English Chess Forum

Have there been many players who have been known consistently to prefer wearing a hat at the chessboard?

My enquiry prompted by coming across this photo, from last year's tournament.

I can only think of those two (Keith Arkell and Mike Surtees) though I dare so most players north of Sheffield wear cloth caps 24 hours a day.

Jon D'Souza-Eva wrote:I can only think of those two (Keith Arkell and Mike Surtees) though I dare so most players north of Sheffield wear cloth caps 24 hours a day.

That's Mike Surtees on the right is it? He's just a Teenage Dirtbag Baby.

Wasn't there some unknown German who owned an electronics shop who wore a hat throughout his amazing performance in an open where he won it with a 2800 result or something?

Andrew Stone wrote:Wasn't there some unknown German who owned an electronics shop who wore a hat throughout his amazing performance in an open where he won it with a 2800 result or something?

Clemens Allwerman is the chap you refer to, I believe.

http://www.chessbase.com/columns/column.asp?pid=190

Didn't Mark Hebden wear a hat in his younger days? (Around the same time that Murray Chandler walys wore shorts).

I remember playing a chess match in the North Midlands League for AGD against Sutton about 20 years ago. My opponent (i think his name is Robinson) wore a hat, a white doctor coat and walked barefoot. I remember he was playing in the Derby chess congress when there was a lot of snow that weekend and he was still barefoot! Dont know if he still plays chess as I have not played in the North Midlands league for a long time

Peter Sharpe wrote:I remember playing a chess match in the North Midlands League for AGD against Sutton about 20 years ago. My opponent (i think his name is Robinson) wore a hat, a white doctor coat and walked barefoot. I remember he was playing in the Derby chess congress when there was a lot of snow that weekend and he was still barefoot! Dont know if he still plays chess as I have not played in the North Midlands league for a long time

Sounds like Alan Robinson of Ashfield - still playing in the Notts League.

Henry Bird wore a top hat. Do I win £5?

I remember seeing David Bronstein playing wearing a bobble hat, overcoat and gloves. (It was on the pier at Hastings.)

Ian Kingston wrote:

Peter Sharpe wrote:I remember playing a chess match in the North Midlands League for AGD against Sutton about 20 years ago. My opponent (i think his name is Robinson) wore a hat, a white doctor coat and walked barefoot. I remember he was playing in the Derby chess congress when there was a lot of snow that weekend and he was still barefoot! Dont know if he still plays chess as I have not played in the North Midlands league for a long time

Sounds like Alan Robinson of Ashfield - still playing in the Notts League.

yes, it is Alan Robinson. Does he still have very long hair, wearing the same hat, white doctor coat and walking barefoot?

I have been known to wear an Angels baseball cap at the board.

Peter Sharpe wrote:

Ian Kingston wrote:

Peter Sharpe wrote:I remember playing a chess match in the North Midlands League for AGD against Sutton about 20 years ago. My opponent (i think his name is Robinson) wore a hat, a white doctor coat and walked barefoot. I remember he was playing in the Derby chess congress when there was a lot of snow that weekend and he was still barefoot! Dont know if he still plays chess as I have not played in the North Midlands league for a long time

Sounds like Alan Robinson of Ashfield - still playing in the Notts League.

yes, it is Alan Robinson. Does he still have very long hair, wearing the same hat, white doctor coat and walking barefoot?

Still barefoot; definitely no white coat; hat not ringing any bells; hair not that long (collar length). Desperate time trouble addict: I once saw him spend 70 minutes over his first five moves, leaving just five minutes for the next 30. The result was exactly what you'd expect.

Random - sorry - wasn't there a guy called Kevin of the Teachers who used to go around barefoot too? Or have I dreamed him?

I can definitely remember Mark wearing a hat in the 1980s - a sort of green sun hat, suited him.

I recall one opponent from my days in inter-county junior tournaments who played the entire game with a baseball cap pulled right down over her face. I don't wish to use it as an excuse for the result, since she was clearly better than me anyway, but I did find it somewhat disconcerting not to be able to see who I was playing.