John Brown: The Forgotten Chess Composer?: 50 chess problems by John Brown

By Brian Gosling

John Brown: The Forgotten Chess Composer? reintroduces a classic chess title to a whole new readership. Chess Strategy was originally published in 1865, and now Brian Gosling investigates the life and work of it’s author, John Brown, selecting 50 of his chess problems to inspire a new generation of chess players. 
John Brown: The Forgotten Chess Composer? is not only a gentle introduction into the art of problem solving in chess, but is also a fascinating glimpse into the life and work of an outstanding chess problem composer – in an age before computers. His problems were simple, elegant and accurate and players of all abilities will have much to learn from the chess problems he created, 50 of which have been selected and discussed in this new title by Brian Gosling. 
Chess is a game with worldwide popularity, but the art of problem solving is often neglected by casual players. You do not need to be a chess expert to become a chess problem solver. The challenge is for White to checkmate Black in a specific number of moves, and the search for these optimal moves makes these puzzles highly absorbing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Jan 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781838598174

Book preview

JOHN BROWN:

The Forgotten Chess Composer?

A Gentle Introduction to the Art of Chess Composition Through the Problems of John Brown

50 Chess Problems by John Brown

Selected by Brian Gosling

Copyright © 2011 Brian Gosling

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

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ISBN 978-1838598-174

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DEDICATED TO

S.M.G.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Picture credits: Lewis Carroll’s Aunts/National Media Museum/SSPL; Bridport Art Centre/John Allen; Wesleyan Chapel (c1911)/Bridport Museum Trust; Victorian map/Francis Frith Collection; Holy Trinity Church Bradpole/Ivan Andrews; West Allington Houses/Nigel Finn; Wesleyan Institute, Richmond/Baynton-Williams; Illustrated London News /John Weedy.

Every reasonable effort has been made to trace copyright but the author welcomes any information that clarifies the copyright ownership of any unattributable material displayed. All errors are the sole responsibility of the author.

FOREWORD

The original book of John Brown’s Chess Problems called Chess Strategy was published in 1865 and is now quite rare. However an electronic photocopy can be found at Google Books. It was published by his friends in attempt to raise funds for his widow and children after his early tragic death at 36 from TB. In Victorian times the book was popular and was often found in chess libraries across the world. Georgetown Chess Club, Guyana, had a copy in 1868. Even Lewis Carroll is supposed to have bought a copy as an act of charity at the Redcar chess tournament where John Brown’s fellow problemists were competing. You may ask why I need to buy a new book when I can see the original on the internet.

• This book offers new research about his life and the forces that influenced him as a composer of chess problems.

• It is an easy introduction to the chess composer’s art.

• Although the original is a wonderful book it is difficult to follow and the solutions are brief. Here the solutions are fuller with some explanation.

• It is a gentle introduction to the history and theory of chess problems of the mid-19 th century with emphasis on the Transition Period.

• Problems are the POETRY of chess. All the early great players; Philidor, Staunton, Andersson, Morphy, Steinitz, Pillsbury and Lasker loved chess problems and some even composed them.

Details about J.B. of Bridport, as he liked to be called, are scarce but in Chapter One I have tried to fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge of his life. You may want to skip the early chapters and go straight to the chess problems but it may be helpful to know about the theory. I have selected 50 Chess Problems composed by John Brown for you to solve. I have targeted this book at a wide readership and so even if you are new to the game and have no knowledge of chess problems you will find enjoyment. A prerequisite is to know how the pieces move and how to give checkmate. All the problems in this selection are of the direct-mate type-White to play and checkmate Black. We start with the simple two-movers and quickly progress to the three-movers. Also it is important to know about the chess notation so as to be able to understand the solutions. I have included a section about this in the appendix. It is easy to learn and can be picked up in a few minutes. Experienced chess players and problemists may solve some of these problems in a flash but there will be some difficult challenges. If you find them hard to solve then set them up on your board or travel set or even enter the positions into your chess software. In the original book the solutions consisted of the main line but I have also included some of the many variations that give mate. You will need to play over these to understand the mating positions. I have decided to keep the technical terms to a minimum but they cannot be avoided completely. There is a glossary at the back of the book. This is my personal selection of problems but I have been influenced in my choice by Victorian and Edwardian writers and composers who followed J.B.

• J.A. Miles (1860) used many of J.B.’s problems in his Chess Gems .

• F. Healey: 200 Chess Problems (1866). J.B. inspired his collection.

• J. Pierce & W.T. Pierce included J.B.’s problems in English Chess Problems (1876).

• H.F.L. Meyer (1882) described J.B. as a composer of the first rank in his: A Complete Guide To The Game of Chess.

• J. Rayner: The Chess Problem (1890): A new era has dawned in which F. Healey of Bristol and J.B. of Bridport were worthy masters.

• B.G.Laws The Two-Move Chess Problem (1901) J.B. of Bridport...whose representations of single chess thoughts were usually remarkable for simplicity and delicacy of setting.

• E. Wallis: 777 Chess Miniatures in Three (1908) P.H. Williams in the introduction: ...one of the earliest to produce many such graceful compositions was John Brown who was, perhaps, the pioneer of the miniature.

• H. Weenink: The Chess Problem (1926). J.B. of Bridport...the father....of art in composition.

On a personal level J.B.’s positions triggered a further interest in chess problems for me. My first involvement with them came with my interest in endgame studies. I was fascinated to read how some composers used the problem themes in their compositions. I hope reading about and trying to solve these positions adds to your enjoyment of chess.

Photographic portrait by Lewis Carroll of two of his Aunts, c 1859.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPENDICES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF J.B. OF BRIDPORT

Bridport, in Dorset, is an interesting and attractive place to visit. It is situated on the south coast of England in the heart of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex. He called it Port Bredy and used it as the setting for his short story: Fellow Townsmen. At the centre is the Georgian Town Hall and Market House where the main streets West, East and South meet. The surrounding countryside had been found suitable for the growing of hemp and flax and a thriving rope and sailcloth industry grew up. For centuries the town’s wealth relied on the success of this industry, the main customer being the Royal Navy. It is not difficult to imagine the stagecoach stopping to pick up passengers and change horses in the attractive wide main street.

John Brown (1827-1863)

John Brown was born and brought up here. He went to school here and attended the Wesleyan Chapel in South Street. In his chess life he styled himself J.B. of Bridport so as to avoid confusion with other chess composers of the same name. For many years it was his home where his parents and brothers and sisters lived and worked. When his weak body could no longer fight against tuberculosis (TB) it was the place