Richard James
@richardjameschess.bsky.social
Chess player, organiser, teacher, writer, historian. Investigating the intersection between chess and childhood. Reading old newspapers so that you don't have to. Also crosswords, music (classical & folk), genealogy etc. https://richard915.substack.com
Time for a #ChessTuesday daffy #chess problem. From George Koltanowski's Chessnicdotes, 1978, this puzzle has a twist. Can you solve it? Solution will be posted at 5pm. From the @englishchess.bsky.social Library. @richardjameschess.bsky.social #chesshistory #chessliterature @librarydmu.bsky.social
minorpieces.uk/2026/10/08/m... You'll really want to read my first article about Agnes (Lawson) Stevenson. Part 2 coming shortly!
Minor Pieces 112: Agnes Bradley Stevenson (née Lawson) (1)
Mrs Rawson and Miss Lawson. Two chess players with similar names whose lives would become entwined. You’ve met the former: now meet the latter. Let’s start with the story of Septimus La…
minorpieces.uk
rtchessclub.com/2026/10/12/c... Another position from Chess Heroes: Puzzles Book 2 for you to analyse this week.
Chess Puzzle of the Week (413)
As we approach the publication of the last two Chess Heroes books, here’s another of the more challenging positions from Chess Heroes: Puzzles Book 2. White to move. What would you play, and …
rtchessclub.com
www.lokimusic.co.uk/calendar/ite... This evening's entertainment
The Black presence in Georgian theatre and music [Garrick's Temple] - Loki Music
*Bloomsbury Baroque* [1] contributes music by Ignatius Sancho and Joseph Bologne to Black History Month, along with incidental suites by Paisible [Oroonoko] and Henry Purcell [The Indian Queen] and ...
lokimusic.co.uk
The return match between our Thames Valley D and E teams resulted in a draw.
Here's the result of our first London League match of the season.
IAGOCOT in the Celebrity Traitors: Stuart Heritage in the Guardian on Jerry Hall.
rtchessclub.com/match-result... The return match between our D and E teams in Division 4 of the Thames Valley League resulted in a draw.
Match
Visit the post for more.
rtchessclub.com
rtchessclub.com/match-result... Our first London League match of the 2026-27 campaign resulted in a narrow victory over King's College London.
Match
Visit the post for more.
rtchessclub.com
rtchessclub.com/2026/10/09/c... Did you choose to accept Black's sacrifice in Monday's puzzle? Click here to find out whether your analysis was correct.
Chess Puzzle of the Week (412): Solution
On Monday I asked you if you would accept Black’s knight sacrifice here. There were some conflicting views in our club’s WhatsApp group. The answer is that the sacrifice is unsound, so …
rtchessclub.com
minorpieces.uk/2026/10/08/m... Agnes Bradley (Lawson) Stevenson was one of the leading English woman chess players of her day. This article traces Agnes's life and career up to the time of her marriage.
minorpieces.uk
Our first Surrey match of the season last week resulted in a draw against Streatham in the Ellery Williams Trophy.
Exciting times! I was walking along the road on Saturday when a Routemaster drove past. I was walking along the road this evening when TWO Routemasters drove past. #busspotting
IM Edward Lasker, (not Emanuel, although he was a distant relative & friend) shares his #chess secrets in his 1951 book which includes this fab sketch♟️From the @englishchess.bsky.social Library. #ChessTuesday #chesshistory #chessliterature @richardjameschess.bsky.social @librarydmu.bsky.social
rtchessclub.com/2026/10/05/c... Here's another position from Chess Heroes Puzzles Book 2 for you to analyse.
Chess Puzzle of the Week (412)
Here’s another position from Chess Heroes Puzzles Book 2 for you to analyse. White to play. Black has just offered a knight sacrifice. Should you accept it or not?
rtchessclub.com
rtchessclub.com/2026/10/02/c... How did you get on with analysing Monday's position? Click here to find out.
Chess Puzzle of the Week (411): Solution
Monday’s position was taken from Zukertort – Weiss (Vienna 1882). White, one of the two strongest players, along with Steinitz, of his time, played Rd8 here, eventually losing after erring ag…
rtchessclub.com
DNA link with 5th cousin Clark from Edgecumbe, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
For an extra challenge this #ChessTuesday why not try a game with some ultra minimalist pieces like these from New Jersey, 1970, in Master Pieces. 2nd guessing yourself and your opponent x 100! From the @englishchess.bsky.social Library. @richardjameschess.bsky.social #chesshistory #chessliterature
Liberal England: An interview with Bodhana Sivanandan, the youngest woman grandmaster of all time As top board for the England women's team at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, she played all 11 rounds, recording six wins, four draws and one loss.
An interview with Bodhana Sivanandan, the youngest woman grandmaster of all time
Because of her performance as top board for the England women's team at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand – she played all 11 rounds, recordin...
liberalengland.blogspot.com
