Champions' Names

[John Saunders]

Moving on:

LG O'Neill was from Taunton's School Southampton and described, rather vaguely, as 'about the oldest competitor' by the BCM, so was presumably born in 1918/1919.

The only two LG O'Neills I can find from those years were both Leonard G O'Neill, both born in 1918, one in Birkenhead and one in Cardiff.

AR Duff was from County High School, Leyton. Alan R Duff's birth was registered in 1922 in West Ham so I guess that's him.

Periodically I have a look at British Champion's names to see if additional material added to the internet can help identify anyone.

I'm now confident that I can identify the 1936 British Boys' Champion, L G O'Neill. A newspaper report (Hampshire Advertiser & Southampton Times, 2 May 1936) mentioned that he wouldn't turn 18 until August 1936 and, as Richard informed us in 2010, he was a pupil at Taunton's School, Southampton.

He was Lewis Gregg O'Neill, born in Cappoquin, County Waterford, Ireland, on 3 August 1918. The newspaper report cited above said that he started playing chess aged nine (while he was at Bevois Town Primary School) and that he had been at Taunton's School, Southampton, from 1929.

Although he will not be 18 until August, O Neill has passed the Higher Certificate examination of the university of London and Part One Inter-B.Sc.(Econ.). He has been in the sixth form at Taunton’s for the past two years, and this year took a leading part in the school's opera. Formerly he was in the school orchestra. Any spare time he fills in with the Southampton Sea Angling Society

He was active in local chess in the second half of the 1930s but thereafter I couldn't find any chess references. He appears twice in the 1939 Census, which gave me his d.o.b. During the war he had a number of letters published in regional newspapers (showing his Southampton address) exhorting people to volunteer as nurses. Thereafter I lost track of him until 1964 when he defended himself in a London magistrates' court on a minor parking charge (and got off with an absolute discharge). His occupation then was given as teacher. He died the following year in London, on 5 April 1965, aged 46.

BCM, June 1936, ppn 268-269, gives one of his games, plus another part-game. BCM tells us that both opponents had refused draws.

[Event "GBR-ch U18 Final"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1936.04.24"] [Round "1"] [White "O'Neill, Lewis Gregg"] [Black "Duff, Alan Richard"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C01"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "1936.04.24"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "GBR"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 5. Be2 Bf5 6. Bf4 Bd6 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 O-O 10. O-O-O Nbd7 11. Qg3 Qxg3 12. hxg3 c6 13. f3 b5 14. Nh3 Rfe8 15. Nf4 Nb6 16. b3 a5 17. a4 bxa4 18. Nxa4 Nxa4 19. bxa4 Rab8 20. Nd3 Nd7 21. Kd2 Nb6 22. Nb2 Nc8 23. Rhe1 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 Nd6 25. Nd3 Nf5 26. Ne5 Nxd4 27. Kd3 Ne6 28. Nxc6 Rb6 29. Ne7+ Kf8 30. Nxd5 Rd6 31. c4 Nc5+ 32. Kd4 Nxa4 33. Ra1 Nb6 34. Kc5 Nc8 35. Rxa5 Ke8 36. Ra8 Kd7 37. Rxc8 Rxd5+ 38. Kxd5 Kxc8 39. Kd6 { "and wins". Source: BCM, June 1936, p268} 1-0
[Event "GBR-ch U18 Final"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1936.04.??"] [Round "?"] [White "O'Neill, Lewis Gregg"] [Black "Dunton, Ralph Frederick"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "7k/3Pr3/6b1/4pp2/8/4P1K1/8/8 w - - 0 52"] [PlyCount "1"] [EventDate "1936.04.24"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "GBR"] 52. d8=Q+ {Source: BCM, June 1936, p269} ({"The concluding position of O'Neill v. Dunton was as diagram after} 52. d8=Q+ {, Resigns. After} Re8 53. Qf6+ Kh7 { it will be seen that White would have extraordinary difficulty in winning." (BCM)}) 1-0

[Richard James]

Moving on:

LG O'Neill was from Taunton's School Southampton and described, rather vaguely, as 'about the oldest competitor' by the BCM, so was presumably born in 1918/1919.

The only two LG O'Neills I can find from those years were both Leonard G O'Neill, both born in 1918, one in Birkenhead and one in Cardiff.

AR Duff was from County High School, Leyton. Alan R Duff's birth was registered in 1922 in West Ham so I guess that's him.

Periodically I have a look at British Champion's names to see if additional material added to the internet can help identify anyone.

