A Stauntonian World Chess Day

World Chess Day on 20^th July has become an increasingly important occasion in the international chess calendar, offering an opportunity not merely to celebrate the game itself, but also the remarkable history, culture and fellowship that surround it. On 20 July 1924, during the Olympic Games in Paris, the Fédération Internationale des Échecs — better known throughout the chess world as FIDÉ — was established. The creation of FIDÉ represented a decisive moment in the evolution of chess, bringing together national federations from across the globe with the aim of creating common standards, organising international competition and promoting the game as a universal cultural activity. Nearly a century later, the United Nations recognised the importance of this anniversary by proclaiming 20 July as World Chess Day in 2019.

It was therefore particularly appropriate that members of the Howard Staunton Society gathered to mark the day at L’Escargot in Soho, a venue whose own distinguished history complements the traditions that the Society seeks to preserve.

Following a specially prepared chess-themed dinner, I had the pleasure of playing a simultaneous exhibition against members of the Society. Among those testing their skills were two county strength opponents, Michael Wiltshire and Carl Portman MBE, as well as  Jeremy Norman and Max Norman (despite the coincidence of surname, the two Normans are not related). Brian Clivaz, one of the Society’s founding members and the CEO of L’Escargot, also joined the evening’s play, facing Max Norman and the Society’s Secretary, Ima von Wenden.

The games were interspersed with speeches celebrating not only World Chess Day, but also the continuing success of the Howard Staunton Society and the many friendships that have flourished through a shared appreciation of chess. Since its foundation in 1993, the Society has demonstrated that chess represents far more than a competitive pastime. It is an intellectual discipline, a historical thread running through centuries of civilisation, and perhaps above all, a remarkable means of bringing together people from every walk of life.

The menu itself was conceived in a spirit worthy of the occasion. We began with Les Hors d’Oeuvres Kaspa, L’Escargot’s celebrated signature dish, whose name inevitably prompts thoughts of Garry Kasparov and has become something of an institution at Howard Staunton Society dinners. The principal course, Beef & Ale Pie served with pommes purée and petits pois, offered a discreet culinary nod to Alexander Alekhine. After the main course had been served, Richard Eales, former Head of History at the University of Kent and author of Chess: The History of a Game, gave an illuminating address on Howard Staunton’s life, achievements and enduring legacy. King Richard’s Pudding with Sauce Anglaise then provided an appropriately regal conclusion before an excellent selection of French cheeses, including Brie, Chaource and Pié d’Angloys, rounded off the evening.

One of the most memorable moments came with the presentation of the inaugural Howard Staunton Society Annual Award. Jessica Martin accepted the award on behalf of her late father, Barry Martin, whose contribution to British chess extended far beyond his considerable artistic gifts. Barry was instrumental in restoring Howard Staunton to his rightful place in chess history. His memorial to Staunton, the distinguished portrait he painted, and his role as one of the Society’s founders have left an enduring legacy. For more than three decades he combined scholarship, artistic vision and unwavering enthusiasm in the service of British chess, and it was deeply satisfying to see those achievements formally recognised. Members remembered with great affection his wit, creativity and steadfast support for the chess community.

Howard Staunton himself understood that chess flourishes best where competition is accompanied by civility, friendship and conversation. More than a century and a half later, that philosophy remains central to the Society that proudly bears his name. Historians, masters, organisers, collectors and enthusiasts all find common ground around the chessboard, and it is precisely this mixture of friendship, scholarship and sporting endeavour that gives the Howard Staunton Society its distinctive character.

The evening served as a timely reminder that, while the moves played over the board are soon consigned to memory, the friendships forged through chess often endure for decades. To celebrate World Chess Day in such illustrious company, while honouring those who have done so much to preserve our game’s rich heritage, was both a privilege and a genuine pleasure.

To join the Howard Staunton Society contact Ima Von Wenden at stauntonsociety@gmail.com

My thanks to Ima for her report on the Howard Staunton Society website, upon which many of my remarks have been based.

Keene vs. Portman

Staunton Society Evening, simultaneous display, 2026

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5

I have always favoured the exchange variation against the Slav Defence, following the lead of Capablanca, Alekhine and Botvinnik.

4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Bf4 Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. O-O a6 10. Rc1 b6?!

The bishop has a barren future on b7; preferable to play …Bd7 and shore-up c6. Even better is trying to eliminate one of white’s bishops with 10… Nh5.

11. Ne5 Bb7 12. Bb1 Rc8 13. a3 b5 14. Qd3 g6 15. Bh6 Re8 16. f4 Nxe5?!

A risky decision to exchange this active knight merely to compromise white’s central pawns, which remain strong.

