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John Moles
J Moles 
 

Number of games in database: 105
Years covered: 1966 to 1973
Last FIDE rating: 2270
Overall record: +43 -32 =30 (55.2%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games.

Repertoire Explorer
Most played openings
C19 French, Winawer, Advance (8 games)
C69 Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation (5 games)
C18 French, Winawer (5 games)
C07 French, Tarrasch (4 games)
C02 French, Advance (3 games)
C16 French, Winawer (2 games)
C95 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer (2 games)
B78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 10.castle long (2 games)
C01 French, Exchange (2 games)
B49 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation (2 games)

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JOHN MOLES
(born Sep-22-1949, died Oct-04-2015, 66 years old) United Kingdom

[what is this?]

John L Moles was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was Irish champion in 1966 and 1971 and authored a major work on the French Defence.

Wikipedia article: John Moles

Last updated: 2021-03-10 10:02:50

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 5; games 1-25 of 105  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. M O'Leary vs J Moles  0-1441966IRL-chA04 Reti Opening
2. J Moles vs Timman  0-1431966Groningen Ech-jr preB93 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.f4
3. J Moles vs K O'Riordan  1-0251966IRL-chB49 Sicilian, Taimanov Variation
4. J Moles vs W Heidenfeld 1-0271966IRL-chC11 French
5. B Denman vs J Moles  ½-½141966Glorney CupC18 French, Winawer
6. J Moles vs Timman  1-0411966Glorney CupC53 Giuoco Piano
7. Timman vs J Moles  1-0291966Groningen Ech-jr preE20 Nimzo-Indian
8. H Bouwmeester vs J Moles ½-½261967EU-ch casualC05 French, Tarrasch
9. Gligoric vs J Moles 1-0231967EU-ch U20 clock sim1C19 French, Winawer, Advance
10. J Moles vs D Zara  0-1401967Niemeyer Juniors PreliminaryC16 French, Winawer
11. H Schaufelberger vs J Moles  ½-½321967Niemeyer Juniors PreliminaryD25 Queen's Gambit Accepted
12. J Moles vs L Tate 1-0181967Niemeyer Juniors PreliminaryB04 Alekhine's Defense, Modern
13. J Moles vs B Jacobsen  1-0401967Niemeyer Juniors PreliminaryC45 Scotch Game
14. P Hostalet vs J Moles  1-0391967Niemeyer Juniors PreliminaryA17 English
15. K Maeder vs J Moles 0-1341967Niemeyer Juniors PreliminaryC52 Evans Gambit
16. G Ligterink vs J Moles  ½-½271967Niemeyer Juniors PreliminaryE36 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
17. H Bohm vs J Moles  1-0391968PlymouthC28 Vienna Game
18. R Waugh vs J Moles ½-½361968Glorney CupC18 French, Winawer
19. G Ligterink vs J Moles  ½-½461968Niemeyer JuniorsE36 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
20. J Moles vs Timman  0-1271968Niemeyer JuniorsA02 Bird's Opening
21. Karpov vs J Moles 1-0411968Niemeyer JuniorsC77 Ruy Lopez
22. Adorjan vs J Moles  ½-½291968Niemeyer JuniorsC18 French, Winawer
23. J Moles vs D Zara 0-1201968Niemeyer JuniorsC10 French
24. J Lewi vs J Moles  1-0661968Niemeyer JuniorsA28 English
25. J Moles vs P Hostalet  1-0301968Niemeyer JuniorsB27 Sicilian
 page 1 of 5; games 1-25 of 105  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Moles wins | Moles loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-31-08  whiteshark: . . .

* Full name: John L. Moles.

* Chess honours:
o Irish Champion: 1966, 1971.
o Ulster Champion 1965, 1967.
o Olympiad team: 1970, 1972.

* Occupation: professor of classics

* Publications:

- o Moles, John "The French Defence Main Line Winawer" B.T. Batsford, London 1975

- o Moles, John; Wicker, Kevin "French Winawer: Modern and Auxiliary Lines" B.T. Batsford, London 1979

Picture at the age of 16: http://www.ulsterchess.org/Archives...

Source: http://www.ulsterchess.org/Archives...

Oct-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: John Moles died suddenly last week, aged 66. The Irish Chess Union website has an obituary.
Oct-26-15  thomastonk: The "Modern and Auxiliary Lines" was my first chess book in a foreign language, and also my first book in descriptive notation. But what a wonderful book!

R.I.P. John Moles

---
I've entered the 4 October 2015 as the date of his death, because this date is mentioned in the short obituary on the website of the Irish Chess Union as the date of a collapse. Maybe it has to be corrected.

<Domdaniel>s' "last week" is probably not correct, since the date of this obituary is 13 October.

Oct-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: <Thomastonk> I think your date is correct.

I never played Moles, though I recall playing in a few team matches and tournaments in the 1970s in which he was involved. His book on the French, Main Line Winawer, was also a classic.

A friend of mine - compiling a history of the Mulcahy Memorial tournament, of which Moles was an early winner - interviewed him recently, and found him a perfect gentleman.

Perhaps now somebody will organize a Moles Memorial?

Oct-26-15  thomastonk: <Domdaniel: I think your date is correct.> Yes, it is correct as we can see here: https://durhamabbeyhouse.wordpress.... (a nice obituary anyway).

<Domdaniel: French, Main Line Winawer, was also a classic.> Yes, I have a copy of this one too. I played the main line of the Winawer constantly in the 1980s, after a granduncle had analysed a single game with me, of course the sharp line after 7.♕g4. These are all very nice memories for me, closely connected to these two books.

Oct-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: This guy will never get hired by England's MI5, that's my feeling.
Oct-26-15  parisattack: <thomastonk: The "Modern and Auxiliary Lines" was my first chess book in a foreign language, and also my first book in descriptive notation. But what a wonderful book! R.I.P. John Moles>

A wonderful book! Lots and lots of ideas some I think still worth exploring.

Oct-30-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: <thomastonk> Thank you for the link to the <Durham Abbey> obituary of John Moles. I was aware of his academic life, but I really only knew him through chess (matches and tournaments in the 1970s, and his work on the French Defence). As far as I know, he was the only Irish player to meet Karpov in a tournament game. It's interesting to read about his Classical career. RIP.

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