Again a change from the previous year where three preliminary sections of five players were played and the top two moved to the final where an all play all was completed. This also meant that more than one competitor per chess club was able to enter the competition.
In 1931 there were ten clubs who held preliminary tournaments and these joined 1930 champion FJH Elwell in the 2nd Hampshire Chess Championship. This meant in total there were eleven players the tournament which was held over four rounds, rather than the three in 1930.
Hampshire had been playing County chess since 1887 and the now defunct Hampshire Chess League commenced in 1895, but there was no Hampshire Individual Championship until 1930. There was discussion on holding this as early as the Hampshire Chess AGM in 1898. For additional details on its creation see the article on the Hampshire Chess … Read more
You may be aware of the annual Hampshire Chess Congress, which includes the various Hampshire Chess titles, the first of which is the Silver Rook which is giving to the Hampshire Individual Champion. This article details the origin and original rules of the Hampshire Chess Individual Championship, which commenced in 1930. The Hampshire Archives details … Read more