Patrick Alexander

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Does anyone here know more on this author?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_A ... r_(writer)

[Richard James]

In this game he blundered a piece on move 8. No relation, as far as I know, to CHO'D, FFL or Laurie. Also, I think, played for Surbiton. Not a very strong player: graded about 110.

[Event "R&T1 v Mushrooms"] [Site "?"] [Date "1974.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Alexander, Patrick"] [Black "James, Richard"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B06"] [Annotator "Stockfish 10 64"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "1974.??.??"] [EventType "game"] 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. f4 c6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 Qb6 {last book move} 7. Na4 Qa5+ 8. c3 $4 $19 ({-3.03 Stockfish 10 64:} 8. Nc3 c5 9. Be3 Nc6 10. d5 Bxf3 11. gxf3 Nd4 12. O-O Nxe2+ 13. Nxe2 Nf6 14. c3 Nd7 15. Ng3 b5 16. a3 h5 17. Qd2 Qc7 18. h4 Bf6 19. Qh2 O-O 20. f5 Ne5 21. b3 Kh7 22. Kg2 Nd3 23. Rad1 $14 {0.61/25}) 8... b5 9. b4 Qxa4 10. Qxa4 bxa4 11. e5 Nd7 12. O-O Nh6 13. Bd3 O-O 14. Ba3 a6 15. Rae1 Nb6 16. Bb2 Be6 17. a3 Bc4 18. Bxc4 Nxc4 19. Bc1 dxe5 20. Nxe5 Nxe5 21. fxe5 e6 22. Bg5 Rae8 23. Rf3 Nf5 24. Rh3 h6 25. Bd2 Kh7 26. g4 Ne7 27. Rf1 Nd5 28. Bxh6 Bxh6 29. g5 Nxc3 30. Rxh6+ Kg7 31. Rf3 Ne2+ 32. Kf2 Nxd4 33. Rfh3 Rh8 0-1

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Heh, thanks, Richard. I have been following the threads on the other Alexanders, it was a complete coincidence that I came across another one! That reminds me of another chess history thread that deserves another look...

[John Saunders]

Yes, I knew Pat Alexander slightly back in the 1980s when he came to some Mitcham Chess Club meetings, though I think he was more closely affiliated to Surbiton Chess Club. He was graded 113 on the 1979 SCCU Grading List, which showed three affiliations (Mushrooms as well as Surbiton and Mitcham). I recall he decided to give up chess in the early 1980s, and brought a part of his large chess library to Mitcham to give away to anyone who wanted a book. He had been a journalist and a screenwriter before writing novels. I believe he wrote scripts for a TV show of the time called Crown Court though his IMDb CV doesn't include this. I vaguely remember reading his novel Death of a Thin-Skinned Animal, which is Frederick Forsythe-ish. The central character was said by other club members to be loosely based on another Mitcham player of that time called Terry Ashby (who disappeared from the chess scene in the mid to late 1980s). Pat lived in Worcester Park. I have no games played by him on my database.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Thanks, John. The novel was made into a film and does sound Frederick Forsythe-ish! Not sure if the chess made it into the film.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"The central character was said by other club members to be loosely based on another Mitcham player of that time called Terry Ashby (who disappeared from the chess scene in the mid to late 1980s)."

I played him in 1973 (Redhill vs Mitcham), and also played an Adam Alexander in 2001 in the Surrey League, curiously in both games I was the white side of a Dragon...

[Roger Lancaster]

… which showed three affiliations (Mushrooms as well as Surbiton and Mitcham) ...

The Mushrooms connection would explain why Pat's name rang a bell with me - other present/former Mushrooms, of whom there are only very few on this site, might have more distinct memories.

[David Sedgwick]

The Mushrooms connection would explain why Pat's name rang a bell with me - other present/former Mushrooms, of whom there are only very few on this site, might have more distinct memories.

Before my time, but I shall enquire.

David Sedgwick
Mushrooms CC Chairman