www.britbase.info
© 1997-2026
John Saunders

 

BritBase.Info - British Chess Game Archive

From the British Chess Federation Yearbook for 1965-1966, pages 32-39 - page updated: Thursday July 30, 2026 12:59 PM

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL GRADING COMMITTEE - 1965

During the past twelve months this Committee has again been active. Two meetings have been held, as usual, and a number of important decisions have been taken which should affect appreciably the workings of the system and the effects of which will gradually become apparent to everyone.

At the request of the Executive Committee, the Committee carried out a study of the possibility of setting up a subsidiary title below that of British Master and the qualification necessary for obtaining this title. The Committee's report and recommendations, which are appended, have been accepted with one amendment, and the new title of "Candidate Master" has come into being. It is hoped that this title will be of especial value to younger players on their way to obtaining the more difficult qualification of British Master and will give them a suitable target to achieve at a relatively early age.

M. J. Haygarth, O. M. Hindle and N. Littlewood satisfied the qualifications, and the B.C.F. has awarded them the title of "Candidate Master" accordingly. P. N. Lee's achievement in the 1965 British Championship, following his performance at the Young Masters tournament at Zurich in August, 1964, qualifies him for the title, and a recommendation has been made to the B.C.F. accordingly.

The qualifying conditions for appearance in the Grading List have also been carefully reviewed and have been comprehensively revised so that greater emphasis is placed on more recent play than has been the case in the past; in fact many players will now be graded on a single season's play only. This course should benefit rapidly-improving juniors most of all and will certainly result in a more up-to-date presentation of form than was previously the case; but it will also lead to greater fluctuations in a player's position if he has a bad season. The annual grading report and the lists down to 4b [BCF Grade 185 - roughly equivalent to Elo 2040] are appended.

Attention has also been given to publication of numbers within grades. This was first tried out in the National List (3a and over) published in September, 1965, and has now been extended to all grades down to 4b. Some Unions are known to be considering the possibility of publishing numbers for lower grades still and the reaction of the average player to this will be interesting. It is worth noting, however, that as one descends the grading scale the rather more erratic standards of play may make numbers somewhat less meaningful than they are in Grade 4b and over.

The Committee is still concerned at the need for adequate cover of results. One or two County and League organisations do not co-operate as thoroughly in supplying results as might be hoped and players in these areas suffer in consequence. The rich field of junior competitive chess has been relatively untilled in the past but new schemes to cover this are now being actively developed and the situation should show a marked change for the letter in a couple of year or so. It is also hoped to arrange a more comprehensive cover of University chess—a field of ever-growing importance.

From time to time views have been expressed that the grading standards differ between Unions. These are often based on very slender evidence but the Committee is conscious of this feeling. To check this point as far as possible it is hoped to make, during the next twelve months, an elaborate larger-scale test of the assertion using as many results of inter-Union play as can be obtained. In addition it is hoped that during the same period a meeting of graders will be held to discuss general procedure and organisation with the object of standardising these where practicable.

R. W. B. CLARKE, Chairman.

THE B.C.F. GRADING LISTS FOR 1965

1. This is the first list to be issued following the changes in the grading system made as a result of the B.C.F. Grading Committee's review after ten years' working. The purpose of the change is to put much more weight (for active players, the whole weight) on the performance of the last year.

THE NEW CONDITIONS

2. The following are the new conditions :—

(i) The basic qualification continues to be 30 games in the last two years, with not less than 10 in the last year. The Committee reserves the right to waive these exceptionally.

(ii) Where 30 or more games have been played in the last year, only these are taken into account.

(iii) Where 10-29 games (say X) have been played in the last year, these are combined with 30-X games from the previous year (taken at that year's average) to make up the 30 games.

(iv) Where fewer than 10 games have been played in the last year, the grading number (only published exceptionally) is calculated on the two years' play.

3. Of the 24 players in the B.C.F. National List, 20 had 30 or more games in the last year, and are therefore graded on one year's performance alone. This has the advantage of making the gradings more representative of the last year's play, which is particularly important for juniors. On the other hand, the gradings are likely to fluctuate more, and being based on much fewer games will be less accurate as a reflection of underlying strength. The effect of one very good or bad tournament performance on a player's grading in that year will be much greater than before.

4. The balance between the need to reflect recent performance on the one hand and to provide a stable and accurate measurement on the other is difficult to draw. The previous system was weighted too heavily towards the latter. The Committee will keep this closely under review. However, of the 24, in the 1965 list, 18 would have appeared in the same grade under the previous system.

5. Even for younger players, the difference between the systems is much less than might be thought. The Committee considered the performance of eight promising young players. Two of these (W. R. Hartston and M. V. Lambshire) are this year 3 grades higher than last year: three are two grades higher (M. J. Basman, D. Parr, C. B. Wood): three are one grade higher (R. A. Harris, R. D. Keene, P. N. Lee). Six of the eight would have appeared in the same grade this year under the old system as under the new. The larger differences between the new and old systems might be expected to occur in players a year or two younger than those mentioned.

