We’re going to leave Twickenham for a bit, but don’t worry. We’ll be back there soon.
I’ve received a couple of requests for information on other players, both of whom (and they had a few things in common) seemed suitable for a Minor Pieces post.
I received an email the other day from my friend Ken Norman, who had come across some games from a Dr A Learner, who was active in Sussex chess in the 1960s, in an old copy of CHESS and, perhaps intrigued by the name, wondered if I could provide any more information. He also contacted Brian Denman, who knows almost all there is to know about Sussex chess history. Brian provided Ken with a games file which he was happy for Ken to share with me.
He seems to have been an interesting man who led an interesting life.
He was Dr Abraham Emanuel Learner, although he didn’t very often use his middle name and seems to have been known to his family and friends as Bill. He was born in London on 13 December 1904 and died in Eastbourne, Sussex on 16 February 1983. Some records spell the family name ‘Lerner’.
We can pick the family up in the 1911 census. His father, Arnold, was described as an ‘incandescent and clothing dealer’, born in Russian Poland, as was his mother, Deby, a dressmaker. Arnold and Deby married in the East London Synagogue in Mile End, right at the heart of the Jewish community, on 15 October 1904, only two months before Abraham was born. Another son, Mark, arrived in 1906. Soon afterwards they left London for Gateshead, in the north east of England, where they welcomed two daughters, Goldie and Sophie. It seems that all four siblings married outside the Jewish faith, and all of them emigrated to Australia, although Abraham, or Bill as we should perhaps call him, later returned to his home country.
Bill studied chemistry at Birmingham University, eventually earning a doctorate. During his post-graduate or perhaps post-doctoral work between 1927 and 1928 he wrote three papers on the structure of fructose and inulin along with Norman Haworth, who would win the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1937, and, in two cases also with Edmund Hirst. I tried reading the papers but failed to get beyond the first paragraphs. If you want more information I’d suggest you contact Dr John Upham, who knows all about this sort of thing.
We first pick him up as a chess player in 1929. Here he is, playing on bottom board in a match between Birmingham and Bristol & Clifton, who fielded the great problemist Comins Mansfield on top board.
His loss against another doctor doesn’t appear in Brian’s games collection.
At about the same time he took part in a blindfold simul against George Koltanowski, winning with an attractive rook sacrifice. Kolty resigned, ‘seeing’ that a zigzag manoeuvre by the black queen would lead to a swift checkmate.
If you want to play through any of the games in this article you can copy the pgn and post here.
[Event “8 board blindfold simul: Birmingham”]
[Date “1929.??.??”]
[White “Koltanowski, George”]
[Black “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Result “0-1”]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 c6 7. a3 O-O 8. Qc2 Re8 9. Rd1 Nf8 10. Bd3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 Nd5 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. O-O Ng6 14. h3 Nxc3 15. Qxc3 Qc7 16. e4 Bd7 17. g3 Rad8 18. Ba2 Qc8 19. e5 c5 20. dxc5 Bc6 21. Nd2 Bd5 22. Bb1 Qc6 23. f4 Ne7 24. Rf2 Nf5 25. Bxf5 exf5 26. b4 Be4 27. Re1 Rd3 28. Qc1 Rxg3+ 29. Kh2 Rxh3+ 30. Kxh3 Qh6+ 0-1
Source: Staffordshire Advertiser 26-01-1929. The article states that the simultaneous took place ‘last week
In 1933 Bill Learner married Elsie Harris in Birmingham. They would have a son, named Arnold after his grandfather, who would predecease him, and a daughter, Vivienne.
During the 1930s Dr Learner continued to play for Birmingham, and for Worcestershire in county matches. In 1934, playing for his county against Oxfordshire, he was paired against another future Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Professor Robert Robinson, but lost that game. (Other chess playing, Nobel Prize winning chemists include Frederick Soddy and John Cornforth – might be worth a Minor Pieces series at some point.)
[Event “Worcs v Salop/Hereford B4”]
[Date “1934.11.24”]
[White “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Black “Pitt, Percy George”]
[Result “1-0”]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d4 Bxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. f4 Qe7 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nc3 O-O 10. f5 b6 11. Bg5 Qc5+ 12. Kh1 Qxc4 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Nd5 Kh8 15. Nxf6 Rg8 16. Qh5 Rg7 17. Rae1 Ba6 18. Rf3 Qb4 19. c3 Qxb2 20. Rg3 Qf2 21. Rg1 Bf1 22. Qh6 Rag8 23. Qxh7+ Rxh7 24. Rxg8# 1-0
In this spectacular win Dr Learner played a dangerous gambit, offered a passive bishop sacrifice and finally gave up his queen for an Arabian Mate. But Black had a chance to turn the tables. After 17. Rae1? (the immediate Rf3 was winning) Qxc2, the second player has a winning advantage. A game well worth your time analysing, I think.
