Cecil Valentine De Vere
Number of games in database: 93
Years covered: 1861 to 1874
Overall record: +40 -34 =5 (53.8%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games
      Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
      14 exhibition games, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:  Ruy Lopez (16)      C80 C62 C67 C84 C60	With the Black pieces:  French Defense (10)      C01 C00 C15  Sicilian (8)      B46 B21 B44 B40 B20  Ruy Lopez (4)      C61 C65 C84 C60  Giuoco Piano (4)      C50 C53  Uncommon Opening (4)      B00 A00

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   De Vere vs Paulsen, 1870 1-0
   De Vere vs J Minchin, 1871 1-0
   S Hamel vs De Vere, 1867 0-1
   Winawer vs De Vere, 1870 0-1

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CECIL VALENTINE DE VERE (born Feb-14-1845, died Feb-09-1875) United Kingdom [what is this?] Cecil Valentine Brown, later known as Cecil de Vere, was born in February 14 (Valentine’s Day), 1845. In 1857, at the age of 12, he was taught how to play chess by a strong London player, Francis Burden (1830-1882). In 1859, he joined the City of London Chess Club. In 1860, at the age of 15, he was a regular at Simpson’s Divan. In 1864, he played a number of games against George Alcock MacDonnell, winning the majority of them. In 1865, he won a match against Wilhelm Steinitz (+7-3=2), with Wilhelm Steinitz playing odds of a pawn and a move. In November, 1866, at the age of 21, he won the 1st British Chess Association Challenge Cup, held in London, becoming the first official British Chess Champion. He remained the youngest titleholder for over a century (until Nigel Short). In June 1867, he took 5th at Paris, won by Ignatz Von Kolisch. In September 1867, he took 3rd-4th at the 3rd Congress of the British Chess Association at Dundee, Scotland, won by Gustav Richard Neumann. While he was in Dundee, he learned that he had tuberculosis (consumption). He worked at Lloyds Bank, but gave up his employment when he discovered he had tuberculosis. In 1868-69, he tied for 1st place at the 2nd British Chess Association Challenge Cup, held in London. He lost the play-off to Joseph Henry Blackburne. In 1870, he took 6th-7th at Baden-Baden, Germany. In 1872, he took 3rd-5th at the 2nd British Chess Federation Congress in London. In 1872, he was the chess editor of "The Field" (newspaper), but lost it after 18 months through inattention to work (he had become an alcoholic). In 1874, he lost a match against Johannes Zukertort in London. He died of tuberculosis and a penniless alcoholic at the age of 29 on February 9, 1875 at Torquay.

page 1 of 4; games 1-25 of 93  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 1. Paulsen vs De Vere 1-0 32 1861 Blindfold C01 French, Exchange 2. De Vere vs Steinitz 0-1 26 1864 Informal Game C53 Giuoco Piano 3. De Vere vs Steinitz ½-½ 56 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 4. De Vere vs Steinitz 1-0 43 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 5. De Vere vs Steinitz 0-1 34 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 6. De Vere vs Steinitz 1-0 51 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 7. De Vere vs Steinitz 1-0 23 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 8. De Vere vs Steinitz 1-0 28 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 9. De Vere vs Steinitz 1-0 39 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 10. De Vere vs Steinitz 1-0 26 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 11. De Vere vs Steinitz 1-0 68 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 12. De Vere vs Steinitz 0-1 37 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 13. De Vere vs Steinitz ½-½ 24 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 14. De Vere vs Steinitz 0-1 34 1865 odds match 000 Chess variants 15. De Vere vs E Thorold   0-1 32 1866 Counties Chess Association C41 Philidor Defense 16. Steinitz vs De Vere   1-0 24 1866 London (England) C01 French, Exchange 17. G MacDonnell vs De Vere   0-1 31 1866 BCA-01.Challenge Cup C01 French, Exchange 18. Owen vs De Vere   0-1 35 1866 Counties Chess Association C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed 19. De Vere vs Bird 1-0 43 1866 Londen C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense 20. J Minchin vs De Vere 0-1 21 1866 London C30 King's Gambit Declined 21. De Vere vs J Minchin   1-0 30 1866 BCA-01.Challenge Cup C53 Giuoco Piano 22. De Vere vs Staunton 0-1 24 1866 London consult C59 Two Knights 23. De Vere vs G MacDonnell   1-0 34 1866 BCA-01.Challenge Cup C41 Philidor Defense 24. J Minchin vs De Vere   0-1 59 1866 London (England) C51 Evans Gambit 25. Steinitz vs De Vere 1-0 39 1866 London B06 Robatsch  page 1 of 4; games 1-25 of 93    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | De Vere wins | De Vere loses

< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing > Feb-22-04    d4Nf6Bg5: you can find some interesting analysis of the Halloween gambit at www.chessville.com May-25-04    valerianus: He was quite a dashing looking guy. I've played over his games. Gosh, he and Morphy looked so great without moustaches, but then as later pictures of them reveal, they let the hair grow. If you ask me, they looked worse after that LOL. Dec-27-04    Benzol: Cecil De Vere As posted by <WMD> his real name was Valentine Brown Born 14th February 1845 Died 9th February 1875 in Torquay He was British Champion in 1866. He also finished 1st= in 1868 and 1872 but lost the playoffs. Feb-12-05    WMD: Arguably, the strongest Scottish player ever. Feb-14-05    nikolaas: It's Vere's birthday today. Is it possible that Valentine's day is named after him? Feb-14-05    cu8sfan: The feast of Saint Valentine is very old. For reference read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_.... I don't think it's an incredible coincidence that a boy born in 1845 is named after the saint of his birthday. Feb-14-05    Open Defence: <chessgames> As someone posted earlier, that knight looks very lonely, get him/her a Valentine :-) Feb-14-06    refutor: lesiege is a poker player not a chess player nowadays ;) Feb-14-07    Hafen Slawkenbergius: Such a pity... it's interesting, BTW, a lot of extremely talented players of this generation stopped playing early; not only Morphy, but de Vere, Kolisch, Neuman, Suhle... Just think, what a hell of a time would Steinitz have had, if Vienna 1873 included all of the best living players, and not just all of the best active ones. Feb-14-07    kellmano: Looks like a really cool dude. I might copy his hairstyle. Feb-14-07    setebos: <kellmano> Buy a cow and have it lick your hair in the morning:) Feb-14-07    DennistheMenace: <He worked at Lloyds Bank...> No, Lloyd's the insurance market. A different beast altogether. Trying to think who the picture of de Vere reminds me of. Yes, it's a youthful Christopher Hichens. Feb-14-08    BIDMONFA: Cecil Valentine De Vere DE VERE, Cecil Valentine http://www.bidmonfa.com/de_vere_cec... _ Feb-14-08    brankat: Seems to have been such a great talent, young Mr.De Vere. And yet such a short, unhappy and tragic life. Happy Birthday Cecil Valentine, wherever You may be! Feb-14-08    whiteshark: Player of the Day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_... At least it gives an explanation why he is sometimes called <The English Morphy> and it has the beautiful link: http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/eve... Feb-14-08    Open Defence: <At about the time that he won the national championship his mother died, a loss he felt deeply, 'the only person who ever cared for me'> that indeed is tragic... maybe he had to open up and give a little to receive.. how lucky we are though Feb-14-08    pawnofdoom: Born on Valentine's Day! Feb-14-08    Sneaky: Born on Valentine's Day? What a coincidence! ;-) Feb-14-08    MichAdams: If born on May 1st, he'd really have been in trouble. Feb-15-08    Calli: De Vere's shining moment was a thrashing of Steinitz at the odds of a pawn and two, 7W-3L-2D. CG just put these games in the DB, so enjoy: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... Feb-15-08    Open Defence: <Calli> the link states <Overall record: Wilhelm Steinitz beat Cecil Valentine De Vere 11 to 8, with 2 draws.*> Feb-15-08    Calli: Yes, that is the correct overall record. De Vere won the odds match 7-3-2. Feb-15-08    Open Defence: Oh sorry I thought that the statement reflected the Odds Match Feb-15-08    Calli: Hmm, well I can do it a different way http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches... Aug-16-09    YoungEd: Does anyone know why he used the pseudonym he did? What's wrong with Valentine Brown? (Yes, I know, normally Valentine red, but seriously). < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing >

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