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Vera Menchik
Menchik 
 

Number of games in database: 374
Years covered: 1923 to 1943
Overall record: +137 -152 =80 (48.0%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 5 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Queen's Gambit Declined (20) 
    D30 D37 D31 D35 D06
 Queen's Pawn Game (17) 
    D02 D00 A46 E00
 English (16) 
    A15 A13 A14 A12
 Slav (16) 
    D13 D15 D11 D12 D19
 Orthodox Defense (14) 
    D63 D52 D55 D53 D51
 King's Indian (11) 
    E60 E67 E85 E81 E94
With the Black pieces:
 French Defense (43) 
    C14 C13 C11 C00 C02
 Orthodox Defense (30) 
    D51 D63 D52 D61 D60
 French (20) 
    C13 C11 C00
 Queen's Pawn Game (17) 
    D02 D04 D00 A46 A45
 Classical French (15) 
    C14
 King's Indian (13) 
    E60 E61 E94 E73 E85
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Menchik vs G Thomas, 1932 1-0
   Menchik vs Graf-Stevenson, 1937 1-0
   F Lazard vs Menchik, 1929 0-1
   A Baratz vs Menchik, 1928 0-1
   Menchik vs A Becker, 1929 1-0
   Menchik vs Colle, 1929 1-0
   S Khan vs Menchik, 1932 0-1
   Menchik vs G Thomas, 1936 1-0
   J Rejfir vs Menchik, 1934 0-1
   Menchik vs E Book, 1938 1-0

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Menchik - Graf (1934)
   Menchik - Graf (1937)
   Scarborough (1928)
   Maribor (1934)
   Margate (1936)
   Hastings 1931/32 (1931)
   Margate (1937)
   London (1932)
   Hastings 1933/34 (1933)
   Hastings 1932/33 (1932)
   Barcelona (1929)
   Margate (1935)
   British Championship (1938)
   Margate (1938)
   Podebrady (1936)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   1939 World (women) chess championship by gauer


Search Sacrifice Explorer for Vera Menchik
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VERA MENCHIK
(born Feb-16-1906, died Jun-26-1944, 38 years old) Russia (federation/nationality United Kingdom)
PRONUNCIATION:
[what is this?]

Vera Francevna Menchik Stevenson was born to English and Czech parents, in Moscow. She learned the game at nine and, after her family settled in England in 1921, she began taking lessons from Geza Maroczy. Her positional style and endgame expertise netted her victories against several notable male players, among them Max Euwe (twice), Samuel Reshevsky and Mir Sultan Khan.

Albert Becker quipped at the outset of Karlsbad (1929) that any men she defeated should be deemed members of the "Vera Menchik Club." He promptly became its first member. She was married to Rufus Henry Streatfeild Stevenson from 1937 until his death in 1943.

Vera Menchik was Women's World Champion from 1927 until 1944, when a German V1 rocket destroyed her London residence, killing her, her mother and her sister Olga Menchik. She is considered one of the greatest women players.

An audiovisual documentary, prepared by User: jessicafischerqueen, is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTOl...

Wikipedia article: Vera Menchik

https://britishchessnews.com/2021/0...

Last updated: 2024-06-02 00:24:58

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 15; games 1-25 of 374  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Menchik vs J Danahay 1-0371923Hastings First-Class A /24D52 Queen's Gambit Declined
2. E C Price vs Menchik  ½-½601923Hastings First-Class A /24C13 French
3. Menchik vs G M Norman  1-0261924Hastings CC Albany CupC13 French
4. J M Ilott vs Menchik  0-1361924McArthur Cup Bexhill-HastingsC02 French, Advance
5. Menchik vs F J Camm  1-0271924County m Sussex-MiddxD53 Queen's Gambit Declined
6. W H King vs Menchik  0-1321924Hastings 1st Class Section 2 /25D10 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
7. Menchik vs R D Graham  0-1541925Hastings 1st Class Section 2 1924/25D08 Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit
8. E C Price vs Menchik  0-1401925Menchik-Price Match No.1C13 French
9. Menchik vs A E Smith  ½-½241925Sexton Cup Hastings v Rest of SussexE22 Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann Variation
10. E C Price vs Menchik  1-0471925Menchik-Price Match no.2C13 French
11. Menchik vs E C Price  0-1481925Menchik-Price Match no.2D02 Queen's Pawn Game
12. Menchik vs R H Birch  0-1321925County m Sussex-SurreyD06 Queen's Gambit Declined
13. Menchik vs A Teller  0-1421926Hastings Major 1925/26D44 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
14. R Lean vs Menchik  0-1261927Hastings Major Reserves 1926/27C13 French
15. Menchik vs E C Price  1-0321927World Championship (Women)A15 English
16. E M Holloway vs Menchik  0-1311927World Championship (Women)A06 Reti Opening
17. J Storr-Best vs Menchik  1-0211927Brighton v HastingsB00 Uncommon King's Pawn Opening
18. S F Smith vs Menchik  1-0271927Hastings 1927/28 Major AB08 Pirc, Classical
19. Menchik vs Koltanowski 0-1211927Hastings 1927/28 Major AE60 King's Indian Defense
20. A Baratz vs Menchik 0-1261928Hastings 1927/28 Major AA01 Nimzovich-Larsen Attack
21. J W Rivkine vs Menchik 1-0311928Hastings 1927/28 Major AC11 French
22. E MacDonald vs Menchik  0-1351928West of England Major OpenA35 English, Symmetrical
23. Menchik vs C F Bolland  1-0231928West of England Major OpenA21 English
24. S F Smith vs Menchik  0-1291928West of England Major OpenC11 French
25. Menchik vs G W Powell  1-0381928West of England Major OpenA46 Queen's Pawn Game
 page 1 of 15; games 1-25 of 374  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Menchik wins | Menchik loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 6 OF 8 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jul-08-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: <norami: Her name means, loosely, "Truly Male-female">