I'm now confident that I can identify the 1936 British Boys' Champion, L G O'Neill. A newspaper report (Hampshire Advertiser & Southampton Times, 2 May 1936) mentioned that he wouldn't turn 18 until August 1936 and, as Richard informed us in 2010, he was a pupil at Taunton's School, Southampton.

He was Lewis Gregg O'Neill, born in Cappoquin, County Waterford, Ireland, on 3 August 1918. The newspaper report cited above said that he started playing chess aged nine (while he was at Bevois Town Primary School) and that he had been at Taunton's School, Southampton, from 1929.

Although he will not be 18 until August, O Neill has passed the Higher Certificate examination of the university of London and Part One Inter-B.Sc.(Econ.). He has been in the sixth form at Taunton’s for the past two years, and this year took a leading part in the school's opera. Formerly he was in the school orchestra. Any spare time he fills in with the Southampton Sea Angling Society

He was active in local chess in the second half of the 1930s but thereafter I couldn't find any chess references. He appears twice in the 1939 Census, which gave me his d.o.b. During the war he had a number of letters published in regional newspapers (showing his Southampton address) exhorting people to volunteer as nurses. Thereafter I lost track of him until 1964 when he defended himself in a London magistrates' court on a minor parking charge (and got off with an absolute discharge). His occupation then was given as teacher. He died the following year in London, on 5 April 1965, aged 46.

BCM, June 1936, ppn 268-269, gives one of his games, plus another part-game. BCM tells us that both opponents had refused draws.

[Event "GBR-ch U18 Final"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1936.04.24"] [Round "1"] [White "O'Neill, Lewis Gregg"] [Black "Duff, Alan Richard"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C01"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "1936.04.24"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "GBR"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 5. Be2 Bf5 6. Bf4 Bd6 7. Bxd6 Qxd6 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 O-O 10. O-O-O Nbd7 11. Qg3 Qxg3 12. hxg3 c6 13. f3 b5 14. Nh3 Rfe8 15. Nf4 Nb6 16. b3 a5 17. a4 bxa4 18. Nxa4 Nxa4 19. bxa4 Rab8 20. Nd3 Nd7 21. Kd2 Nb6 22. Nb2 Nc8 23. Rhe1 Rxe1 24. Rxe1 Nd6 25. Nd3 Nf5 26. Ne5 Nxd4 27. Kd3 Ne6 28. Nxc6 Rb6 29. Ne7+ Kf8 30. Nxd5 Rd6 31. c4 Nc5+ 32. Kd4 Nxa4 33. Ra1 Nb6 34. Kc5 Nc8 35. Rxa5 Ke8 36. Ra8 Kd7 37. Rxc8 Rxd5+ 38. Kxd5 Kxc8 39. Kd6 { "and wins". Source: BCM, June 1936, p268} 1-0
[Event "GBR-ch U18 Final"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1936.04.??"] [Round "?"] [White "O'Neill, Lewis Gregg"] [Black "Dunton, Ralph Frederick"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "7k/3Pr3/6b1/4pp2/8/4P1K1/8/8 w - - 0 52"] [PlyCount "1"] [EventDate "1936.04.24"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "GBR"] 52. d8=Q+ {Source: BCM, June 1936, p269} ({"The concluding position of O'Neill v. Dunton was as diagram after} 52. d8=Q+ {, Resigns. After} Re8 53. Qf6+ Kh7 { it will be seen that White would have extraordinary difficulty in winning." (BCM)}) 1-0

I'm sure you're correct. I'd discovered Lewis Gregg O'Neill a couple of years ago and had intended to tell you, but never got round to it.

At the same time I looked up AWJ Down and decided he was probably Alfred William James Down (born 15 November 1915 Wandsworth, died 11 September 2007 Exeter). Down the chess player was a pupil at the Royal Grammar School Guildford. Alfred was living in Guildford with his parents in the 1939 Register, working as a Telephone Telegraphic Fitter. In 1958 he was living in Watford and working as a teacher, but sailed to Jamaica with his wife Emily Ruth (they married the previous year), intending to stay there permanently.

[Neil Blackburn]

Alfred Mortlock. Alan Richard Duff.

[Paul Dupré]

Alfred W J Down - SCCA Slater-Kennington winner 1932

Still showing as Arthur, where did Arthur come from
https://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/britchamps.html

[Paul Dupré]

Extract from West Sussex Gazette - Thursday 20 February 1936 headed "By-Pass Fatality".

