The 1964 Hampshire Individual Chess Championship was held from November 1963 to April 1964. 11 players entered with 7 rounds to be played to determine the champion. Picture above of John Wilkinson playing with the White pieces against Les Allen from the 2003 Hampshire Championship, 39 years after his title win.
For a list of the winners of the Hampshire Individual Championship and links to any articles I have written the table on the Hampshire Individual Championship is the best place to look. In addition, the table on the Hampshire Tournaments will detail these and any other tournament articles I have completed. Both of these are available from the menu at the top of the site as well.
Tournament Details
With 11 players competing, this was 6 less than the previous year, when no Trophy was awarded. The reason for this was that the play-off between Marshall Thompson and WJE Yeeles who had finished joint first was not completed. Only one of the two games in the play off were played (Thompson won this game) in the 4 months following the competition, and the HCA Committee decided that no trophy was to be awarded.
This may be one of the reason why some players, including Thompson and Yeeles did not enter this year’s championship, but there were still a number of strong Hampshire players who played. The information for this article was garnered from the Hampshire Bulletin which was produced between 1961 and 1973. This was first edited by John EC Grant and then George Kilmister. These bulletins include a wide range of Hampshire Chess material from this period, and I have started scanning and adding these to the site.
There were a number of well known Hampshire players in the championship:
- John Wilkinson – Long time Southampton and Portsmouth Chess League player and still playing for Hamble Chess club currently. John has also won the Southampton (8 times) and Portsmouth (2 times) Individual championships.
- Gillian Moore – Former British Girls and shared British Ladies Chess champion. Current HCA Treasurer and has played more games for the Hampshire County team than any other player.
- Alf Edmonds – 1962 Hampshire Chess Individual Champion. He was also the Southampton Individual Champion for four years from 1965 to 1969.
- Peter Marshall – Former Hampshire League Officer (most positions) as well as holding committee positions for the SCL and WECU organisations. Was paramount in bringing the British Chess Championship to Southampton in 1986. He also won the Southampton Individual Championship in 1957 and 1958.
- Terry Hollington – Active Hampshire Chess junior organiser and founder of Portsmouth Chess Congress.
In some of the Hampshire Bulletins there have been games included, but unfortunately there were none included from this Championship.
Round 1
We currently use the Fide type 4 digit rating and prior to that was the 3 digit grading system which was introduced around this time. Before this there was a rating from 1a (241+) down to 11b (or maybe lower). These ratings were detailed for these players and as I understand it for the players these would reflect the below table (although I am not 100% sure of the accuracy of the players and grades at this time).
John Wilkinson did not have a grade, but by 1968 this was 189 and therefore he was probably a 5a or 4b grade at this time.
| Rating | 3 digit equivalent | Rating | 3 digit equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9b | 105-112 | 6b | 154-160 |
| 9a | 113-120 | 6a | 161-168 |
| 8b | 121-128 | 5b | 169-176 |
| 7b | 137-144 | 5a | 177-184 |
| 6b | 153-160 | 4b | 185-192 |
As can be seen from these grades there a variety of difference is strength from A Bacon through to AM Edmonds and John Wilkinson. The first round looked to have a couple of upsets with Gillian Moore and A White beating TJ deBuriatte and AM Edmonds respectively.
| Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JR Wilkinson | 1 | BD Harding | 6b | 0 | |
| A Bacon | 9B | 0 | HR Moir | 9a | 1 |
| Gillian Moore | 8b | 1 | TJ deBuriatte | 7b | 0 |
| TE Hollington | 7b | ½ | Peter L Marshall | 6b | ½ |
| A White | 6a | 1 | AM Edmonds | 5b | 0 |
| L West | 9a | 1 | Bye | 0 |
Round 2
John Wilkinson beat HR Moir whilst A White beat L West, who had the bye in the first round. Meanwhile Terry Hollington and AM Edmonds beat Gillian Moore and A Bacon respectively. Peter Marshall drew again and TJ deBuriatte had the full point bye.
This meant that A White and John Wilkinson were the only players on maximum points.
| Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L West | 9a | 0 | A White | 6a | 1 |
| HR Moir | 9a | 0 | JR Wilkinson | 1 | |
| TE Hollington | 7b | 1 | Gillian Moore | 8b | 0 |
| BD Harding | 6b | ½ | Peter L Marshall | 6b | ½ |
| AM Edmonds | 5b | 1 | A Bacon | 9b | 0 |
| TJ deBuriatte | 7b | 1 | Bye | 0 |
Round 3
John Wilkinson continued his winning ways against A White to move into clear first place. Terry Hollington was half a point behind after beating TJ DeBuriatte. The other winner was Gillian Moore who came out on top against L West.
| Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A White | 6a | 0 | JR Wilkinson | 1 | |
| Gillian Moore | 8b | 1 | L West | 9a | 0 |
| TJ deBuriatte | 7b | 0 | TE Hollington | 7b | 1 |
| BD Harding | 6b | ½ | HR Moir | 9a | ½ |
| Peter L Marshall | 6b | ½ | AM Edmonds | 5b | ½ |
| A Bacon | 9b | 1 | Bye | 0 |
Round 4
Terry Hollington was unsuccessful against John Wilkinson who was now on maximum points from his four games and starting to widen the gap from the chasing pack. After losing her second round game Gillian Moore won her 2nd game in a row, this time against A White and was in sole second place on 3 points.
