R.P.Michell. Amateur Chess Master.

With apologies to my friends for the fact that I have been inactive for a while - real life has rather gotten in the way, I have a day to myself, so will try to post something that will be new to you. Going through my library, looking for something else, I came across a rare and forgotten book, by Du Mont, on a forgotten player. Decided to indulge myself by doing a quick post about him. As mentioned elsewhere, there are a number of players who are only remembered for a famous loss - in Michell's case, this was a game against  the chess God Rubinstein, in Marienbad, 1925. Hopefully I will show that he deserves to be remembered for more than that loss. There are many 'Amateurs' from the period, Kaufmann being an obvious example, who were 'Grandmasters' in talent and playing strength, but were amateur players, who only played chess when circumstances permitted. Michell was just one of many. 

The impression I get, rightly or wrongly,  is that he was a wonderful chess talent, who sacrificed his chess aspirations to 'serve 'Queen and Country', when he was needed to do so. To me, that means something - other opinions are available. May his God keep him, and may he be remembered.

Unless otherwise stated the pictures and scans are from my own library.

Diggle's BCM article on Michell can be found here.

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter36.html#5060._Samisch_v_Vidmar

A Quick personal note. Michell is part of my 'Morphy number', or 'Morphy Line'. Morphy - Owen/Mortimer/ - Michell - Ritson Morry - Simaginfan. he helps to connect me with the past, so I would like to ensure that he does not join 'The Forgotten'.

I will give the introduction/biography of Michell, scanned from my copy of this book.

 I will give Du Mont's introduction in the above book. Please read it!!

A photograph of some interest, that I have taken from John Saunder's Britbase site. with due aknowledgement. The site is full of wonderful stuff!! It shows Michell's wife, nee Edith Mary Ann Tapsell , and is assumed to be from the three way play-off for the British Ladies Championship in 1921.

Edith Price is left of picture.

A few games. (many more are to be found in primary sources that I do not have time to create pgn files for, apologies for that, and on sites such as Britbase). the only one I have given notes to is a game against Reti, which I commented on whilst inputting the moves. I have not added tournament crosstables, as they can be found easily enough. Most of the games were played when Michell was in his late 40's/50s, even into his 60's - an aging amateur against World Class opposition.

As always, any contributions, corrections etc are genuinely welcomed.

With apologies for my lack of eloquence and responsibilitiy for any errors.

Simaginfan.

The game against Sir George Thomas referred to by Du Mont..

From My copy of Dumont's book is the frontsipiece picture.

Forgot to put this in!! A favorite photo of mine, also seen on the Blackburne post.

Michell far right.