Minor Pieces

Continuing from my last article about Arthur Towle Marriott, I promised a series of articles on his Leicester opponents. This is an interesting period in chess history, witnessing the start of inter-club competitions. The two matches between Leicester and Nottingham in January and February 1877 seem to have been Leicester’s first matches against another club. Continue reading

It’s midnight on 28 June 1816. a group of saboteurs breaks into Heathcoat and Boden’s lace mill in Loughborough, Leicestershire, determined to smash their machinery.  John Heathcoat must have had advance warning: he’s ensured there are plenty of workers on hand to repel the invaders. Fights break out, gunshots are heard, and one of the Continue reading

Between 31 August and 9 November 1888, five prostitutes were brutally murdered in Whitechapel, in London’s East End. Their killer was never caught, and is known to us now as Jack the Ripper. Several later murders in the same area might have been committed by the same person. What you all want to know is Continue reading

It’s Monday 28 August 1871. Join me at Simpson’s Divan in the Strand, where, after a satisfying lunch of roast beef, accompanied by a bottle of their finest claret, followed by a glass of brandy and a Havana cigar, we adjourn to the chess room to watch the great Wilhelm Steinitz in action. He introduces Continue reading

A few years ago I had the opportunity to review Tim Harding’s excellent book Steinitz in London. Whenever I see a game of chess I want to know more about the players, so did a bit of research into a few names that caught my eye. I threatened to write more about them at some point Continue reading