Leaving a friend's house after he had finished a game of chess Mr. Frederick William Kay (76), of Avalon, Stockton-road, Guildford, was knocked down by a car and fatally injured on the by-pass road on Thursday evening. Mr. William Alfred Down, with whom the deceased had been playing chess, witnessed the accident, and at the inquest on Friday said the road was clear when Mr. Kay started to cross.

William Alfred Down - father of Alfred W J Down (member of Guildford chess club in 1949 - when he played D. V. Hooper of Redhill)
1939 both lived at 25 Ladymead, Guildford (which is next to a dual carriageway)

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Alfred W J Down - SCCA Slater-Kennington winner 1932
Still showing as Arthur, where did Arthur come from
https://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/britchamps.html

Richard James suggested that A W J Down was probably Alfred W J Down rather than Arthur W J Down back in 2010!
viewtopic.php?t=2129&start=15
The GRO index of births gives his full name as Alfred William James Down (mother's maiden name Simmonds).

[Gerard Killoran]

Down, but not out...

[Event "British Boys U18"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1932.04.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Down , Alfred William James"] [Black "Bufton, John Edward Lewis"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A05"] [Opening "Reti: Nimzovich-Larsen attack"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. b3 d5 3. Bb2 Nbd7 4. e3 e6 5. d4 g6 6. Bd3 Bg7 7. c4 O-O 8. Nbd2 b6 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. O-O Bb7 11. Rc1 Rc8 12. Nc4 Ba6 13. Nce5 Bxd3 14. Nxd3 Re8 15. Qd2 N5f6 16. Nde5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 c5 18. Rfd1 Nd7 19. Nxd7 Qxd7 20. dxc5 Qxd2 21. Rxd2 Bxb2 22. Rxb2 Rxc5 23. Rxc5 bxc5 24. Rc2 Rd8 25. Kf1 Rd5 26. Rc4 Kf8 27. e4 Rd2 28. Ra4 Rd7 29. Ra5 Rc7 30. Ke2 Ke7 31. Kd3 Kd6 32. Kc4 f6 33. f4 e5 34. fxe5+ Kxe5 35. Rxc5+ Rxc5+ 36. Kxc5 Kxe4 37. b4 Ke3 38. Kb5 f5 39. Ka6 f4 40. Kxa7 Kf2 41. b5 Kxg2 42. b6 f3 43. b7 f2 44. b8=Q f1=Q 45. Qb2+ Qf2+ 46. Qxf2+ Kxf2 47. a4 g5 48. a5 g4 49. a6 Kg2 50. Kb8 Kxh2 51. a7 g3 52. a8=Q g2 53. Qa2 Kg3 54. Qg8+ Kf2 55. Qf7+ Kg3 56. Qg7+ Kf2 57. Qf6+ Kg3 58. Qg5+ Kf2 59. Qf4+ Ke2 60. Qg3 Kf1 61. Qf3+ {Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 16 April 1932 p.3} 1-0

The printed score gave 47. Q-Kt7 ch Q-B6 which makes no sense.

[John Saunders]

Down, but not out...

[Event "British Boys U18"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1932.04.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Down , Alfred William James"] [Black "Bufton, John Edward Lewis"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A05"] [Opening "Reti: Nimzovich-Larsen attack"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. b3 d5 3. Bb2 Nbd7 4. e3 e6 5. d4 g6 6. Bd3 Bg7 7. c4 O-O 8. Nbd2 b6 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. O-O Bb7 11. Rc1 Rc8 12. Nc4 Ba6 13. Nce5 Bxd3 14. Nxd3 Re8 15. Qd2 N5f6 16. Nde5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 c5 18. Rfd1 Nd7 19. Nxd7 Qxd7 20. dxc5 Qxd2 21. Rxd2 Bxb2 22. Rxb2 Rxc5 23. Rxc5 bxc5 24. Rc2 Rd8 25. Kf1 Rd5 26. Rc4 Kf8 27. e4 Rd2 28. Ra4 Rd7 29. Ra5 Rc7 30. Ke2 Ke7 31. Kd3 Kd6 32. Kc4 f6 33. f4 e5 34. fxe5+ Kxe5 35. Rxc5+ Rxc5+ 36. Kxc5 Kxe4 37. b4 Ke3 38. Kb5 f5 39. Ka6 f4 40. Kxa7 Kf2 41. b5 Kxg2 42. b6 f3 43. b7 f2 44. b8=Q f1=Q 45. Qb2+ Qf2+ 46. Qxf2+ Kxf2 47. a4 g5 48. a5 g4 49. a6 Kg2 50. Kb8 Kxh2 51. a7 g3 52. a8=Q g2 53. Qa2 Kg3 54. Qg8+ Kf2 55. Qf7+ Kg3 56. Qg7+ Kf2 57. Qf6+ Kg3 58. Qg5+ Kf2 59. Qf4+ Ke2 60. Qg3 Kf1 61. Qf3+ {Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 16 April 1932 p.3} 1-0

The printed score gave 47. Q-Kt7 ch Q-B6 which makes no sense.

