History of Chess in Brighton (Chapter 8) - Brighton and Hove Chess Club

BRIGHTON CHESS

A HISTORY OF CHESS IN BRIGHTON
1841-1993

Chapter 8

1945-1951
POST-WAR DEPRESSION

Interest in chess in Brighton revived rather slowly after World War II. The country was in an economic depression which may have had an adverse effect upon the membership of chess clubs. However in 1945 the Sussex Chess Association held its first AGM since 1938 and county competitions were re-started. There was also a welcome return to inter-county matches at the end of 1945. Unfortunately for the next few years the Sussex team struggled to hold its own in the counties' competition. The problem appeared to be that there were too few juniors coming through and some of the more experienced players were less of a force now that they were six years older.

The Development of Junior Chess in Brighton, 1945 to 1951
The late 1940s were years in which a youth policy was gradually developed. We have already seen that a Brighton Chess Club Junior Championship was started before the end of the war. The Dupree Chess Tournament returned after a break and the formation of a Brighton and Hove Schools League in 1946 was an important development.

In 1947 the Sussex Chess Association purchased a special trophy for the winners of the first division of the league. It had originally been awarded to the champions of the Christ Church Club, but now was named the Brook Cup out of respect for Fred Brook. Over the years many school teams competed for the trophy, but sadly in the mid-1980s it was stolen.

H.G. Hobdell, a teacher at Varndean Grammar School, took a special interest in junior chess and in 1949 assumed responsibility for junior organisation within the county. His efforts were sustained over many years and in 1964 he was made an Honorary Life President of the Sussex Chess Association for his services to junior chess.

Although the juniors did not become star players overnight, important foundations were laid for the future. The most exciting prospects were Brian Hole, Roy Buckland and Derek Lamport, who won the Brighton Chess Club Junior Championships of 1948, 1949 and 1950 respectively. (Roy Buckland also won the 1951 Junior Championship.) We shall look at some of the games of Lamport and Hole later, but in this section we illustrate Roy Buckland's potential with this early example of his play:

(91) R.T. Buckland - W.N. Emeny
Brighton, 1948
King's Gambit Accepted, Hanstein Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 d6 5. Nc3 c6 6.0-0 Bg4 7.b4!? Qb6+ 8. Kh1 Qxb4 9. Bxf7+ Kd7 10. Rb1 Qa5 11. Ne5+ Qxe5 12. Qxg4+ Kc7 13. Bb2 Qe7 14. Nd5+ cxd5 15. Bxd5 Nf6 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. Rxb7+ Kd8 18. Bc6 Qe7 19. Rxe7 Bxe7 20. Bxa8 h5 21. Qe6 Rf8 22. Rb1 Na6 23. Bc6
1-0. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

The Fourth Brighton Chess Club, 1945 to 1951
After World War II the Brighton Chess Club again entered the McArthur Cup, which it had not won since 1894. The same restrictions prevailed regarding first class players, but in 1949 the club was successful in winning the competition again. The final against Eastbourne resulted in a 3-3 draw, but in the replay Brighton won by 3½ games to 2½. The Brighton team included J.A. Graham, who was to win the 1951 county championship, and the promising junior Roy Buckland.

In 1949 Brighton began to play friendly matches once again against the Battersea Chess Club. These fixtures appear to have lasted until the late 1960s. It seems however that the once popular friendlies against the Tunbridge Wells Chess Club were not revived on a regular basis.

In 1951 the Brighton Chess Club lost a well respected member when Fred Brook passed away at the age of 83. The demise of the Christ Church Club had not destroyed the energy and enthusiasm that he brought to administrative duties. At the Brighton Chess Club he had become both secretary and match captain.

In the early 1950s the Brighton Chess Club appeared to be looking up after the difficulties caused by the war when it was struck by a bombshell. Notification was received that its premises in the Royal Pavilion were required by the owners of the property for administrative purposes. A temporary stay of execution was gained because it was felt that the club provided an attraction for overseas visitors in the Festival of Britain year, 1951.

Other Clubs in the Brighton Area, 1945 to 1951
Although the Brighton Chess Club had emerged from the war as the only major club in the area, mention should also be made of the activities of a number of smaller clubs existing in the immediate post-war period.

The Withdean Club, which had been formed in 1943, entered the McArthur Cup when the war came to an end. By 1947, however, it was in difficulties as many of its members had less time to play chess in the post-war years. Attendances dwindled, and the club is last mentioned as an affiliated member of the Association in the 1947-8 British Chess Federation Year Book.

