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Henry Atkins

Photograph courtesy of  Wikimedia Commons.

HENRY ATKINS (born Aug-20-1872, died Jan-31-1955, 82 years old) United Kingdom [what is this?] Henry Ernest Atkins was a schoolmaster who treated chess as a hobby, devoting relatively little time to it and playing in only a handful of international tournaments. He was an extremely gifted player who would likely have become one of the world's leading players had he pursued the game more single-mindedly. Chessmetrics ranks him No. 6 in the world from November 1902 to February 1903. Atkins was born on the 20th of August 1872 in Leicester, England. He joined the Leicester Chess Club in 1887. By age 17, he was the champion of Leicester. He graduated from Cambridge and taught mathematics at Northampton and Wyggeston. In 1909, he was appointed Principal of Huddersfield College. His record in the British Championship is unparalleled. He played in it 11 times, winning on 9 of those occasions: in 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1924 and 1925. In his first attempt in 1904 he finished 1st= with William Ewart Napier but lost the play-off. In his last appearance in 1937 he was 3rd= at 65 years of age! Atkins' international career consisted of just six tournaments. In the Hastings 1895 minor tournament he finished 2nd= behind Geza Maroczy. In 1899 he won the 27th DCA Congress, Amsterdam (1899) by four points, scoring a perfect 15/15. In the 13th DSB Congress, Hanover (1902) tournament he was 3rd behind David Janowski and Harry Nelson Pillsbury and ahead of Frank Marshall and Mikhail Chigorin amongst others. He was 10th out of 16 at London (1922) and also represented the British Chess Federation in the Olympiads of 1927 and 1935. In 1950, FIDE awarded Atkins the International Master title in recognition of his achievements. He died in Leicester in 1955. Wikipedia article: Henry Ernest Atkins http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/Play... Last updated: 2023-11-10 03:16:40

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page 1 of 14; games 1-25 of 349  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Blackburne vs H Atkins 0-1 24 1890 Blindfold simul, 8b C45 Scotch Game 2. H Atkins vs L Stiebel   1-0 24 1891 Combined Univs - City of London CC m C45 Scotch Game 3. J A Huckvale vs H Atkins 0-1 11 1891 Belsize CC - Cambridge Univ m C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 4. J Ure vs H Atkins   ½-½ 26 1891 19th Oxford - Cambridge Varsity m C45 Scotch Game 5. H W Trenchard vs H Atkins   1-0 37 1891 Cambridge University - British CC m C51 Evans Gambit 6. G D Madgavkar vs H Atkins   0-1 40 1892 20th Oxford - Cambridge Varsity m C62 Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense 7. H Atkins vs A A Bowley   ½-½ 33 1892 Combined Univs - Sussex m C45 Scotch Game 8. H W Trenchard vs H Atkins   0-1 30 1892 Cambridge University - British CC m C22 Center Game 9. H Atkins vs R G Lynam   1-0 22 1893 21st Oxford - Cambridge Varsity m C11 French 10. G Heginbottom vs H Atkins   0-1 24 1894 22nd Oxford - Cambridge Varsity m C49 Four Knights 11. H Atkins vs H Jacobs   ½-½ 42 1894 North - South m C26 Vienna 12. H Atkins vs H F Meyer   1-0 24 1894 Leicestershire - Derbyshire m C11 French 13. H Sturton vs H Atkins   1-0 39 1895 Kentish men - Men of Kent corr m C59 Two Knights 14. W Gunston vs H Atkins   ½-½ 31 1895 Cambridge University CC Seniors - Juniors m C62 Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense 15. H Atkins vs W Withers   1-0 19 1895 Casual game C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense 16. S F Smith vs H Atkins   0-1 31 1895 Amateur t Prelim D50 Queen's Gambit Declined 17. Maroczy vs H Atkins   ½-½ 20 1895 Hastings Amateur Final C49 Four Knights 18. H W Trenchard vs H Atkins   ½-½ 39 1896 Metropolitan - North London m C67 Ruy Lopez 19. E Delmar vs H Atkins   ½-½ 41 1896 1st Anglo-American Cable Match D05 Queen's Pawn Game 20. H Atkins vs J Blake   1-0 27 1896 Southern Counties Chess Union ch C53 Giuoco Piano 21. H Atkins vs W Gunston   1-0 25 1896 Southern Counties Chess Union ch C45 Scotch Game 22. H Jacobs vs H Atkins   0-1 31 1896 Southern Counties Chess Union ch C71 Ruy Lopez 23. H Atkins vs S Van Gelder   1-0 29 1896 Southern Counties Chess Union ch C26 Vienna 24. F Elwell vs H Atkins   0-1 48 1897 Southern Counties Chess Union ch C71 Ruy Lopez 25. Burn vs H Atkins 0-1 65 1897 Casual game E94 King's Indian, Orthodox  page 1 of 14; games 1-25 of 349