Not really. You see a phonetically anglicised version of <Mensik> (soft 's' and long 'i') -- it is a common Czech name. It is derived from 'mensi' = 'smaller'. Incidentally, <Mensik> is the masculine version of the name; in Czechoslovakia, Vera has been commonly referred to by the feminine version of her name <Mensikova>.

Jul-08-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <Gypsy> I think that Vera's maiden surname was Menèíková, not Menšíková.
Jul-08-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: <Honza Cervenka> Ah, you are right.

(In South Moravia, the 'Menšík' version of the name is more common -- the source of my error.)

Jul-08-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <Gypsy> Yes, I know. And especially thanks to Vladimír Menšík the version with "š" is better known...:-)
Sep-18-15  JonDSouzaEva: According to freebmd.org.uk, Clifford Glanville Rubery, the husband of Olga Menchik, was born in the 3rd quarter of 1912 and he and Olga married in the 4th quarter of 1938. Elsewhere it is recorded that he died in 1999 at the age of 87.
Feb-16-16  TheFocus: Happy birthday, Vera Menchik.
Jul-26-16  TheFocus: On this day, Menchik won the 1931 Womens' World Championship. (Again)

I really respect Vera.

Aug-12-16  sudoplatov: As Vera Menchik was the first really strong woman playing competitive chess (as far as is known), perhaps she could be call "La Prima Vera."
Nov-22-16  TheFocus: This games collection is rather poor, in my opinion. I have plenty of Menchik games not in CeeGee.
Jan-28-17  zanzibar: <Searching for Menchik>

MCO-13 p99 has mention of a Giuoco Piano game she lost to Emery, played in 1939 in Biarritz.

This tournament isn't mentioned here:

http://www.mcfarlandbooks.com/conte...

Anybody know anything? Is this Menchik her? What's the original source of the game?

<CG> does have it:

T Emery vs Menchik, 1939

OK, thanks.

Jan-28-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <zed>, believe Emery-Menchik was also mentioned in Botterill's <Open Gambits>, published in the mid 1980s, but my copy of Botterill is in mothballs.

If I ever get to France again, Biarritz is a place I would like to visit, besides the Cote d'Azur.

Jan-28-17  zanzibar: <perf> I don't know about that France place, I heard the beer ain't too good.

But someone did tell me the wine was mighty fine. So maybe.

Kidding aside - here's some postcard pictures from Biarritz:

http://www.britishairways.com/asset...

http://www.venuesworld.com/france/w...

http://www.france-voyage.com/visual...

http://cabinflooresoterica.com/imag...

Yeah, looks like a nice place to visit.

Jan-25-18  TheFocus: I received a copy of the Menchik bio by Robert Tanner, and I have to say that it was a disappointing book.

With McFarland, you get half good books, half bad books.

Jan-25-18  zanzibar: Winter seems to suggest the percentage is better, or at least doesn't seem to mention the other 50%:

<In recent decades, historical chess biographies have seen a major advance in scholarship, with far greater recognition of the need for precise sources. The world’s leading publisher in the field is McFarland & Company, Inc., and any list of its best biographical works is likely to include the following:

• Stephen Davies: Lipschütz;
• Richard Forster: Burn;
• Stephen W. Gordon: Reshevsky;
• Tim Harding: Blackburne and Eminent Victorian Chess Players; • John S. Hilbert: Hodges (with Peter P. Lahde), Kemeny, Leonard, Pollock (with O.G. Urcan), Shipley; • Martin Frère Hillyer: Frère;
• Hans Renette: Bird;
• Miguel A. Sánchez: Capablanca;
• Leonard M. Skinner and Robert G.P. Verhoeven: Alekhine; • Per Skjoldager and Jørn Erik Nielsen: Nimzowitsch; • Olimpiu G. Urcan: Albin, Finn, Kaufmann (with P.M. Braunwarth), Pollock (with J.S. Hilbert); • Joost van Winsen: Mason;
• Aidan Woodger: Fine;
• Fabrizio Zavatarelli: Kolisch.
>

C.N. 10661

Gotta admit, just from my limited viewing of these titles, they're pretty darn good.

