Chess history trivia

Historical knowledge and information regarding our great game.
Leonard Barden
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Leonard Barden » Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:55 pm

Isn't Hugh Alexander an equally good answer?

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John Saunders
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Saunders » Thu Feb 24, 2022 4:36 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:26 pm
MJMcCready wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:10 pm
Which former varsity match competitor went on to be given a C.B.E by the queen?
T W Robbins CBE, who played for Cambridge in each of the four years from 1969 to 1972.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Robbins
That's one correct answer - there are at least seven more. Hugh Alexander, Herbert Bewley, Brebis Bleaney, Denis Mardle, Joseph Smith, Sir Duncan Watson, Demis Hassabis. Others received CBEs from previous monarchs. Not much of a quiz question, really.
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Ian Thompson
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Ian Thompson » Thu Feb 24, 2022 4:48 pm

John Saunders wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 4:36 pm
David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:26 pm
MJMcCready wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:10 pm
Which former varsity match competitor went on to be given a C.B.E by the queen?
T W Robbins CBE, who played for Cambridge in each of the four years from 1969 to 1972.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Robbins
That's one correct answer - there are at least seven more. Hugh Alexander, Herbert Bewley, Brebis Bleaney, Denis Mardle, Joseph Smith, Sir Duncan Watson, Demis Hassabis. Others received CBEs from previous monarchs. Not much of a quiz question, really.
I wondered if the significance of the question was that it was presented to the recipient by the queen, not some other member of the Royal family?

I'm sure we can all think of a chess player with an OBE who'd like us to believe that the queen made a point of presenting it to him personally.

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MJMcCready
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by MJMcCready » Thu Feb 24, 2022 4:55 pm

David Sedgwick wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:26 pm
MJMcCready wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:10 pm
Which former varsity match competitor went on to be given a C.B.E by the queen?
T W Robbins CBE, who played for Cambridge in each of the four years from 1969 to 1972.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Robbins
Thanks, so there's more than one then because it's not who I was thinking of.

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Thu Feb 24, 2022 5:01 pm

The question about Sir Walter Parratt was solved in three minutes, so it is time for a stiffer challenge.

Most writers about Paul Morphy have taken the view that his mental illness began many years after his chess career. However, one top player, who shortly afterwards became world champion, implied that the illness came on soon after he had defeated all the great players of his time. Who?

David McAlister
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by David McAlister » Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:22 am

John Townsend wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 5:01 pm
Most writers about Paul Morphy have taken the view that his mental illness began many years after his chess career. However, one top player, who shortly afterwards became world champion, implied that the illness came on soon after he had defeated all the great players of his time. Who?
I'm not sure that this quotation completely fits the bill but in his thoughtful, sincere, generous but not uncritical tribute, "Paul Morphy and the Play of His Time" Steinitz, when discussing the frequent assertion that Morphy "beat all his opponents with the greatest facility" said: "we consider it our duty to record our opinion that over-exertion at an early age may have been at least a contributory cause of the calamitous break-down of Paul Morphy's intellect."
[See Volume 1 (1885) of The International Chess Magazine"]

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:43 am

That is a very interesting quote, David, and I agree it has some of the attributes required of the answer. The actual solution suggests that Morphy's brain gave way not long after his sensational successes.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:20 am

John Saunders wrote:
Thu Feb 24, 2022 4:36 pm
That's one correct answer - there are at least seven more.
I expect there would be quite a few with OBEs including the one who used it as part of his email address.

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:29 pm

Solution to the Morphy question:

Emanuel Lasker wrote of Morphy in The London Chess Fortnightly, 30 April 1893, on page 134:
"In truth "his sun went down whilst it was yet day", for he was but a youth when he overthrew the great masters of his time. Then the delicate brain gave way, and the rest is silence."
For some discussion of Lasker and chess history, see Edward Winter's article, Dr Lasker’s Chess History:

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/lasker.html

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Tue Mar 01, 2022 2:43 pm

Which glass engineer once drew a match against a player who later became world champion?

John Collins
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Collins » Tue Mar 01, 2022 3:56 pm

Grigory Levenfish drew a match against Mikhail Botvinnik in 1937.

John Townsend
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by John Townsend » Tue Mar 01, 2022 4:30 pm

Yes, John, that's the answer. Well done.

Geoff Chandler
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Mar 02, 2022 12:03 am

That match, Botvinnik v Levenfish 1937 was first to 6 wins. It finished 5-5 with 3 draws.
Levenfish writing in 'Soviet Outcast' states that it was agreed before the match started
that if it ever reach 5 wins apiece then Levenfish would be declared the winner.

(therein hides a future trivia question. Which match did Botvinnik lose ceding draws odds?
Most will recall the 12-12 draw odds wins v Bronstein and Smyslov and then struggle.)

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MJMcCready
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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by MJMcCready » Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:19 am

Wasn't Levenfish the one they refused to allow to travel abroad? Was he not the preferred choice or did he do something wrong?

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Re: Chess history trivia

Post by David Sedgwick » Wed Mar 02, 2022 10:52 am

MJMcCready wrote:
Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:19 am
Wasn't Levenfish the one they refused to allow to travel abroad?
Yes, but that was later, after World War 2.

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