Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
-
- Posts: 8844
- Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 2:34 am
- Location: London
Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
Recalling this thread, which looked again at professors and other academics who are also known for playing chess, I noticed that Demis Hassabis was (last year) made a Fellow of the Royal Society (which is hugely impressive):
Demis Hassabis (Wikpedia)
Glad to see a good photo up there now (no need to use mine from the World Championships last year!).
I suspect there is a good deal of overlap between professors and FRS, but it is rare for FRS to not be professors (as far as I am aware).
Maybe the first AI professor is not too far away...
Demis Hassabis (Wikpedia)
Glad to see a good photo up there now (no need to use mine from the World Championships last year!).
I suspect there is a good deal of overlap between professors and FRS, but it is rare for FRS to not be professors (as far as I am aware).
Maybe the first AI professor is not too far away...
-
- Posts: 10364
- Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
- Location: Somewhere you're not
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
-
- Posts: 1932
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:44 pm
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
One name I don't think I've seen mentioned in this forum, although he's sufficiently well-known that this is probably due to lack of rigour on my part, is that of Dr Jacob Bronowski, a polymath probably best remembered for "The Ascent of Man" and a member inter alia of the Royal Society of Literature. I recall playing him in, I think, 1963 or 1964 when I was too young and naïve to have heard of him. Older team-mates evidently knew of his reputation and were suitably impressed when I emerged with a draw. Dr Bronowski died in 1974. I hesitate to assess his playing strength, and possibly others will have relevant data, but would guess at 170 or higher.
-
- Posts: 5249
- Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:56 pm
- Location: Croydon
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
He gave his name to the Bronowski Trophy Competition, in which you captained the Insurance team once upon a time.Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:59 pmOne name I don't think I've seen mentioned in this forum, although he's sufficiently well-known that this is probably due to lack of rigour on my part, is that of Dr Jacob Bronowski, a polymath probably best remembered for "The Ascent of Man" and a member inter alia of the Royal Society of Literature. I recall playing him in, I think, 1963 or 1964 when I was too young and naïve to have heard of him. Older team-mates evidently knew of his reputation and were suitably impressed when I emerged with a draw. Dr Bronowski died in 1974. I hesitate to assess his playing strength, and possibly others will have relevant data, but would guess at 170 or higher.
https://bronowskitrophy.wordpress.com/
Edit: If you do a search by entering "Bronowski" in the box at the top right, you will find several references to the Competition and one or two to the man himself, in a thread about Bletchley Park.
-
- Posts: 1932
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:44 pm
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
David, I'd forgotten that but you're absolutely right. Once upon a time, indeed.David Sedgwick wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 4:20 pm
He gave his name to the Bronowski Trophy Competition, in which you captained the Insurance team once upon a time.
https://bronowskitrophy.wordpress.com/
Edit: If you do a search by entering "Bronowski" in the box at the top right, you will find several references to the Competition and one or two to the man himself, in a thread about Bletchley Park.
-
- Posts: 10364
- Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
- Location: Somewhere you're not
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
Which reminds me, Alan Turing may not have been a very good player, especially compared to some of the Bletchley Park people, but he did play, and made some contributions in the field of computer chess. He was a Fellow.
I wonder if Jonathan Mestel, like many other players, learned the moves from his father, Leon Mestel FRS.
I wonder if Jonathan Mestel, like many other players, learned the moves from his father, Leon Mestel FRS.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
lostontime.blogspot.com
-
- Posts: 967
- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:03 am
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
Well if anyone is playing at Southend this Easter they might bump into the congenial Jeremy Brockes who was elected to the Royal Society in 1994 and has taken to playing chess following his retirement as Professor of Structural & Molecular Biology (basically salamander regeneration) at UCL.
Jeremy has moved from a starting grade of around 120 to 140 in the most recent grading list. He’s a regular at Adam Raoof’s Hammersmith events and was prolific last November, winning the Preston Minor and was one of the runners-up in the 1825 section of the 4NCL International in Telford.
