Chess history trivia

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
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John Upham
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Upham » Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:03 pm

Do you know of any other chess persons located at the Reading Cemetery since I could easily add it to my UK tour of chess related grave sites?
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John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:26 pm

John, I can't think of any others. It could be interesting if you found a monument for Kennedy. (I haven't heard of one, but I expect there was one).

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John Upham
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Upham » Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:31 pm

John Townsend wrote:
Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:26 pm
John, I can't think of any others. It could be interesting if you found a monument for Kennedy. (I haven't heard of one, but I expect there was one).
See https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/172 ... er-kennedy
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John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:45 pm

Ah, yes. Is there a transcription anywhere?

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Tue Dec 28, 2021 5:33 pm

The hi-res photo of that grave marker is here:

https://images.findagrave.com/photos/20 ... e6848.jpeg

The inscription reads (not 100% sure about 'AILSA HOUSE'):
IN MEMORY OF
HUGH ALEXANDER KENNEDY
BORN AT MADRAS AUGUST 22nd 1809
DIED AT AILSA HOUSE READING OCTOBER 22nd 1878
AFTER A VERY SHORT ILLNESS

"THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
I WILL FEAR NO EVIL FOR THOU ART WITH ME"

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Tue Dec 28, 2021 5:49 pm

Ailsa House is correct. It was in King's Road.

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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:20 am

Which variation of the King's Gambit was Queen Victoria partial to?

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:42 pm

I would guess it is the "Adelaide" variation, as Victoria's mother was Queen Adelaide, whichI knew mainly from the pub in Teddington...

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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by David Sedgwick » Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:14 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:42 pm
I would guess it is the "Adelaide" variation, as Victoria's mother was Queen Adelaide, which I knew mainly from the pub in Teddington...
Your answer may be correct, but your reasoning is completely wrong.

Queen Victoria's mother was Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_ ... g-Saalfeld).

Queen Adelaide was the wife of King William IV. She had no children who survived infancy.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:52 pm

Know quite a few old King's Gambit variations, but must confess that one had escaped me.
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:04 pm

I haven't heard of the Adelaide variation, but it's probably better than what I played in a recent correspondence game. Anyway, that's not the answer.

This is a major line. I'll allow a couple more hours.

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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:06 pm

Oh well, history is not my speciality...

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John Upham
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Upham » Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:39 pm

OK, I will bite....

I''ll punt the Cunningham Variation and the connection is


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Cunningham

bound to be wrong!
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:54 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:52 pm
Know quite a few old King's Gambit variations, but must confess that one had escaped me.

It's a relatively modern development devised by Tony Miles and Australian IM Alex Wohl. I believe Wahls of Germany came up with the idea as well. It runs 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nc6 3.Nf3 f5 , Some of the moves, particularly if play contunues with d3 and Nc3 by White and d6 and Nf6 by Black are mirrors of the Tarrasch structures in the Queens Gambit. Other ideas are just difficult and bizarre as often the case in the Kings Gambit.

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:04 pm

Ah, know the line - just didn't know its name.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

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