Thanks, Gerard. I have added this to my collection (to go up on BritBase in due course). I had a look at the newspaper score and have a quibble with your transcription: on move 45, White played 45 Qb7+ Qf3 46 Qxf3+ Kxf3, etc.

Screenshot 2024-05-10 191515.png

Apologies for the Arthur/Alfred Down error - now fixed.

[Gerard Killoran]

Hi John

Thanks, Gerard. I have added this to my collection (to go up on BritBase in due course). I had a look at the newspaper score and have a quibble with your transcription: on move 45, White played 45 Qb7+ Qf3 46 Qxf3+ Kxf3, etc.

I didn't think this made sense (see my note above where I said move 47 by mistake.) After 45 Qb7+, Black can play Kh2. This loses the h and g pawns, but leads to an almost certainly drawn Q+RP v Q ending. I thought White would have played 45. Qb2+ to keep the h pawn with the trap that 45...Qf2+ only forces a losing pawn ending for Black.

[John Saunders]

Hi John

Thanks, Gerard. I have added this to my collection (to go up on BritBase in due course). I had a look at the newspaper score and have a quibble with your transcription: on move 45, White played 45 Qb7+ Qf3 46 Qxf3+ Kxf3, etc.

I didn't think this made sense (see my note above where I said move 47 by mistake.) After 45 Qb7+, Black can play Kh2. This loses the h and g pawns, but leads to an almost certainly drawn Q+RP v Q ending. I thought White would have played 45. Qb2+ to keep the h pawn with the trap that 45...Qf2+ only forces a losing pawn ending for Black.

There's no real difference between 45 Qb2+ and 45 Qb7+ in terms of objective move quality. Both lead to a draw with best play, but we have to take into account the standard of the players. Teenage players in those days didn't have anything like the knowledge that their modern equivalents have, given the massive difference in resources and opportunities available to them, and this deficiency was probably most noticeable in the endgame. Black's lack of knowledge of a relatively simple endgame had manifested itself in the 1931 Boys' Championship where he also allowed a lost king and pawn endgame as follows:

[Event "British Boys ch"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1931.04.??"] [White "Craddock, James Marston"] [Black "Bufton, John Edward Lewis"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/p7/1pp1k1n1/3p1p2/3P2Bp/2P1K3/PP3P1P/8 w - - 0 38"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "1931.04.14"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventCountry "ENG"] {[#]} 38. Bh5 Kf6 $4 (38... Nf8 {and Black is still well in the game.}) 39. Bxg6 Kxg6 40. Kf4 Kf6 41. b4 a6 42. a4 a5 43. bxa5 bxa5 44. h3 Kg6 45. Ke5 Kg5 46. f4+ {Source: The Times, 17 April 1931, p9} 1-0

Going back to Down-Bufton, it's not difficult to imagine that an inexperienced player might have thought that the Q+RPvQ endgame was winnable for White and so played to avoid it.

However, rather than plump for either version, when the time comes to publish on BritBase, I'll give 45 Qb7+ as the main line (as it conforms to the printed source) but also mentioning 45 Qb2+ as a possible score amendment as it is arguably better in terms of practical chances for White.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Hi John

Thanks, Gerard. I have added this to my collection (to go up on BritBase in due course). I had a look at the newspaper score and have a quibble with your transcription: on move 45, White played 45 Qb7+ Qf3 46 Qxf3+ Kxf3, etc.

I didn't think this made sense (see my note above where I said move 47 by mistake.) After 45 Qb7+, Black can play Kh2. This loses the h and g pawns, but leads to an almost certainly drawn Q+RP v Q ending. I thought White would have played 45. Qb2+ to keep the h pawn with the trap that 45...Qf2+ only forces a losing pawn ending for Black.

It's not a trivial draw, though, and I could easily see black losing that in practice.

[Gerard Killoran]

It's not a trivial draw, though, and I could easily see black losing that in practice

.

I've only had it once OTB, and as I was resigning myself to a long - and probably futile - attempt to win, my opponent allowed a cross-check almost immediately. As I recall, the drawing technique is to put your King in the opposite corner to the Queening square, and in this case it already is. I doubt I'd hold it against Magnus somehow.