Both a) 16… b4 17. axb4 Nxb4 18. Qe2 Ne4 19. Qg4 Rc7 20. Nxe4 dxe4 21. Rxc7 Qxc7; and b) 16… Bf8 17. Bg5 Be7 18. Qd1 Nd7 19. Bh6 Bf8 20. Bxf8 Rxf8; are stronger with white’s advantage being marginal.

17. fxe5 Ne4 18. Rf3?

Too brutally direct. Having been gifted some advantage by black’s sixteenth, the white rook becomes quite embroiled on the kingside, and is disjointed from white’s other major pieces. White does better to exchange major pieces to simplify development with 18. Qd1 (or 18. Qe2) 18… Nxc3 19. Qf3 Ne2+ 20. Qxe2 Bg5 21. Bxg5 Qxg5 22. Qf3 Qe7 23. Bd3 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Rc8 25. Rf1, after which white stands somewhat better.

18… Bg5?!

Black misses a trick, with 18… Bxa3 19. Rcf1 (but not 19. bxa3 as after 19…Qh4! 20. Bf4 Black can exploit the overloaded c1-rook with 20…Nxc3) 19… Bf8 20. Bxf8 Rxf8 21. Qd1 a5 22. Nxe4 dxe4 23. Rf6 b4, when Black has completely equalised.

19. Bxg5 Qxg5 20. Rcf1 Rc7 21. Ne2?!

Missing the far superior 21. Qe2! when after, 21… Nxc3 22. bxc3 Qh4 23. Rf4 Qh6 24. Qf2 Qg7 25. h4 Bc6 26. h5 b4 27. cxb4, white has consolidated his advantage.

21… Rec8 22. Qd1 a5 23. Qe1 b4 24. axb4 axb4 25. Bxe4

An inadequate response. Instead, after 25. h4 (25. Bd3 Qd8 26. h4 transposes) 25… Qd8 26. Bd3 Ra8 27. h5 Ba6 28. Bxa6 Rxa6 29. Ng3 Ng5 30. Rf6 Rca7, white has, if not an initiative, at least a certain momentum.

25… dxe4 26. Rg3

This is an outcome of the critique made relating to white’s eighteenth move. This error, hands black a sizable advantage. Necessary was 26. h4 Qh6 27. Rh3 Ba6 28. h5 Qg5 29. hxg6 fxg6 30. Rg3 Qh6 31. Rh3 Qg7 32. Kh2 Rc2 33. Rf2 Bxe2 34. Rxe2 b3 35. Rf2 Rxf2 36. Qxf2.

26… Qh6?

Inexplicably, black declines 26… Qe7 27. Kh1 Rc2 28. Rg1 Rxb2 29. Nf4 Kh8 30. h3 b3 31. Kh2 Rbc2, with a substantial advantage. After the text, the position reverts to a level one.

27. Rh3

Too simple a solution. After a) 27. Qxb4 Ba6 28. Re1 Bxe2 29. Rxe2 Qh5 30. Re1 Qf5 31. h3 Rc2 32. Kh2 h6 33. Qb5 Rf2 34. Ra1; or b) 27. Qa1 b3 28. Nc3 Rxc3 29. bxc3 Bd5 30. Qa7 Qg7 31. Qb6 Qf8 32. Rg4 Rb8 33. Qa6 Ra8;  white retains parity. But after the move played, black has a substantial lead once again.

27… Qg7?

And it would appear to be a lucky white day, for once again, black declines the position that follows, 27… Qg5 28. Rg3 Qe7 29. Qd1 Ba6 30. Re1 Bxe2 31. Qxe2 Rc1 32. Qf1 Rxe1 33. Qxe1 Qc7.

28. Qxb4

Equality was available with 28. Ng3 Qf8 29. Qf2 Kh8 30. Qf6+ Qg7 31. Qg5 Ba6 32. Rd1 Rc1 33. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 34. Kf2 f6 35. Qxf6 Qxf6+ 36. exf6 Rc2+ 37. Ke1 Bd3 38. Rh4 Kg8 39. Nxe4 Bxe4 40. Rxe4 Kf7 41. g4 Kxf6 42. h4 Rxb2, leaves both sides scrabbling for any advantage. Instead, White throws the dice.

28… Ba6

My original intention had been to sacrifice with 29. Nc3 Bxf1 30. Kxf1 and in retrospect, this would probably have been stronger.

29. Re1 Bxe2 30. Rxe2 Rc1+ 31. Re1 Rxe1+?

This critical error costs black his advantage when after 31… f5 32. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 33. Kf2 Rc8 34. Rh4 Qf7 35. Qb6 Kg7 36. d5 Qe7 37. g3 exd5 38. Rf4 Qxe5, white cannot defend his b-pawn, leaving black two pawns to the good.