AM Edmonds beat HR Moir and Peter Marshall broke out of his drawing streak finally winning a game, with A Bacon being the player who lost.
| Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JR Wilkinson | 1 | TE Hollington | 7b | 0 | |
| A White | 6a | 0 | Gillian Moore | 8b | 1 |
| HR Moir | 9a | 0 | AM Edmonds | 5b | 1 |
| Peter L Marshall | 6b | 1 | A Bacon | 9b | 0 |
| L West | 9a | 0 | TJ deBuriatte | 7b | 1 |
| BD Harding | 6b | 1 | Bye | 0 |
Round 5
John Wilkinson finally did not win a game, with Gillian holding him to a draw. L West beat BD Harding and Peter Marshall returned to his drawing ways against TJ DeBuriatte. HR Moir had the bye and it seems that a couple of players either had trouble playing their games, or were losing interest as Terry Hollington and A White both defaulted their games.
| Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillian Moore | 8b | ½ | JR Wilkinson | 0 | ½ |
| AM Edmonds | 5b | 1 | TE Hollington (default) | 7b | 0 |
| TJ deBuriatte | 7b | ½ | Peter L Marshall | 6b | ½ |
| A Bacon | 9b | 1 | A White (default) | 6a | 0 |
| BD Harding | 6b | 0 | L West | 9a | 1 |
| HR Moir | 9a | 1 | Bye | 0 | 0 |
Round 6
The two strongest players in the tournament met with AM Edmonds taking on John Wilkinson. John continued his excellent tournament winning the game. This meant John had won the championship with a round to spare, as the next closest player after this round was Gillian Moore who was one and a half points behind John, after she had drawn against Peter Marshall.
Terry Hollington defaulted again and A White probably would have as well, but he had the 1 point bye. Meanwhile L West won against A Bacon and HR Moir drew against TJ DeBuriatte.
| Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM Edmonds | 5b | 0 | JR Wilkinson | 0 | 1 |
| Peter L Marshall | 6b | ½ | Gillian Moore | 8b | ½ |
| HR Moir | 9a | ½ | TJ deBuriatte | 7b | ½ |
| TE Hollington (default) | 7b | 0 | BD Harding | 6b | 1 |
| L West | 9a | 1 | A Bacon | 9b | 0 |
| A White | 6a | 1 | Bye | 0 | 0 |
Round 7
There was no quick draw from John Wilkinson as he managed to do what no-one else had done in the tournament and defeated Peter Marshall to score an impressive six and a half points from his seven games. Gillian Moore lost to BD Harding whilst A Bacon beat TJ DeBuriatte and HR Moir did the same against L West.
AM Edmonds had the full point bye and A White and Terry Hollington had withdrawn from the competition.
| Player | Grade | Result | Player | Grade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JR Wilkinson | 0 | 1 | Peter L Marshall | 6b | 0 |
| Gillian Moore | 8b | 0 | BD Harding | 6b | 1 |
| A Bacon | 9b | 1 | TJ deBuriatte | 7b | 0 |
| L West | 9a | 0 | HR Moir | 9a | 1 |
| AM Edmonds | 5b | 1 | Bye | 0 | 0 |
| A White | 6a | 0 | Withdrew | ||
| TE Hollington | 7b | 0 | Withdrew |
Final Table and Summary
John Wilkinson won the tournament by two points from AM Edmonds. Gillian Moore was caught by BD Harding after losing her 7th round game, and along with A Moir finished with four points. Peter Marshall’s last round lost saw him drop to 50%, although unlike some of the players above him he did not have a full point bye in his total.
The two withdrawals were a shame, especially with just the eleven players, but I am not aware of the circumstances behind this. These tournaments which were played over five months are challenging and circumstances can quickly change.
This was an impressive tournament by John Wilkinson, just dropping the one draw from his 7 games. I think the other stand out performance was Gillian Moore’s, and this would have been much better if she had not lost her last round.
This was not the strongest Hampshire Individual Championship, but there were a number of strong players who entered. The format would stay the same for 1964 – 1965, but the year after a weekend Swiss would be introduced for the first time.
| Rank | Name | Grade | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Rd 6 | Rd 7 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JR Wilkinson | 4+ | 5+ | 11+ | 10+ | 3= | 2+ | 6+ | 6.5 | |
| 2 | AM Edmonds | 5b | 11- | 7+ | 6= | 5+ | 10+ | 1- | bye + | 4.5 |
| 3 | Gillian Moore | 8b | 8+ | 10- | 9+ | 11+ | 1= | 6= | 4- | 4 |
| 4 | BD Harding | 6b | 1- | 6= | 5= | bye + | 9- | 10+ | 3+ | 4 |
| 5 | HR Moir | 9a | 7+ | 1- | 4= | 2- | bye + | 8= | 9+ | 4 |
| 6 | Peter L Marshall | 6b | 10= | 4= | 2= | 7+ | 8= | 3= | 1- | 3.5 |
| 7 | A Bacon | 9b | 5- | 2- | bye + | 6- | 11+ | 9- | 8+ | 3 |
| 8 | TJ deBuriatte | 7b | 3- | bye + | 10- | 9+ | 6= | 5= | 7- | 3 |
| 9 | L West | 9a | bye + | 11- | 3- | 8- | 4+ | 7+ | 5- | 3 |
| 10 | TE Hollington | 7b | 6= | 3+ | 8+ | 1- | 2- | 4- | w-draw | 2.5 |
| 11 | A White | 6a | 2+ | 9+ | 1- | 3- | 7- | bye + | w-draw | 3 |
Acknowledgements and sources:
- British Newspaper Archive
- Hampshire Bulletins
- Hampshire Chess Archives