The Brighton Technical College re-entered the McArthur Cup after the war, but was not as successful as it had been during the late 1930s. The club was active for only a few more years and is last mentioned as an affiliated member of the Association in the 1950-1 British Chess Federation Year Book. The college itself was used as a venue for county matches after that date.

We have seen already that a chess section was formed at the CVA works in Hove during the war. At first its members were drawn exclusively from the factory, but after the war a limited number of external members were allowed. One such was Ted Ovenden, a former (and future) Brighton Chess Club Champion, who played on the top board when the CVA entered the McArthur Cup. In December 1946, when the CVA were about to play a match against the Brighton Chess Club, there was a power cut. The CVA players quickly produced candles and the match started almost on time.

It appears that the CVA Club folded about 1948. A new Portslade Club was formed at about that time which played at the Portslade Community Centre at Easthill House. It also entered the McArthur Cup, but in its first season (1948 to 1949) was unable to fulfil all its fixtures. There appears to be no mention of the club after 1949.

The Shoreham Club, which had been formed in 1944, lasted until 1951. For a while it played at Cecil Lodge in Gordon Road, but later it transferred to `Cherry Bank' in Downsway, the home of Miss A. Gammans and Miss J.P. Renwick. The club was quite active in the period immediately following the war and entered the McArthur Cup. It appears, however, that the success of the neighbouring Southwick Club may have hastened Shoreham's decline.

The second Southwick Club was formed in 1947 and played at the Community Centre at 24 Southwick Street. For a number of years it was quite successful and used to enter the McArthur Cup. Perhaps its best-known member was A.T. Watson who joined the club in 1949. Arthur Watson was quite well known nationally as he competed regularly in British Chess Federation Congresses. Surprisingly, he did not play any chess before reaching adulthood. As far as is known, the first reference to his competing in local chess dates from 1922. In the 1920s he is known to have had connections with both the Christ Church and Brighton Chess Clubs. In 1927 he established himself as a regular member of the Sussex first team. He also performed the administrative function of organising the Brighton team in the Sexton Cup from 1926 to 1939. After the war he reached the semi-final of the county championship in 1947, losing against Arthur Winser of Hastings. He was a member of the Southwick Club until 1956, and his last years were spent at the Worthing Chess Club. He died in 1969 aged 76.

In 1945 Varndean Grammar School entered the McArthur Cup for the first time. Its team soon surprised some of the senior clubs and in 1948 won the competition after defeating Horsham in the final by four games to two. To date Varndean remains the only school side to have won the cup, and in the year of its success was honoured by being presented with a British Chess Federation shield. In the victorious side were the names of Brian Hole and Derek Lamport, who were to become stars of the future.

The young players at Hove Grammar School were largely overshadowed at this time by rivals Varndean. Nevertheless in 1951 a team was entered in the McArthur Cup for the first time.

The Players, 1944 to 1951
We look now at the most successful Brighton players in the period from 1944 (the date of the resumption of the club championship) to 1951.

C.F. Cornwall
Cecil Cornwall was easily the most successful Brighton Chess Club player during this period. Remarkably, he won the club championship five times in succession from 1944 to 1948. This meant that he had won the competition a record seven times, an achievement which has not yet been repeated. It may seem surprising that he never won the county championship, but he may not have entered the competition very often. He died in 1955 in a London nursing home. Unfortunately I do not possess any of his games from the 1944 to 1951 period, but I append here a much earlier game played in 1920 in the Counties final between Surrey and Lancashire (Cecil Cornwall represented Surrey in that match):

(92) S. Keir - C.F. Cornwall
Queen's Gambit Declined
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.0-0 Bd6 8.a3 Ne4 9.c5 Bc7 10.Nd2 Qh4 11.f4 g5 12.Nf3 Qh6 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Ne5 gxf4 15.Nxd7? f3 16.Nf6+ Qxf6 17.gxf3 Bxh2+ 18.Kh1 Qh4 19.fxe4 Bc7+ 0-1. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

G.D. Self
George Self made an enormous contribution to Sussex chess. In 1925, while still a young man, he took over the important post of Hon Secretary of the Sussex Chess Association. Later he also became match captain of Sussex and served for a time as President of the Southern Counties Chess Union. In 1963 he accepted the post of Adjudications Secretary for the British Chess Federation.

In 1965 he suffered ill health and was forced to give up the positions of Hon Secretary and match captain. He was appointed President of the Sussex Chess Association and occupied this post until the mid-seventies. He continued as Adjudications Secretary until 1980.

George Self also took a keen interest in junior chess, and for many years ran the Dupree Chess Tournament.