We can see from these examples that Bill Learner was a sharp tactician.
By 1935 he was on top board for Worcestershire. A county match against Warwickshire saw him up against another famous opponent, future MP Julius Silverman. The result of this game was a draw. You’ll see a number of interesting names in both teams.
In a match against Leicestershire, his Stonewall Dutch scored a rather fortunate victory against Alfred Lenton (about whom you’ll hear a lot in future Minor Pieces) when his opponent, who shared 3rd place in the 1935 British Championship and 2nd place the following year, blundered in a winning position.
[Event “Worcestershire v Leicestershire B1”]
[Date “1935.12.07”]
[White “Lenton, Alfred”]
[Black “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Result “0-1”]
1. Nf3 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. Nc3 d5 7. b3 Ne4 8. Bb2 Bf6 9. d4 c6 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. e3 Qe8 12. Ne2 g5 13. Ne5 Qh5 14. Nxd7 Bxd7 15. Ba3 c5 16. f3 Nd6 17. Bxc5 Be7 18. cxd5 Rac8 19. dxe6 Bxe6 20. Qd3 Rf6 21. Rac1 Rcf8 22. e4 Rh6 23. e5 Qxh2+ 24. Kf2 Ne4+ 25. Ke1 Nxc5 26. dxc5 Qxg2 27. Rg1 Rh1 28. Kd2 Rxg1 29. Rxg1 Qf2 0-1
In 1937 Learner found himself on the wrong side of the law, being fined 10s for a speeding offence. I guess that’s what happens if you’re A Learner, driver. His address was given as Elmdon Avenue, Marston Green, Birmingham, very near Birmingham Airport.
Bill Learner won the Birmingham Post Cup in 1938, but when given the chance to prove himself at a higher level, in an international tournament organised by Ritson Morry the following year, he finished in last place. A dangerous attacking player, then, but perhaps not quite able (or ready) to compete against masters. By now, as you’ve probably worked out, World War 2 was about to break out, and that put his chess activities on hold.
The 1939 Register saw him at the same address, although Elmdon Avenue has become Elmdon Lane. (It appears to be Elmdon Road now.) He is a Managing Director, possibly of a paint factory. (The second line is not fully legible but we know, from his mother’s probate record, that he was a paint manufacturer. I guess the chemistry background would have come in useful.) Elsie and Arnold aren’t there: they’re up in the village of Ponteland, north west of Newcastle, staying with his sister Goldie and her family. Presumably they considered it safer there than in Birmingham. Bill had shown his love of the area by naming his house Ponteland.
He turned out for a club match in 1940, but then nothing until 1945, when chess resumed after the war, and he resumed where he left off, playing for Birmingham and Worcestershire.
Here he is providing brief annotations for a win against an opponent I assume to be the problemist Herbert W Grant.
[Event “Birmingham Ch”]
[Date “1945.12.??”]
[White “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Black “Grant, Herbert William”]
[Result “1-0”]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Be2 d6 6. Nc3 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. a4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 O-O 11. Rfd1 Ng4 12. Bxg4 e5 13. Qd5 Bxg4 14. f3 Be6 15. Qxb7 Bg5 16. Bf2 f5 17. Qc6 Be7 18. exf5 Rc8 19. Qxa6 Bxf5 20. Rd2 Be6 21. a5 Bc4 22. Qb6 Qd7 23. b3 Rc6 24. Qe3 Ba6 25. Nd5 Rcc8 26. Nb6 Qf5 27. Nxc8 Bxc8 28. Qe4 Qe6 29. a6 Rf4 30. Qd5 Rf8 31. Qxe6+ Bxe6 32. a7 Ra8 33. c4 Bc8 34. Rd5 Bd7 35. Rb5 Bxb5 36. cxb5 1-0
Then, at some point he emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, where he took part in the 1948-49 championship. He finished 13th out of 14 on 4½ points (Cecil Purdy was the winner) but did manage to defeat Maurice Goldstein, who blundered into a mate when he could have traded off into a winning ending.
[Event “Australian Ch: Melbourne”]
[Date “1948.12.??”]
[White “Goldstein, Maurice Edward”]
[Black “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Result “0-1”]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 e5 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. d5 Nd4 9. O-O Nxe2+ 10. Qxe2 Nd7 11. Be3 b6 12. a3 Nc5 13. Rfb1 f5 14. f3 f4 15. Bf2 Bd7 16. Qd1 h5 17. b4 Nb7 18. c5 bxc5 19. bxc5 Nxc5 20. Bxc5 dxc5 21. d6 cxd6 22. Qxd6 Rf6 23. Qxc5 Rc8 24. Qd5+ Kh7 25. Rb7 Rxc3 26. Rd1 Qf8 27. Qxd7 fxg3 28. hxg3 h4 29. gxh4 Rcxf3 30. Bxf3 Rxf3 31. Qg4 Qc5+ 32. Kh1 Qf2 33. h5 g5 34. Qd7 Qh4+ 35. Kg1 Qg3+ 36. Kh1 0-1 Black mates in five moves. Source: ‘Chess World’ of August 1949. It is uncertain whether this game was played at the end of 1948 or the beginning of 1949.