32. Qxe1 Qf8 33. Qh4 Qg7?

A serious inaccuracy at a time when precision is required. After either a) 33… h5 34. Qxe4 Rc1+ 35. Kf2 Qb4 36. Kg3 Rf1 37. Rh4 Qe1+ 38. Kh3 Qe2 39. Rf4 g5 40. Rxf1 Qxf1 41. Kg3; or b) 33… Rc1+ 34. Kf2 h5 35. Qg5 Qb4 36. Kg3 Qe1+ 37. Kf4 Qe2 38. Kxe4 Rf1 39. Rf3 Rxf3 40. gxf3 Qc2+ 41. Kf4; black regains full equality. Now white has the whip hand.

34. Qxe4 f5?

And this mistake enhances white’s chances further still. 34… Rc1+ and …Qf8, are better tries, but even these are insufficient to restore a balance.

35. exf6 Qxf6 36. Rf3 Qe7 37. h3 Qd6 38. Qf4

It is a mark of the size of white’s advantage, that black now simply collapses under the irresistible pressure.

38… Qd7 39. Kh2 Qe7 40. Qe5 Rf8 41 Rxf8 + Qxf8 42 Qxe6 + Kg7 43 Qe5+ Kh6 44 Qf4+ Black resigns 1-0

Keene vs. Wiltshire

Staunton Society Evening, simultaneous display, 2026

1. d4 b6 2. c4 Bb7 3. Nc3 e6 4. e4 d6 5. Nge2 g6 6. Ng3 Bg7 7. Be3 Ne7 8. Be2 Nd7 9. Qd2 h6 10. O-O a6

Black selects the notorious Hippopotamus Defence.

11. f3 g5??

 If 4… d6 (4… Bb4!) and 6. Ng3 (6. h4!) were stereotypical of the formations each players was striving for, the move played has no such bushel under which to hide. The punctuation will seem harsh, at such an early point in the game, but if black’s hippopotamus is to succeed, it is exactly self-destructive moves like the text which must be avoided.

After 11… h5 12. d5 e5 13. h3 O-O 14. Bd3 Bc8 15. Nge2 f5 16. f4 Nc5 17. Bc2 a5 18. Rae1 fxe4 19. fxe5, black at least castles safely, and if that is not important, 11… c5 12. d5 exd5 13. exd5 Bc8 14. Nce4 Qc7 15. Nf2 f5 16. Rae1 b5 17. b3 Rb8 is best. Both succeed in maintaining the status quo.

12. Nh5! O-O?!

This is simply not safe. Even 12… Rg8 or …Rh7 are necessary.

13. Nxg7 Kxg7 14. f4 f6 15. Bg4 f5 16. exf5 exf5 17. Bf3

An adventurous alternative is 17. fxg5 fxg4 18. gxh6+ Kh8 19. Bg5 Qe8 20. Rxf8+ Qxf8 21. Rf1 Qg8 22. Bxe7 Qg6 23. Qg5, which is even more incisive than the game choice.

17… Bxf3 18. gxf3 gxf4?!

Seemingly natural, but wrong. Black should continue 18… g4 19. Rae1 Rf7 20. Kh1 h5 21. d5 Ng6 22. Ne2 Kg8 23. Nd4 Ndf8 to limit further damage.

19. Bxf4 Ng8 20. Kh1 Kh7 21. Rg1 Ndf6 22. Rg2?

Even more forceful is 22. Qg2 Qd7 23. Rae1 Kh8 24. Bd2 Rf7 25. d5 Rg7 26. Qf2 Qf7 27. Ne2 Nh5 28. Qh4 Ngf6 29. Bxh6 Rxg1+ 30. Rxg1, when black’s gossamer thin defence is disintegrating and his a8-rook is a-slumber.

22… Nh5 23. Rag1 Qh4 24. Bg3 Nxg3+?

Wiltshire astutely nominates this as the conclusive error, but even without such an oversight, for example, 24… Qf6 25. Nd5 Qf7 26. Bh4 Rae8 27. b3 b5 28. a4 bxa4 29. bxa4, black has few future prospects.

25. Rxg3 Nf6 26. Qf2 Qh5 27. Rg7+ Kh8 28. Ne2 Rg8 29. Nf4 Qe8 30. Qh4 Black resigns 1-0

Ray’s 206th book, “ Chess in the Year of the King ”, written in collaboration with Adam Black, and his 207th, “ Napoleon and Goethe: The Touchstone of Genius ” (which discusses their relationship with chess) can be ordered from both Amazon and Blackwell’s. His 208th, the world record for chess books, written jointly with the late chess playing artist, Barry Martin,  Chess through the Looking Glass ,  is now also available from Amazon. 

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