Chess history trivia

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Tim Harding » Sun Mar 20, 2022 6:46 pm

Whoops, yes, van de not van der. Bob is I believe an acknowledged expert in bridge history as well as being, for a time at least, chairman of the Chess History and Literature Society.
I only had a quick glance at the book when doing my post and didn't check the spelling.
I read the chapter in question months ago so I am not going to attempt to summarise it.
However it's probably the most complete coverage of Lasker's bridge activities (unless there is more in the original German edition which I don't have). The book also has chapters about Go, Lasca etc. etc.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

James Pratt
Posts: 521
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:10 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by James Pratt » Sun Mar 20, 2022 8:31 pm

Bronstein once spoke to me about translation of a book in German, 'The Hand of Cards', I think by Lasker. David wanted Otto Hardy to do the work but the latter seemed to think he was being roped in with no money on offer. No idea if this was resolved but the mix-up was typical and not something I managed to resolve. I suppose this would have been about 30 years ago.

John Townsend
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Mon Mar 21, 2022 12:24 pm

While Edward Winter is still fresh in our minds, forumites will be interested to learn that he has just posted a compilation of 23 Alekhine-related feature articles:

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/ext ... icles.html

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by MJMcCready » Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:32 am

What was the first chess book in English called and who printed it?

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:56 am

The Game And Playe Of The Chesse, Caxton
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Reg Clucas
Posts: 598
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 3:45 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Reg Clucas » Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:09 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:56 am
The Game And Playe Of The Chesse, Caxton
I believe it was the first printed book on any subject.

Edit: I thought maybe I'd better verify this, which was told to me by my primary school teacher over 60 years ago. It looks like it no longer holds this title - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_ ... the_Chesse

User avatar
John Upham
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Upham » Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:22 pm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recuyell_ ... s_of_Troye refers to the

Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye printed in 1464 and is the first book to be printed in English rather than Middle English or some other variant.
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess :D

John Townsend
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:58 am

Which famous English player was born in Somerset, gained his M.D. degree at Edinburgh, and died in a village near Swansea?

(corrected to remove an inaccuracy)

John Townsend
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:00 pm

Answer: Thomas Bowdler.

User avatar
Gerard Killoran
Posts: 1003
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:51 am
Contact:

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Gerard Killoran » Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:22 pm

John Townsend wrote:
Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:58 am
Which famous English player was born in Somerset, gained his M.D. degree at Edinburgh, and died in a village near Swansea?

(corrected to remove an inaccuracy)
Most sources give his birthplace as Box, near to Bath. Whereas Bath is indeed in Somerset, Box is just over the border in Wiltshire.

John Townsend
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Tue Jun 28, 2022 8:28 pm

His parents lived at Ashley, which was in the parish of Box, where he was baptized. So, assuming he was born there, yes, it's Wiltshire. Thank you for pointing that out.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by MJMcCready » Fri Jul 08, 2022 2:12 pm

I wonder if you fielded teams of 19th and 20th century players Baptised V Unbaptised, which teams would be stronger.

Tim Harding
Posts: 2318
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Contact:

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Tim Harding » Fri Jul 08, 2022 3:06 pm

MJMcCready wrote:
Fri Jul 08, 2022 2:12 pm
I wonder if you fielded teams of 19th and 20th century players Baptised V Unbaptised, which teams would be stronger.
Are we talking UK residents only here? And how many boards?

If so, the 19th century Unbaptised team looks pretty strong, headed by Lasker and Steinitz. I am not sure about Blackburne but I have found no evidence of a baptism and his sister only got baptised shortly before her marriage, so he is probably board 3.
Then probably Gunsberg unless he had an adult baptism (his 2nd and 3rd wives were Christian).

Zukertort might lead the Baptised team.
Tim Harding
Historian and FIDE Arbiter

Author of 'Steinitz in London,' British Chess Literature to 1914', 'Joseph Henry Blackburne: A Chess Biography', and 'Eminent Victorian Chess Players'
http://www.chessmail.com

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Jul 09, 2022 2:37 am

20th century would be quite different.

John Townsend
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Sat Sep 17, 2022 11:39 am

Charles Tomlinson wrote that the last illness of Labourdonnais was said to have been occasioned by the mental strain of a blindfold game. Whatever your views on the likelihood of that, the question is: Who was said to have been his opponent in that game?

Post Reply