THE RESULTS FOR THE YEAR

6. The 1965 list covers the two-year period (in most cases, as shown above, one year) ending 30th April, 1965. All 1965 Easter Congresses will go into the following grading period; and this list includes the 1964 Easter Congresses. The Committee is repeating the experiment of publishing three-figure grading numbers for the B.C.F. National List; and the same practice is being adopted by the Unions for publication of grades 3b to 4b, which are issued herewith. Below grade 4b, the Unions publish their own lists, but it is hoped that all will be published in the B.C.F. Year Book.

7. The B.C.F. List for 1965 contains 24 players, compared with 28 last year. 11 players have dropped out of the list, some through insufficient play and some through poorer performance. These are J. Ansell, J. W. Cornforth, J. A. Fuller (BM), P. C. Gibbs, P. Harris, R. F. Holmes, D. G. Mackay. F. Parr, G. C. Taylor, T. M. Wheatcroft, B. H. Wood. There are four wholly new entries to the list—the Oxford and Cambridge University top boards of 1964, P. N. Lee and C. B. Wood; M. Macdonald-Ross (Islington; Kent) and T. Goodhill (Newham; Essex). The return to the list of J. M. Aitken, Dr. S. Fazekas and P. S. Milner-Barry will be widely welcomed. Under the previous system, the list would still have been 24, with P. C. Gibbs and F. Parr instead of J. M. Aitken and A. R. B. Thomas.

8. In the upper part of the list, J. Penrose has fallen back to 1b, as a result of his relatively poor performance in the British Championship, H. Golombek and R. G. Wade return to 2a, and O. M. Hindle gets into 2a for the first time.

9. The decline in the numbers in the National List, which we commented on last year, still continues, and the possible reasons are being reviewed by the Committee. There are many promising players in the top part of 3b, and these may come forward into the National List next year.

THE "CANDIDATE-MASTER" TITLE

10. The Committee had been asked by the B.C.F. Executive to make proposals for a subsidiary title, particularly suitable for younger players, of a standard who might perhaps be expected ultimately to get the British Master (BM) title. The Committee made proposals, which were accepted by the B.C.F. Executive at their June meeting : (the new title was called "Candidate Master", designated as "CM" in the lists below, and is awarded for life).

11. The qualification is based not on performance over a long period but on specific individual performances. If in two important tournaments a player's performances are unquestionably of the quality which, sustained over a period, would earn him the British Master title, he is certainly on his way up. The subsidiary title is designed for this kind of man, before he has established himself at that level for the time needed to qualify for the full title.

12. It is given to players of British nationality who :—

Either: on two occasions achieve one of the following performances (or better) :—

7/11 in the British Championship
4/9 in the Hastings Premier
6½/9 in the Hastings Challengers
8½/11 in the Stevenson Memorial Tournament, Bognor Regis

Other performances in tournaments (including Team Tournaments) of not less than nine rounds, played under Congress conditions, evaluated by the National Grading Committee at 230 points or more;

Or: make one appearance at 2a or better in the National Grading List.

13. The Committee recommended that M. J. Haygarth, O. M. Hindle and N. Littlewood, all of whom had achieved the required performances within the last four years, should be awarded the title, and this was decided accordingly by the B.C.F. Executive.

The original had surname and forename initials only - I have added forenames where known. Where a player favoured the use of his middle name, I have placed the first forename in brackets - JS

[1965 BRITISH CHESS FEDERATION] NATIONAL GRADING LIST

1a 248-241

None

1b 240-233 (2)

Kottnauer, Cenek (IM : 1b) 235
Penrose, Jonathan (IM : 1a) 233

2a 232-225 (6)

Franklin, Michael John (BM : 2a) 229
Littlewood, John Eric (BM : 2a) 226
Clarke, Peter Hugh (BM : 2a) 225
Golombek, Harry (IM : 2b) 225
Hindle, Owen Mark (CM : 2b) 225
Wade, Robert Graham (IM : 2b) 225

2b 224-217 (2)

Hollis, Adrian Swayne (S : 2b) 217
Littlewood, Norman (CM : 2b) 217

3a 216-209 (14)

Haygarth, Michael John (CM : 2b) 216
Lee, Peter Nicholas (S : 3b) 213
Macdonald-Ross, Michael (S : 4a) 213 (n.b. middle names "Inman Philip" not used in chess references)
Mardle, Denis Victor (W : 2b) 212
Rumens, David Edward (S : 3a) 211
Wood, Christopher Baruch (M : 4a) 211
Cafferty, Bernard (M : 3a) 210
Fazekas, Dr. Stefan (IM : 3b) 210
Goodhill, Terence (S) 210
Hilton, Clifford George (N : 3a) 210
Aitken, James Macrae (BM : 3b) 209
Milner-Barry, (Philip) Stuart (BM : 4a) 209
Phillips, Alan (M : 3a) 209
Thomas, Andrew Rowland Benedick (W : 3a) 209

UNION LISTS

3b 208-201 (27)

S.C.C.U. (16)

