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June 17, 2018 No Comments

Herr ‘Stemitz’ and the Librarian

Although Steinitz was celebrated for his play without sight of the board, barely two dozen of his blindfold games survive. In February 1875 he visited Oxford to give a blindfold exhibition over seven boards. He won four, lost one, with two games left unfinished. It…

April 6, 2018 No Comments

Reasons to Cancel Club Night, Part 3

For more on the colourful life (and bizarre death) of Oxford University Chess Club President Harold Davidson see The Dabbler and Chess Notes. Source: ‘Miscellaneous papers relating to the Oxford University Chess Club, c.1870-’, Bodleian Library, Oxford. With thanks to Richard James.

No Regrets: Boris Spassky at 60

November 27, 2007· 8 Comments

Lev Khariton The attractive countryside of Meudon is a 15-minute train ride from Paris. Here I came to interview Boris Spassky just three days before his 60th birthday. He reminiscences about his life, his chess career, his rivals and friends. Dear Grandmaster, I should…

Arimaa, Computers and the Future of Chess

February 6, 2015· 7 Comments

Andy Lewis A common Arimaa starting position Anyone for a variation on chess? Is chess played out? This concern has been voiced periodically over the history of the game, and the challenges has never been more profound: over-refinement of opening-theory; perfection of endgame technique;…

Sarah Hurst: 20 Questions

January 8, 2015· 7 Comments

Sarah Hurst was a regular contributor to CHESS magazine in the 1990s and also edited the British Chess Federation’s newsletter, ChessMoves. Her fine book Curse of Kirsan: Adventures in the Chess Underworld is now available on Kindle at a bargain price. Since 2002 she has been translating…

We Need to Talk about Garry, Part 3

November 16, 2015· 5 Comments

Why Life Does Not Imitate Chess Part 3: The Visionary Followers of Garry Kasparov on Facebook will have noted that he has taken to styling himself as a ‘politician’. What’s his track record? All chess players will know about his campaign for FIDE president…

Self-help

January 3, 2021· No Comments

Chess Improvement It’s all in the mindset Barry Hymer and Peter Wells 334 pages | Softback | Bibliography | Index | £15.99 Crown House Publishing, 2020 Carl Portman This is not so much a review as a summary of my thoughts as a passionate…

Chess is Never Square in The Queen’s Gambit

October 30, 2020· 3 Comments

Sarah Hurst The Queen’s Gambit is an entertaining Netflix drama based on a novel that presents chess in a positive light and makes all the right points about women’s struggles on and off the board. It’s hard these days not to see all period drama…

Horsing Around

October 20, 2020· No Comments

Writer Patrick Leigh Fermor and wife Joan social distancing with friends on the Greek island of Hydra in 1954 (Clockwise from top left: Patrick Leigh Fermor, Cyril Connolly, Maurice Bowra, unknown, Joan Leigh Fermor) Joan Leigh Fermor (née Rayner) was ‘addicted to chess’ (obituary, Daily…

Chess and Recession

October 17, 2020· No Comments

“There is a new era in chess. For the past three years new clubs have been springing up in mushroom growths, chess books of all sorts are avidly bought, library shelves are depleted of these volumes. Newspapers are giving more space to the game, recognizing…

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January 22, 2021

"What is the purpose of FIDE?" heh that was funny
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Skeptic

November 11, 2020

Edward Winter, when reviewing the original book in the 80s, noted that "Chess Notes reviewed many works of fiction, but…
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Sarah Hurst

November 1, 2020

Yes Frank, I said that great players are respected regardless of gender. There are many other references to sexism in…
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Frank D Berry Jr