The chess games of James Fraser

Most played openings

C51		Evans Gambit (3 games)
C01		French, Exchange (3 games)

JAMES FRASER
(born Apr-24-1825, died Aug-06-1876, 51 years old) United Kingdom

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Dr. James Cunningham Fraser, born Edinburgh SCO; died Edinburgh SCO.

Dr. Fraser gained his degree in medicine from the University of Edinburgh in 1855.(1) Research indicates that he changed the spelling of his name to "Frazer" between 1865 and 1870 and then reverted back to the "Fraser" spelling prior to 1874.(3)(4)(5)

The obituary given in the 9 September 1876 column of the Glasgow Weekly Herald:

"Dr James C. Frazer.

Such an event to our Scottish world of chess as the death of the late Dr Frazer requires fuller mention than the paragraph which appeared announcing his death after a protracted illness, borne with Christian fortitude and resignation. It is not of the amiable physician, well known and esteemed in his profession; of his gentleness and tenderness to his patients; of the affection of his patients, and what is no slight commendation, of the love more especially entertained for him by the poorest of these, that we have here to speak. We must confine ourselves to his connection with chess. Some twenty years ago he entered the Edinburgh Chess Club. At that time the leading players were Mr Christopher Meikle, manager of the savings' bank; Dr Omond, the well known Edinburgh physician; Mr Fulton, and the lately deceased Col. Roberton. At first we believe he was certainly not more than a rook player, but in little more than a year he was able to contest the game on even terms with the best of them; and either in the second or third year of his membership (at this distance of time we have not beside us the means of verifying) he wrested from Mr Meikle the gold medal, the badge of championship. This medal was thereafter for 13 or 14 years consecutively carried off my him, and its available surface became so filled up with his own name that the club paid him the well-deserved compliment of desiring him to retain it as his own. During all these years he was facile princeps of the Edinburgh Club. In little more than two years the sad illness game upon him which terminated his active connection with the club and the game he loved so well. Not only was Chess his favourite game, but it seemed with him to have become almost a passion. He used to declare that he considered it one of the most intellectual and improving pursuits to which the human mind could devote itself, and all his available leisure time was employed in what he regarded a noble science. Whether or not he devoted time to chess which might have been bestowed on scientific medical study, with the result of arriving at greater eminence in his profession we know not; but at all events he never gave a moment to chess which was required in the active practice of his profession. It may be that this reflection came to him, for in the latter part of his illuess [sic] he conceived for the game a positive aversion.

Dr Frazer's powers as a player were prominently brought into notice at the meeting of the British Chess Association held at Dundee in 1867. He played in the international match where Steinitz, Neumann, Blackburne, and De Vere engaged, and showed himself a stiff opponent even to those world-renowned players. There was also at that meeting a match for the Scottish championship, open only to Scottish players. At this distance of time we are unable to give the names of all the combatants, but among there were Mr G. B. Fraser, of Dundee, Colonel Roberson, and Sheriff Spens. Dr Frazer was the winner of this contest. It is only fair to say that on Mr G. B. Fraser had devolved the whole arrangements for the Chess Congress, and the anxiety and trouble connected therewith unquestionably materially affected his play, for he played very much below his usual form. We have no hesitation in saying that at the time the two strongest players in Scotland were the two Frasers. Since that time there has been no proper opportunity of testing the relative merits of our best Scottish players. Dr Frazer, indeed, had two off-hand matches with Sheriff Spens, the first of which he lost and the second of which he won; but the games were certainly unequal to Dr Frazer's reputation, and it is probably the case that at the date of play the shadow of his coming illness had fallen upon him.

Dr Frazer was, we think, equally good as an attacking and a defensive player. His manner as a player was all it ought to be. He never hovered with his hand on the board, but after deliberating on his move, lifted the piece intended to be moved and placed it firmly and at once on the intended square. He often made brilliant combinations in attack, while his power of keen analysis served him in good stead in defeating the best laid plots of his adversaries. He occasionally made a chess problem, and some of these show that had he made a study of them he might have attained eminence as a problem composer.

His protracted illness had prepared his numerous friends for his removal among them. But long and deeply will his loss be regretted by the little chess world where he was esteemed as a man and honoured as second to no other Scottish player."(2)

Sources
(1) https://www.chessscotland.com/docum...
(2) Hazeltine Scrapbook of the Glasgow Weekly Herald, v91, pdf, pp159-160
https://cplorg.contentdm.oclc.org/d...
(3) UK Medical Directory 1865
(4) UK Medical Directory 1870
(5) UK Medical Directory 1873

Last updated: 2025-04-27 13:38:30

page 1 of 1; 20 games

Game	Result	Moves	Year	Event/Locale	Opening
1. J Fraser vs J Robertson	0-1	35	1863	Edinburgh Chess Club	C23 Bishop's Opening
2. J Fraser vs John Paterson	1-0	50	1866	Edinburgh - Glasgow Match	C01 French, Exchange
3. Blackburne vs J Fraser	0-1	85	1867	Dundee Congress	C30 King's Gambit Declined
4. de Vere vs J Fraser	1-0	26	1867	Dundee Congress	C25 Vienna
5. J Fraser vs G Neumann	0-1	43	1867	Dundee Congress	C52 Evans Gambit
6. G MacDonnell vs J Fraser	1-0	35	1867	Dundee Congress	C41 Philidor Defense
7. J Fraser vs J Robertson	0-1	31	1867	Dundee Congress	B40 Sicilian
8. J Fraser vs Steinitz	0-1	28	1867	Dundee Congress	A84 Dutch
9. J Fraser vs G Fraser	½-½	27	1868	Club game	C51 Evans Gambit
10. G Fraser vs J Fraser	0-1	27	1868	Casual game	C33 King's Gambit Accepted
11. NN vs J Fraser	0-1	37	1868	Casual game	C51 Evans Gambit
12. J Fraser vs NN	1-0	41	1873	Edinburgh Chess Club Championship	B00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening
13. J Fraser vs W Spens	0-1	36	1873	Fraser - Spens Match	C01 French, Exchange
14. J Fraser vs C Duke	0-1	39	1874	Edinburgh Chess Club Championship	C78 Ruy Lopez
15. J Fraser vs W Spens	0-1	22	1874	Fraser - Spens Match	C31 King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Counter Gambit
16. W Spens vs J Fraser	0-1	57	1874	Fraser - Spens Match	C51 Evans Gambit
17. J Fraser vs C Duke	1-0	30	1874	Edinburgh Chess Club Championship	C42 Petrov Defense
18. C Duke vs J Fraser	0-1	22	1874	Edinburgh Chess Club Championship	C01 French, Exchange
19. G Fraser vs J Fraser	0-1	26	1874	Casual game	C45 Scotch Game
20. G Fraser vs J Fraser	1-0	21	1874	Casual game	C28 Vienna Game


page 1 of 1; 20 games

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