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John Saunders

@johnchess.bsky.social

190 followers 28 following 23 posts

Chess archivist http://BritBase.info & freelance chess photo-journalist. Associate Editor, CHESS Magazine, press officer GibChess and IoMchess tournaments.

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Nov 14

A new idea in the English Opening - the #Brexit variation #chess

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Jul 16

Mary Rudge won first prize at the first women's international chess tournament in London in 1897. Her prize was £60... which is the equivalent of £6,756 in 2025. More about the tournament here: www.saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn...

John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Jul 10

New at BritBase: a collection of 1,209 games played by Sir George Thomas - even allowing for the inclusion of 164 stubs, that makes it the largest collection of his games available to date. saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn...

Sir George Thomas (1881-1972), playing at the Margate tournament, 1936. Colourised by John Saunders.

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Mar 11

The Varsity chess match dates back to 1873 and this shot from the 2025 match captures some of the Victorian elegance of a century and a half ago. The Polish player (right) would be my nomination for the best dressed player, closely followed by his French adversary.

Reserve board between Baptiste Alloui-Cros (Oxford University) and Lukasz Domanski (Cambridge University), Varsity chess match, 8 March 2025, RAC Clubhouse, Pall Mall, London

John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Jan 31

Now that's what I call Freestyle Chess.

A young player at the 1963 British Chess Championship was drenched with rain on his way to the tournament. Rather than play in wet trousers, he took them off and left them to dry, wrapped himself in a towel and went into the tournament and played his game. Three hours later he put them back on again.

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Reposted by John Saunders

Richard James @richardjameschess.bsky.social · Jan 29

www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

Brixton: 'We're spending our night out playing chess'

The young people who are spending their night out at a pop-up chess club in Brixton, south London.

www.bbc.co.uk

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Jan 21

Billed at the time as the strongest young player's (under-22) chess tournament of all time, the line-up for the 1992 Oakham Young Masters International still looks very impressive: not just lots of famous GMs but even a Nobel prize-winner. www.saund.org.uk/bri.../pgn/1...

1992 Oakham Young Masters chess tournament crosstable, including Shirov, Kramnik, Adams, Svidler, etc

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Jan 20

The 1991/92 Hastings Challengers was a triumph for the late IM Colin Crouch who surpassed the GM norm by a clear point. Also recording a GM result was Matthew Sadler. Games and details at BritBase: www.saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn...

Crosstable of the 1991/92 Hastings Challengers

John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Jan 10

Enjoyed listening to Malcolm Pein being interviewed by Ben Johnson on Perpetual Chess podcast... open.spotify.com/episode/1xZ3...

EP 416- IM Malcolm Pein: The Award-winning Journalist and Organizer on the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz, and Why He Is Optimistic about Chess Despite Recent Stumbles

open.spotify.com

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Jan 2

Happy Mew Year, my furry friend.

John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Dec 18

The Mayor of Cambridge makes the first move for Bertram Goulding Brown (1881-1965), watched by club president Horace Bernard Coulson (1907-1979), in a telephone match on 6 April 1954 between the Cambridge City and Oxford City clubs, won by Cambridge 5-3. Photo Cambridge Daily News, 7 April 1954

The Mayor of Cambridge, Stewart Todd Bull (1900-1970), makes the first move for Bertram Goulding Brown (1881-1965), watched by club president Horace Bernard Coulson (1907-1979) (photo Cambridge Daily News, 7 April 1954) The occasion was a telephone match between the Cambridge City and Oxford City clubs, won by Cambridge 5-3.

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Dec 11

The Guardian's 95-year-old chess columnist Leonard Barden today drew attention to Firouzja's opening error which he himself had refuted in a British Championship game in 1950.

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Dec 10

XTX Markets London Chess Classic winner Gawain Jones played the spectacular 1 Bxg7 in this position. How did Table 17, including Supratit Banerjee and Bodhana Sivanandan, reply?

XTX London Chess Classic winner Gawain Jones poised to make a move against table 17, including Supratit Banerjee and Bodhana Sivanandan

Position with White to play in the game between the grandmasters and table 17 at the XTX Markets London Chess Classic prizegiving dinner, 9 December 2024.

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Dec 10

World number one Magnus Carlsen was guest of honour at the XTX Markets London Chess Classic prizegiving dinner last night.

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Nov 30

Two of the more unusual photos I've taken at a chess tournament: Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium after dark #arsenalfc #londonchessclassic #xtxmarkets

John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Nov 29

No sleep now Root has scored no runs.

John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Nov 28

Do you want to see three chess brevities perpetrated by the Resigning Rector of Beckbury? Of course you do... johnchess.blogspot.com/2024/11/to-r...

To Resign or Not to Resign...

I was intrigued by this brevity I found in the Wolverhampton Express and Star for 11 October 1950... The print is a bit fuzzy so here's the...

johnchess.blogspot.com

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Nov 23

Perhaps you should write a book entitled 'How Good is Your Chess Bookshelf', Gary. My own chess bookshelf construction skills are very poor. I once narrowly escaped death when my flimsy chess bookshelf, top-heavy with CHESS magazines, fell on top of me. Chess literature can be lethal.

Reposted by John Saunders

Richard James @richardjameschess.bsky.social · Nov 22

www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/n...

Champion Ding and challenger Gukesh prepare for world title battle

China’s world champion Ding Liren, 32, will face his Indian rival Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, on Monday.

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by John Saunders

Richard James @richardjameschess.bsky.social · Nov 23

richard915.substack.com/p/introduction

If you're interested in chess, or childhood, or would just like to know more about my life and views on junior chess, you'll want to subscribe to my Substack. It is, and always will be, totally free.

Introduction

I’m Richard James. I'm writing about the intersection between chess and childhood.

richard915.substack.com

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John Saunders @johnchess.bsky.social · Nov 23

To sort or not to sort (your ChessBase database) - that is the question. And, if you do, how to do it. Read my Chessbase tutorial here... johnchess.blogspot.com/2024/11/usin...