Jan-25-18  zanzibar: Winter seems to suggest the percentage is better, or at least doesn't seem to mention the other 50%:

<In recent decades, historical chess biographies have seen a major advance in scholarship, with far greater recognition of the need for precise sources. The world’s leading publisher in the field is McFarland & Company, Inc., and any list of its best biographical works is likely to include the following:

• Stephen Davies: Lipschütz;
• Richard Forster: Burn;
• Stephen W. Gordon: Reshevsky;
• Tim Harding: Blackburne and Eminent Victorian Chess Players;
• John S. Hilbert: Hodges (with Peter P. Lahde), Kemeny, Leonard, Pollock (with O.G. Urcan), Shipley;
• Martin Frère Hillyer: Frère;
• Hans Renette: Bird;
• Miguel A. Sánchez: Capablanca;
• Leonard M. Skinner and Robert G.P. Verhoeven: Alekhine;
• Per Skjoldager and Jørn Erik Nielsen: Nimzowitsch;
• Olimpiu G. Urcan: Albin, Finn, Kaufmann (with P.M. Braunwarth), Pollock (with J.S. Hilbert);
• Joost van Winsen: Mason;
• Aidan Woodger: Fine;
• Fabrizio Zavatarelli: Kolisch.
>

C.N. 10661

Gotta admit, just from my limited viewing of these titles, they're pretty darn good.

Jan-25-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: You can say that again!
Jan-25-18  zanzibar: ... they're pretty darn good.
Jan-26-18  Retireborn: I put an order in for the Woodger book the other day. It had better be Fine!
Jan-26-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Is there an A H Coe in here?
Jan-26-18  zanzibar: <<RB> ... It had better be Fine!>

About Fine isn't good enuff?!

Jan-26-18  Retireborn: <z> The book certainly has a fine old price on it! I'm hoping to get a few more annotated games for my collection, though.
Jul-20-18  swampdragon: I have more of these than I should. The Alekhine book is marvelous, a true desert island book, and the Blackburne book isn't far behind.
Sep-27-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  sachistu: I'm afraid I'm going to have to fall in the camp of <TheFocus>. I recently acquired the Tanner book, and although I probably should reserve judgment until I go through it in its entirety, what I have seen so far is not favorable.

For example, on page 35, the score from game 4 from the first match with Edith Price (April 20-23,1925) is badly mangled. Black's 38th is impossible, and it's not clear exactly how to reconstruct it. By the way, the book gives the ECO code of A16 with the description of French, Classical Variation! Clearly, the opening was C13.

Next, on page 36, from the 2nd match, played in June, the book gives the date as October 6th! (June 10th seems much more likely.) Moreover, the score is also mangled as it evidently leaves out the actual 42nd move-pair (42.Qf5 Rc8). As given, the score makes little sense, and then goes completely haywire on move 45. Tanner cites the Times Literary Supplement, but gives no day, month or year. In fairness to Tanner, he does give complete source references e.g. day, mth, yr, and page in other instances.

In scanning through the game source references, I was surprised (and disappointed) to see numerous references to chessgames.com and 365Chess.com. No offense intended for this site (CG), but using such a reference does not suggest a very exhaustive source search.

In other cases, Tanner cites some of Tony Gillam's works, but does not include the actual source used in Tony's books. Using a 2nd or 3rd hand source reference does not create a favorable impression.

So far, not so good. I expected a better book. Anyone using the games scores from the book should check them carefully, but wasn't that the author's job??

Sep-27-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <Crowley’s acerbic side is also much in evidence in his diaries of the 1930s, the opening of the National Chess Centre in November 1939 occasioning a characteristic piece of rudery, this time at the expense of Vera Menchik: “Stop! Look! & listen! ere you enter the grand new National Chess Centre. For there you will find as manag’ress The most unGodly cow in chess.”>

http://www.hastingschess.club/edwar...

Sep-27-18  TheFocus: The British press actively sought to downplay Vera's achievements.

You will notice that not very many of her games appeared in British chess periodicals. This was a deliberate thing.

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