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< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 6 OF 6 ·  Later Kibitzing> Oct-31-21    Nosnibor: The Leicester Chess Club has been defunct for nearly 20 years now. However it would appear that Atkins was somewhat lazy in snippets that I have been able to pick up from Donald Gould the chess historian of Leicester. A conversation between Atkins and Gould (22/04/1939) on a train journey following a County match in Nottingham began when Don asked Atkins whether the standard of Leicestershire chess had improved since he played for his county at the age of 15,over 50 years ago."Mr. Atkins stroked his moustache and was non-committal. He agreed ,however ,that the vast increase in the number of really good text books gave the modern youngster, with an aptitude for the game, a big advantage. Fifty years ago, natural ability and reference to the sprinkling of masters` games published in the press were all the average player had to rely on. Niemzowitsch and the "hyper-moderns" have had little effect on the master`s style,which remains, if I may coin an expression, "Scientifically aggressive". "I have made three attempts to read Niemzowisch`s book ("My System"), but have been too lazy to finish it." Aug-20-22    Dionysius1: Before the rush starts, let me point out that Atkins was born 150 years ago today. Worth celebrating for those of us who are alive, but I won't wish him Happy Birthday because he's dead. I know Google wishes dead people happy birthday sometimes, but if I do before I know it I'll be wishing him many happy returns. And even for someone with vague Buddhist leanings (are there other kinds?), that would be extracting the Michael. Aug-20-22    Nosnibor: <Dionysius> I agree with your sentiment. I was just learning the rudiments of the game when Atkins passed away. He was probably in the top six in the World between 1898 and 1912. Aug-20-22    Dionysius1: Thanks <Nosnibor> I'll play through some of his games tonight. It's a shame he didn't get round to publishing annotations or memories :-(. I don't want to cavil on his birthday (I'm trying to give up cavilling any time). So the gentlest of enquiries: what's with his British Championship record being unparalleled (9 wins), and Jonathan Penrose's being a record (10 wins). Are there nuances that make these claims both true? D Aug-20-22    MissScarlett: It's the ratio of success rather than the vulgar number of wins. Aug-20-22    Dionysius1: So different people could hold the record for the championship, and it could be for number of titles, number of titles compared to efforts, amount of money earned, weight of silverware, number of titles won when there was an r in the month, years between first title and last, smallest aggregated number of moves taken to win the title, shortest aggregate length of time taken to win, least calories used in winning, least weight lost in winning the title? Maybe so. But that's just debasing the words (record, unparalled, never exceeded etc) Pah! They don't all have to be top of the tree: that's like everyone has to have a prize for participating. Yuk. Dang, and I wasn't going to cavil. I don't expect Jonathan Penrose or Henry Atkins mind that much anyway. Aug-20-22    Nosnibor: <Dionysius 1> The comparisons are that Atkins played in 11 events and won 9,only losing in his first attempt after tying for first in a playoff. Then finishing 3rd equal at the age of 65 in 1937! Penrose played in 21 events and won 10 times. He gave up O.T.B. chess at 54 years of age due to health problems. Aug-20-22    Dionysius1: Thanks again. I just prefer one pespective when I'm tired, though of course there will be many anyway. And all perspectives of excellence. I totally take your and <MissScarlett>'s points. No disrespect to Penrose or Atkins. Best for me to stick to the games today :-) Aug-21-22    Dionysius1: I like Atkins' style. He seems to "just" play sensible moves, acquire a positional advantage and find winning tactics on the basis of what he's done. I'm envious. It's like watching a golfer play great strokes all the time