He was honoured both nationally and locally. In 1984 the British Chess Federation presented him with the President's Award for Services to Chess. Locally he was honoured by being appointed as an Honorary Life President of the Sussex Chess Association as well as Honorary Life Member of the Brighton Chess Club. In 1985 the Sussex Chess Association presented him and Mrs Self with an illuminated address, recognising the sterling work that he had performed for the county and at the same time celebrating the couple's diamond wedding anniversary. Not long after this he passed away, having reached the age of 87. He funeral was held in Ringmer where he had once been headmaster of a local school. Even though he had moved from there to Saltdean as long ago as 1959 he was widely remembered and the church service was very well attended.

As a player George Self could never be underestimated. It is probably true that if he had not spent so much time as an administrator he would have become an even stronger player. However he won the West Sussex Queen competition in 1929 and carried off the county championship in 1950. In the county final he defeated George Anslow of Eastbourne in a game that lasted about 90 moves. I append two of his games. The first was played in 1928 when the British Champion, Frederick Yates, gave a simultaneous in Brighton. The second was played in the quarter-final of the 1950 county championship and was awarded a brilliancy prize by the Brighton Chess Club.

(93) F.D. Yates - G.D. Self
Dutch Defence
1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d6 7.h3 b6 8.Bf4 Bb7 9.e3 Nbd7 10.Be2 Qe7 11.0-0 0-0-0 12.b4 Ne4 13.Qb2 g5 14.Bh2 h5 15.c5 g4 16.cxd6 Nxd6 17.Ne5 gxh3 18.g3 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Ne4 20.Rfd1 h4 21.Bf3 hxg3 22.fxg3 Qg5 23.Bxe4 Qxe3+ 24.Qf2 Qxe4 25.Kf1 Qh1+ 26.Qg1 Qf3+ 27.Ke1 Qc3+ 28.Ke2 Ba6+ 29.Kf2 Rd2+ 0-1. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

(94) J.W. Smith - G.D. Self
Dutch Defence
1.c4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Nxd2 Nf6 6.Bg2 0-0 7.Ngf3 d6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Qc2 Qe8 10.Rae1 Rb8 11.e4 f4 12.e5 dxe5 13.dxe5 Ng4 14.h3 Nh6 15.Ng5 g6 16.Nxe6 f3 17.Nxc7 fxg2 18.Nxe8 gxf1Q+ 19.Kxf1 Rxe8 20.f4 Nc5 21.Kg2 b6 22.g4 Bb7+ 23.Kg3 Rbd8 24.b4 Nd3 25.Rb1 Rd4 26.Qa4 Re7 27.Qxa7 Nxf4 28.Nb3 Ne2+ 29.Kf2 Rf4+ 30.Ke1 Nc3 31.Qb8+ Kg7 32.Rb2 Nf7 33.Kd2 Rxc4 34.e6 Ne4+ 35.Ke1 Nfd6 36.Qd8 Rcc7 37.Re2 Ba6 38.Re3 Kf6 39.b5 Bxb5 40.Rf3+ Kxe6 41.Nd4+ Ke5 42.Nxb5 Nxb5 43.Qh8+ Kd5 44.Re3 Rc1+ 45.Ke2 Nd4+ 46.Kd3 Rd1 mate. 0-1. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

In 1987, through the generosity of George's widow Mrs Evelyn Self, a trophy was presented to the winner of the Sussex Under-18 championship. This junior tournament had been revived after a lapse of many years, and the George Self Trophy now stands as a fitting memorial to all his work for the cause of chess in Sussex.

J.A. Graham
J.A. Graham had been a keen chess player before World War I. During the 1930s he rather lost touch with the game, but this changed when he joined the Athenaeum Club in London. In 1947 he won the Athenaeum Tournament.

On his retirement from the Civil Service he decided to move to Hove. He joined the Brighton Chess Club and in 1949 won the West Sussex Queen competition. In that year he also reached the final of the county championship, in which he lost to Arthur Winser of Hastings. He reversed this result in the 1951 county championship final, the winning of which was an outstanding achievement. In 1952 and 1953 he again reached the final of the competition, but lost against Brian Hole and Jack Smith respectively. After these excellent performances he seems to have played competitively for only a year or two before withdrawing from the scene. His name was retained on the list of first class county players which was published annually until 1966, and he was cited as a Vice-President of the Association until 1970. After that year I can find no further mention of him in Sussex chess records. The following is the game with which he clinched the 1951 county championship:

(95) W.A. Winser - J.A. Graham
Queen's Gambit Declined
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Qc2 c6 8.Bd3 Nf8 9.Nf3 Ng6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Rab1 Be6 12.b4 a6 13.a4 Nd7 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.b5 cxb5 16.axb5 a5 17.Rfc1 Rfc8 18.Qa2 Nb6 19.Na4 Nxa4 20.Qxa4 b6 21.Rc6 Qb7 22.Bxg6 hxg6 23.Ne5 Bf5 24.Rbc1 f6 25.Rxc8+ Rxc8 26.Nc6 Kh7 27.f3 Bd3 28.Rc3 Bc4 29.e4 Qd7 30.f4? Re8 31.Re3 Qg4 32.f5 Rxe4 33.fxg6+ Qxg6 34.Ne7 Rxe7! 35.Rxe7 Qb1+ 36.Kf2 Qf1+ 37.Kg3 Qd3+ 38.Kf2 Qf1+ 39.Kg3 Qd3+ 40.Kf2 Qd2+ 41.Kg3 Bf1 42.Qa3 Qxg2+ 43.Kf4 Qg5+ 44.Kf3 Qf5+ 0-1. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

G.E. Anslow
George Anslow was the most successful player Eastbourne has ever produced, his total of 18 wins in the local club championship being a record. In 1949 he enjoyed a particularly good year, winning tournaments at three different clubs. As well as being successful at Eastbourne and Hailsham he also won the Brighton Chess Club Championship (in 1949 and 1950 this was run on the Swiss system). In 1972 he became probably the first player to have won the championships of four different Sussex clubs when he won the Hastings Championship. He had been a member of that club for 45 years.
In county competitions he won the East Sussex Queen tournament in 1934. Though he never won the county championship he reached the final twice, in 1950 and 1956, losing against George Self and the Rev J.A. Bickerstaff respectively. In 1966 he won the first ever Sussex Veterans' Championship.
In 1937 he presented a trophy for the Sussex Correspondence Championship (though the competition had started 34 years previously the winners had never received a cup). He also donated the Anslow Cup to the Hastings Chess Club for an internal tournament.

He died in 1982 at the age of either 81 or 82.

I append one of George's wins:

(96) G.E. Anslow - A.G. Stubbs
Eastbourne Club Championship, 1960
Alekhine's Defence
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 exd6 6.Nc3 Bf5 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.Be2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Be3 Re8 11.a4 a5 12.d5 Nb4 13.Bxb6 cxb6 14.Nd4 Bg6 15.f4 f6 16.f5 Bf7 17.Ne6 Qc8 18.Bh5 Qxc4 19.Bxf7+ Kxf7 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Rf4 Qc8 22.Rg4 Bf8 23.Qh6 Qd7 24.Qxf6 Nd3 25.Ne4 Re7 26.Ra3 Nf4 27.Rxf4 gxf6 28.Nxf6+ 1-0. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

D.T.A. Lamport
The young Varndean player Derek Lamport pulled off a remarkable double when in 1950 at the age of 16 he won both the junior and senior championships at the Brighton Chess Club. He subsequently gained a place at Cambridge University and was a member of the team which won the National Club Championship in 1957-8. After postgraduate studies at Cambridge he became Professor of Biochemistry at Michigan State University in 1974. The following game was played at Cambridge in 1955:

(97) Griffin - D.T.A. Lamport
Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauzer Attack
Unfortunately the initials of Lamport's opponent were not published.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be78.0-0-0 0-0 9.Ndb5 Qa5 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Qxd6 Rd8 12.Qa3 Bg5+ 13.Kb1 Rxd1+ 14.Nxd1 Qd2 0-1. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

E.D. Ovenden
Ted Ovenden won the Brighton Chess Club Championship for the fourth time in 1951. In the following game his opponent misses a good chance in the opening and is then made to pay for his inaccuracy:

(98) E.D. Ovenden - Dr J. Solomon
Brighton v Battersea (Board 2), 1949
English Opening by transposition
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Bg5 Bb4 7.e3? Qa5 8.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 9.Ke2 Bxb2 10.Nxc6 Qh5+?? 11.g4 Qxg4+ 12.f3 Qxc4+ 13.Kf2 Qxc6 14.Bxb2 0-0 15.Qd4 f6 16.Bd3 d5 17.Qh4 h6 18.Rhg1 Kh8 19.Qg4 g5 20.Qh5 Qc7 21.Qxh6+ Kg8 22.Rxg5+ fxg5 23.Qg6+ 1-0. (Play through game - link opens in new window.)

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