By 1952 he was Vice-President of Melbourne Chess Club and wrote a long (but not especially interesting) article about the delights of his favourite game.
What was he doing in Melbourne when he wasn’t playing chess? In the 1949 and 1954 electoral rolls he was a manufacturer, in 1958 and 1963 a director. Was he still manufacturing paint? Perhaps he was working with his brother: Mark owned a large textile importing warehouse right in the city centre.
He continued to be active in Melbourne chess until 1963, when he decided to return to England for his retirement, settling on the south coast and soon getting involved in Sussex chess. Playing at Bognor Regis in 1964 he came up against a man who would, the following year, become Yugoslav champion and an International Master. Here’s what happened.
[Event “Stevenson Mem Tourn Bognor Regis”]
[Date “1964.04.04”]
[White “Karaklaic, Nikola”]
[Black “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Result “0-1”]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 Nbd7 6. f4 e5 7. Nf3 exd4 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Bf3 Nc5 11. Re1 a5 12. b3 c6 13. Bb2 Qb6 14. Kh1 a4 15. Rb1 axb3 16. axb3 Ng4 17. Bxg4 Bxg4 18. Qxg4 Nd3 19. Qe2 Nxe1 20. Na4 Rxa4 21. bxa4 Bxd4 22. c5 dxc5 23. Qxe1 Bxb2 24. Qe2 Qb4 25. Qxb2 Qxb2 26. Rxb2 Rxe4 27. g3 Rb4 28. Ra2 c4 29. Kg2 c3 30. Kf3 Rb2 31. Ra1 Rxh2 32. Ra3 c2 33. Rc3 Kf8 34. Ke4 Ke7 35. Kd4 Kd6 36. Kc4 Rg2 37. a5 h5 38. Rd3+ Kc7 39. Rc3 Rxg3 40. Rxc2 Rf3 41. Re2 Rxf4+ 42. Kc5 Rf5+ 0-1
Taken from CHESS of 18-4-1964. Even shorter versions of the game were published in the Hastings and St Leonards Observer of 18-4-1964 and 13-4-1974 and the Illustrated London News of 25-4-1964. It appears that the game lasted until about move 48
A pretty effective demolition of a strong opponent, I’d say.
Dr Learner had a habit of winning extremely short games. Here are two examples.
[Event “Hastings CC Championship”]
[Date “1965.??.??”]
[White “Gorton, John M”]
[Black “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Result “0-1”]
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Bc4 Bh4+ 5. Kf1 d5 6. Bxd5 Nf6 7. Nxh4 Nxd5 8. Nf3 Ne3+ 0-1
[Event “Hastings v Medway Towns B2”]
[Date “1967.10.??”]
[White “Learner, Abraham Emanuel”]
[Black “Springate, David L L”]
[Result “1-0”]
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Be3 a6 7. Bc4 b5 8. Nxc6 dxc6 9. Bxf7+ 1-0 ‘The rest is silence.’ Source: Hastings and St Leonards Observer 7-10=-1967.
His address at his death (just three months after his wife) was given as High Bank, Borough Lane, Eastbourne, and his probate record tells us his estate was worth £102,858. He’d done pretty well for himself, in business as well as in chess.
Dr Abraham Learner was a strong county player, a dangerous tactician who, on a good day, could beat master standard opponents.
His career of more than four decades can, like Caesar’s Gaul, be divided into three parts: in Birmingham from the late 1920s to the late 1940s, in Melbourne until the early 1960s and finally in Sussex.
Players like him are the backbone of club and county chess.
My thanks to Ken for his interest in Dr Learner and to Brian for providing the game scores. If there are any other British chess players you’d like me to investigate do get in touch.
Finally, a comment from Dr Learner’s granddaughter Ruth Learner (31-06-2023), as a result of which I’ve added a mention of Vivienne:
Incredible to read about my grandfather Dr Bill Learner and to have your article just discovered by my own child. My father was Dr Arnold, a whizz mathematician, who indeed predeceased my grandpa. I used to watch them play timed chess – tense and serious. One omission is that he and grandma Elsie also had a daughter – my aunt Vivienne – who is alive and well. I will send her this link – she’ll be terribly pleased. Thanks for giving him some deserved recognition.
Other sources consulted:
BritBase
Minor Pieces 
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