Alexander Alekhine: A World Champion in Belfast
On the 15th July 1938 Alexander Alekhine, World Champion from 1927 to 1935 and again from 1937 until his death in 1946, wrote to William Minnis, secretary of the Ulster Chess Union, indicating his willingness to give a simultaneous exhibition in Belfast.
"Dear Sir
Following a suggestion from Mr. Cranston, Dublin, I beg to inform you, that, having decided to visit Ireland after the Plymouth Congress (5-10 Sept) I would be interested to know wether (sic) your Club would like to arrange a simultaneous exhibition of mine (30-35 boards) for which the suitable dates would be Sept 17th or 18th.
I would come to Belfast from Dublin where I intend to stay 2-3 days. My fee for such an exhibition would be 15 guineas, expenses included.
In case if your Club would be interested in this suggestion, please kindly answer per address above.
Believe me
Yours faithfully
Dr A Alekhine"
On Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th September Alekhine give simultaneous exhibitions over 35 boards in Dublin. On the first night he won 31 games, lost 1 (to C. J. Barry) and drew 3 while on the second night he won 28 and drew 7. He then travelled from Dublin on the Friday with J. J. O'Hanlon,(a former Ulster Champion but resident in Dublin since 1929) making a tour of the County Down coast on his journey north. He was met in Belfast by Harold Thomas, president of the Ulster Chess Union and by William Minnis. That evening he was interviewed for Northern Ireland radio.
On the Saturday evening Alekhine gave his exhibition at the C. I. Y. M. S. clubrooms, each of his opponents playing 10 shillings (50 pence for those too young to remember the old money!) for the privilege. Here is the Belfast News-Letter report from the following Monday:
"Dr A. A. Alekhine, the world's chess champion, who, with Madame Alekhine, arrived in Belfast on Friday, gave an exhibition of simultaneous play in Clarence Place Hall on Saturday evening. He was faced by thirty-four opponents, including some of the best players in the city as well as others from outside. One player travelled all the way from Enniskillen to have a game against the famous master, and some of the spectators came as far to watch the proceedings. Not one of the thirty-four succeeded in escaping defeat, though one or two seemed like securing a draw.
The players were seated at tables arranged around the hall, and Dr. Alekhine, in the middle, proceeded from board to board, making his move at each without hesitation and, as the games developed, with a grim satisfaction. His progress was not so much a walk as a military march, and to players in difficulties he came like Fate, ruthless, inexorable and inevitable. In less than an hour the click of an overturned King and a light laugh from some of the spectators marked the first victim, and others followed in fairly quick succession.
All the while Madame Alekhine sat at the top table busy with her needlework. It was reminiscent of Dickens's picture of the French knitting women sitting below the guillotine. She engaged in pleasant conversation with all comers, and at the same time, metaphorically speaking, counted the heads as they fell into the basket.
1 H. Thomas French Defence 2 W. Minnis French Defence 3 A. L. Davies Queen's Pawn 4 R. Lennox French Defence 5 "Alpha" Ruy Lopez 6 J. Watson Ruy Lopez 7 A. Orr Evans Gambit 8 R. V. McNaughton Caro-Kann 9 J. W. B. Dodson Ruy Lopez 10 A. H. Summers Ruy Lopez 11 T. Robinson Irregular 12 H. C. Love Nimzo-Indian Defence 13 Miss Allen Queen's Gambit Declined 14 D. Weir Ruy Lopez 15 H. Cooke Ruy Lopez 16 J. Hammel Ruy Lopez 17 J. Woolff Irregular 18 J. Rossi Bishop's Opening 19 D. G. Johnston Guioco Piano 20 R. F. Green Queen's Pawn 21 E. Thomas Ruy Lopez 22 H. Walker Queen's Gambit Declined 23 R. Ward Four Knight's Opening 24 W. J. Baxter Ruy Lopez 25 A. W. Turner Queen's Pawn 26 J. L. Henry French Defence 27 R. McVicker Irregular 28 N. S. S. Barnett French Defence 29 B. McCann Queen's Gambit Declined 30 D. Maguire Queen's Gambit 31 A. C. Montgomery Queen's Gambit 32 E. Roberts Caro-Kann 33 R. Donnelly Ruy Lopez 34 B. Kellagher Centre Gambit
The last game finished was that between J. W. B. Dodson, and Dr. Alekhine was able to seat himself at the board and gave it his whole attention. This may have accounted for Mr. Dodson's blunder which brought the game to and end. Mr. Harold Thomas, president of the Ulster Chess Union, briefly thanked Dr. Alekhine for his visit, and described his exhibition as a marvellous performance. None of the local players, he said, really expected anything but to be beaten, and the result showed that their pessimism was justified.
Dr. Alekhine, in reply, said he enjoyed the play very much. He had had little practice in that sort of play for may months, but his visit to Dublin had brought him into form. Had he come to Belfast first the result might have been different. As it was, some of them gave him plenty of trouble, and he had had to play his best to avoid defeat.
Dr. and Madame Alekhine left for Glasgow on Saturday night."
The report in Monday's edition of the Northern Whig also gives an insight into the exhibition:
"In just under two hours Dr. Alekhine had his opponents reduced to three, and two others resigned to leave Mr. J. W. B. Dodson, a member of the C. I. Y. M. S. Club, the only hope of earning a draw. Each had a Rook and five pawns, and Mr. Dodson appeared to be in as good a position as his opponent, but Dr. Alekhine brought himself a chair and in a few minutes beat Mr. Dodson also. The Belfast player put up a gallant fight, but had to bow to his more experienced opponent.