and wondering why when I think I'm doing the same thing it mostly doesn't work. Aug-21-22    Dionysius1: Here's an example of what I mean. H E Atkins vs J W te Kolste, 1899 Atkins has played 14 blameless moves. Just putting his pieces on good squares. Not moving a piece twice unnecessarily (well, 13.Rfe1 and 14.Bb3 hardly count). click for larger view Now 15.Ne5 Nd5, and boom! The game's all over, with two of the nastiest N moves I've seen. Aug-21-22    Dionysius1: Just to clarify: 15.Ne5 Nd5 aren't the 2 nasty N moves I meant. They come at 16 and 19. Have a look anyway :-) H E Atkins vs J W te Kolste, 1899 Jan-09-23    stone free or die: I like the photograph <CG> currently has of him well enough, but there's an even better one here: https://britishchessnews.com/wp-con... https://britishchessnews.com/catego... . Jul-02-23    FSR: https://mannchess.org.uk/People/Atk... Nov-09-23    Caissanist: User: simaginfan posted a fine biographical sketch of Atkins on Chess.com, including the entirety of R.N. Coles' own bio in his book of Atkins' games: https://www.chess.com/blog/simaginf... Jan-27-24    MissScarlett: D E Rumens vs Chandler, 1976 They played an Atkins memorial tournament in 1976!? i) Why? ii) What happened? Jan-28-24    Stonehenge: It should be in BCM 1977, p. 17 (Di Felice). Jul-03-24    FSR: Atkins bears an uncanny resemblance to Jim "Johnny Cakes" Witowski, mobster Vito Spatafore's lover in Season 6 of <The Sopranos>. https://sopranos.fandom.com/wiki/Ji... Apr-04-25    Nosnibor: From my memory of Atkins has a smallboy I recall he was rather slight in build compared to Jim Witowski. But their facial features were somewhat similar. Apr-04-25    offramp: I know that Pillsbury has a very 21st century <look>. Atkins is the same. Apr-04-25    stone free or die: <<off> Atkins is the same.> With that moustache?! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walru... Apr-05-25    offramp: <stone free or die: <<off> Atkins is the same.> With that moustache?!> He is far out. In Soho we used to call some men <Scene>, i.e. obviously those <OUT> and sporting a Freddie Mercury tache. Especially the women. I used to go to Soho solely to play <Galaga> and <Crystal Castles>. I spent a fortune in that area. Apr-05-25    stone free or die: "Freddie Mercury tache" = Chevron Apparently Fred, and his 'tache, have made it into a video game (don't know if available in Soho): https://townsquare.media/site/722/f... Jun-26-25    FSR: In 1950 FIDE issued its first list of International Grandmasters and International Masters. Before that happened, the member countries of FIDE nominated players that they thought should be on the list. I read somewhere that England proposed Atkins for the IM title. The Soviets were confused. <Who? James Macrae Aitken? Was he really worthy of the title?> The Brits replied, <No, not Aitken, Atkins.> They pointed out that he had finished 2.5 points ahead of Chigorin at 13th DSB Congress, Hanover (1902). The USSR withdrew its objection. Jun-26-25    perfidious: <FSR....The Brits replied, <No, not Aitken, Atkins.> They pointed out that he had finished 2.5 points ahead of Chigorin at 13th DSB Congress, Hanover (1902). The USSR withdrew its objection.> Never heard anything about that till now, but the British proposal was obviously far less objectionable than that of 'renegade' Bogolyubov being named a grandmaster. Jun-26-25    FSR: <perfidious> Bogo played Alekhine for the world championship twice. You'd think that would entitle him to be on the first GM list. Even Saemisch made the list, and Saemisch wasn't fit to shine Bogo's shoes. https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che... But no, Bogo had to wait until the next year to get the title. I have never seen this laid out, but my guess is that the delay was due to him being a supporter of Hitler. I once saw a copy of a letter he had written that concluded <Heil Hitler!> Made me a bit ill. Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 6) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 6 OF 6 ·  Later Kibitzing>

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