Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:38 pm
- Location: London
Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
Cobie was my mother and she would have been 100 years old today, 9th February 2023. Sadly I am not a chess player myself but I thought these press cuttings and photos might be of interest to this community. She was taught how to play by my father, Ronald Wilson Ives, who at the time wrote the chess column for the Yorkshire Evening Post.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Ingrid Ives on Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:38 pm
- Location: London
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
More photos and press cuttings including one with my father, Ronald ('Ronnie') Wilson Ives, who taught her how to play chess.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Ingrid Ives on Fri Feb 10, 2023 11:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 5852
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
Excellent - thank you!
-
- Posts: 8479
- Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:28 pm
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
Yes, it is wonderful that these pictures and articles have been preserved. You would think this is much easier in the internet age, but we can only hope that turns out to be true.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a QR code stamped on a human face — forever.
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:38 pm
- Location: London
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
It is lovely, Nick. Both of my parents kept all their press cuttings and chess photos (we have quite a collection!) and as a family, we treasure them. Mum was, and remains, an inspiration to myself, to my sisters and to her grandchildren. It's hard to imagine now but it really was unusual for a 'mere' woman to play in congresses in those days, or play chess at all for that matter. Smiling, Mum would tell us stories about some of the men becoming really annoyed if she beat them. Thankfully, times have changed.NickFaulks wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 11:22 amYes, it is wonderful that these pictures and articles have been preserved. You would think this is much easier in the internet age, but we can only hope that turns out to be true.
-
- Posts: 3576
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:31 pm
- Location: Awbridge, Hampshire
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
If you were a chess player you would know that that aspect of playing chess has not changed.Ingrid Ives wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 11:51 amSmiling, Mum would tell us stories about some of the men becoming really annoyed if she beat them. Thankfully, times have changed.
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:38 pm
- Location: London
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
That's interesting to hear, but also quite sad. I didn't know.Ian Thompson wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:15 pmIf you were a chess player you would know that that aspect of playing chess has not changed.Ingrid Ives wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 11:51 amSmiling, Mum would tell us stories about some of the men becoming really annoyed if she beat them. Thankfully, times have changed.
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:38 pm
- Location: London
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
This newspaper seems quite astonished that a woman could 'help' with the win. I shouldn't laugh, but honestly....??!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Posts: 1736
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:10 pm
- Location: Kingston-upon-Thames
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
Fascinating material - thanks very much for sharing.
The Yorkshire Chess History website has a biographical record for Ronnie and Cobie Ives: https://mannchess.org.uk/People/Ives,Ro ... Jacoba.htm
There is one game played by Ronnie Ives at BritBase.info
The Yorkshire Chess History website has a biographical record for Ronnie and Cobie Ives: https://mannchess.org.uk/People/Ives,Ro ... Jacoba.htm
There is one game played by Ronnie Ives at BritBase.info
Personal Twitter @johnchess
Britbase https://www.britbase.info
(I prefer email to PM - contact me via this link - https://www.saund.org.uk/email.html)
Britbase https://www.britbase.info
(I prefer email to PM - contact me via this link - https://www.saund.org.uk/email.html)
-
- Posts: 211
- Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:22 pm
- Location: Wakefield
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
I have some old Wakefield Chess Club minute books where she is mentioned a couple of times. There are a couple of newspaper cuttings of Woodhouse Cup results from 1947 before she was married. Miss Rosema lost both games, to Miss G Wilson and SC Wheuay. Then in the 1951 AGM minutes it is recorded that she finished in 'second place in a second class section at Ilford'. Meanwhile in the same minutes Mr Ives won the Kitchin correspondence tournament.
-
- Posts: 607
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 3:45 pm
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
One thing I noticed in the report of the event at Thoresby High School - "The players must make at least 20 moves every hour....Juniors are allowed an extra four moves." The word 'allowed' is a bit puzzling - it seems to imply a concession - does this mean they only had to make 16 moves? It would be more appropriate if they had to make extra moves!
-
- Posts: 21353
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
Perhaps a journalist not understanding move rates. It could have been 40 in two hours for adults and 36 in 90 minutes for juniors. But this was the eraly 1950s, so perhaps the move rates were not as set in stone as they might have appeared fifteen years or so ater when I first encountered them. If it was a Congress then 20 per hour and 24 per hour for juniors in the adjourned sessions.Reg Clucas wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:51 pmOne thing I noticed in the report of the event at Thoresby High School - "The players must make at least 20 moves every hour....Juniors are allowed an extra four moves."
-
- Posts: 3576
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:31 pm
- Location: Awbridge, Hampshire
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
I noticed that and assumed it meant 24 moves in an hour for juniors.Reg Clucas wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:51 pmOne thing I noticed in the report of the event at Thoresby High School - "The players must make at least 20 moves every hour....Juniors are allowed an extra four moves." The word 'allowed' is a bit puzzling - it seems to imply a concession - does this mean they only had to make 16 moves? It would be more appropriate if they had to make extra moves!
That report also says "one woman settled down for a pleasant game of chess - scheduled to last about 24 hours - ...". I think it's safe to assume the journalist was not a chess player. What did he mean? Perhaps 24 hours of play in total for the whole event. That's plausible as one of the other reports says the YCA Easter Congress was a 3 day event, so 2 games per day each lasting about 4 hours would fit.
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:38 pm
- Location: London
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
Thank you so much for posting this information. It would have meant so much to Mum to have known one of Ronnie's games was online. I'll be sure to share this with my family, some of whom do play chess.John Saunders wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 1:06 pmFascinating material - thanks very much for sharing.
The Yorkshire Chess History website has a biographical record for Ronnie and Cobie Ives: https://mannchess.org.uk/People/Ives,Ro ... Jacoba.htm
There is one game played by Ronnie Ives at BritBase.info
I'll post some of Ronnie's press cuttings a bit later too, as his name has cropped up.
Last edited by Ingrid Ives on Fri Feb 10, 2023 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 2:38 pm
- Location: London
Re: Jacoba ('Cobie') Ives - First Woman to Play for Yorkshire County
Again, thank you so much for posting this. If it's not too much trouble, I would love to see a scan or photo of what you have? I don't think we have any material from before my parents were married in 1948.Peter Shaw wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 3:58 pmI have some old Wakefield Chess Club minute books where she is mentioned a couple of times. There are a couple of newspaper cuttings of Woodhouse Cup results from 1947 before she was married. Miss Rosema lost both games, to Miss G Wilson and SC Wheuay. Then in the 1951 AGM minutes it is recorded that she finished in 'second place in a second class section at Ilford'. Meanwhile in the same minutes Mr Ives won the Kitchin correspondence tournament.
Last edited by Ingrid Ives on Fri Feb 10, 2023 5:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.