Jeremy has moved from a starting grade of around 120 to 140 in the most recent grading list. He’s a regular at Adam Raoof’s Hammersmith events and was prolific last November, winning the Preston Minor and was one of the runners-up in the 1825 section of the 4NCL International in Telford.
-
- Posts: 232
- Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:59 pm
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
"Bill", W.T.Tutte of Bletchley Park and University of Ontario, the great graph theorist and code-braker, gives Bletchley Park at least 2.
Historically has any other organisation done better?
Historically has any other organisation done better?
-
- Posts: 2326
- Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:46 pm
- Location: Dublin, Ireland
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
Let's not forget Nobel laureate Sir Robert Robinson (1886-1975) who was mentioned in the old thread linked from the first post of this one.
Shortly after WW2 Robinson was offered the presidency of the International Correspondence Chess Association (precursor of ICCF) but declined and B. H. Wood took it on.
Shortly after WW2 Robinson was offered the presidency of the International Correspondence Chess Association (precursor of ICCF) but declined and B. H. Wood took it on.
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
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
-
- Posts: 7270
- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
- Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
Whilst I was attending The University of Sussex to complete my D.Phil in Chemical Physics I was lucky to meet
Sir John Warcup "Kappa" Cornforth Jr. FRS (amongst other honours)
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cornforth
Sir John Warcup "Kappa" Cornforth Jr. FRS (amongst other honours)
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cornforth
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess
-
- Posts: 1295
- Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:12 pm
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
John Cornforth had a brief spell playing for Wycombe Wanderers - I didn't realise he was an FRS.
-
- Posts: 7270
- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
- Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
J T Melsom wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2019 1:30 pmJohn Cornforth had a brief spell playing for Wycombe Wanderers - I didn't realise he was an FRS.
There are at least two John Cornforths in the world.John Cornforth (born 7 October 1967 is a former Wales international football player and is now a coach, most recently Head Coach at English League Two side Torquay United. Originally from Whitley Bay in the north-east of England, Cornforth and his family have been settled in Devon for some time.
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess
-
- Posts: 490
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:57 pm
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
Dr Bronowski was famous for his " Ascent of Man" Television Series, and of course, a chess player. He is buried in the old part of Highgate Cemetery, London. I was astonished how easy it was, to find his grave. As you enter the old part of Highgate Cemetery, from Highgate Hill, his grave is right in front of the entrance.Roger Lancaster wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2019 3:59 pmOne name I don't think I've seen mentioned in this forum, although he's sufficiently well-known that this is probably due to lack of rigour on my part, is that of Dr Jacob Bronowski, a polymath probably best remembered for "The Ascent of Man" and a member inter alia of the Royal Society of Literature. I recall playing him in, I think, 1963 or 1964 when I was too young and naïve to have heard of him. Older team-mates evidently knew of his reputation and were suitably impressed when I emerged with a draw. Dr Bronowski died in 1974. I hesitate to assess his playing strength, and possibly others will have relevant data, but would guess at 170 or higher.
-
- Posts: 490
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:57 pm
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
In London during the 18th century, it was the Fellows of the Royal Academy that established the Chess Club, in St James Street. They employed one Francois Andre Danican Philidor as their chess coach, bringing him over from Paris, for the Season.
It was George Atwood who insisted on games being recorded, but sadly, against the great Philidor, they played him at Odds.
It was George Atwood who insisted on games being recorded, but sadly, against the great Philidor, they played him at Odds.
Re: Chess-playing Fellows of Royal Society
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks07/0700101h.html... If the weather is too cold or too rainy, I take refuge in the Regency Café. I like to watch the games of chess. The best chess players in the world are in Paris, and the best players in Paris are in the Regency Café. Here, in Rey's establishment, they battle it out--Legal the Profound, Philidor the Subtle, Mayot the Solid. One sees the most surprising moves and hears the stupidest remarks. For one can be an intelligent man and a great chess player, like Legal, but one can also be a great chess player and a fool, like Foubert and Mayot...