for sending these games and also contributing other source references. |
22 August 2024 |
Correction made to Fine-Golombek (rd 7). The two primary sources quoted differ as to Black's 11th move but subsequent play indicates 11...Rc8 as the more likely move played. |
16 November 2024 |
Added some biographical information about Leonard Charles Birch (1906-1942). |