Hartston, William Roland (Battersea; 4b) 208
Pritchard, David Brine (Hampstead; 3b) 208
Basman, Michael John (Southgate, Leeds Univ.; 4b) 207
Fuller, Ronald A (Newham and East London; 3b) 207
Howson, James B (Metropolitan; 4a) 207
Wells, David G (Cedars; 3b) 207
Bowen, Alfred William (Hampstead; 3b) 206
Brogden, John G (Wimbledon; 4b) 206
Harris, Ronald Arthur (Athenaeum; 4a) 206
Parr, Frank (Surrey; 2b) 205
Lambshire, Michael V (Mushrooms; 4b) 204
Keene, Raymond Dennis (Battersea; 4a) 203
Lloyd, Kenneth William (Richmond and Twickenham, 3b) 203
Pointon, Dr. Anthony J (Portsmouth; 4b) 203
Whiteley, Andrew Jonathan (Oxford; 4b) 203
Wills, Michael W (Metropolitan) 203

M.C.C.U. (7)

Fuller, John Arthur (Solihull; 3a) 207
Ball, John D L (Mutual; Camb. Univ. 5a) 206
Gibbs, Peter Campbell (Birmingham; 3a) 206
Harris, Peter (Mutual; 3a) 203 (n.b. may have had a middle name with the initial 'A')
Lawrence, John A (Kynoch; 3b) 203
Richardson, Keith Bevan (Nott'm Mech.; 3a) 203
Horseman, Derek Geoffrey (Centre; 3b) 201

N.C.C.U. (3)

Firth, Malcolm (Prescot; Liverpool; Oldham; 3b) 203
Beaty, John Harold (Doncaster; 4b) 202
Scholes, James Edward (Sheffield; 4b) 201

W.E.C.U. (1)

Ansell, Jeffrey (Cheltenham; 3a) 203

4a 200-193 (64)

S.C.C.U. (32)

Fertozegi, Robert A (Athenaeum; 4a) 200
Bevis, Donald Keith (Bournemouth; 5a) 198
Cooke, John R (Newham & East London; 4a) 198
May, Alan K (Richmond and Twickenham; 4a) 198
Simpole, Julian Ivan Peter (Brighton; 4a) 198
Cook, Percy Baldwin (Ilford; 4b) 197
Lloyd, David Edward (Newham & East London; 4a) 197
Sutton, John Anthony (Cedars; 4b) 197 [listed as A. J. Sutton - later switched order of his forenames]
Blaine, Martin (Hampstead; 4a) 196 (né Blum, sometimes rendered as Bloom)
Collins, Peter M (Young Pompeians; 5a) 196
Denman, Brian John (Hove; 5a) 196
Inwood, Kenneth F H (Kingston; 4b) 196
Israel, Harold (Hampstead; 3b) 196
Winser, (William) Arthur (Hastings; 4a) 196
Allen, Frederick Walter (Battersea; 4b) 195
Buckland, Roy Thomas (Brighton) 195 [n.b. listed as R. J. Buckland but I think it should have been R. T. Buckland - JS]
Cannon, L John (Horsham; 4b) 195 [n.b. listed as D. J. Cannon but I think it should have been L. J. Cannon - JS]
Rhodes, Herbert Gibson (Hastings; 4b) 195
Dickson, George A (Metropolitan; 4a) 194 [n.b. listed as R. A. Dickson but I think it should have been G. A. Dickson - JS]
Hammond, Norman George (Hastings; 4a) 194
Hawes, Stephen O N (Athenaeum; 4b) 194
Hawson, John Bottomley (Ilford; 4b) 194
Hempson, Peter W (Newham and East London; 4a) 194
Oliff, Keith Michael (Ilford; 4a) 194
Parr, David (Athenaeum; 5a) 194
Shallcross, Douglas George A (Wimbledon; 3b) 194
Veitch, Walter (Richmond and Twickenham; 2b) 194
Pérez Conde, Fernando (Epsom; Spain) 193 [listed as "F. P. Conde"]
Perkins, (Nicholas) Anthony (Finchley; 4b) 193
Stephens, George H (Richmond & Twickenham; 5a) 193
Wheeler, George W (Islington and North London; 4a) 193
Williams, P R (Metropolitan) 193

M.C.C.U. (8)

Taylor, Graham Coleridge (City and Erdington) 200
Tabakiernik, Wladyslaw (Imp. Typewriter; 4b) 199
Wood, Baruch H (Sutton Coldfield; 3a) 198
Beach, Richard A (Stoke; 4a) 196
Walker, Andrew N (Nott'm Mech.; 5a) 194
Anderton, David W (Wolverhampton, Kipping; 4b) 194
Dudley, Dr. Brian George (Stourbridge; 4b) 194
Watts, John Hubert (Sphinx; 4b) 193

N.C.C.U. (16)

Edwards, Raymond Brunton (Harrogate; 3b) 200
Lees, David (Bury; Liverpool; 4b) 199
Rappaport, Heinrich (Manchester Jewish; 4a) 199
Milan, Slade (Stockport) 198
Rhodes, Geoffrey Irving (Newcastle; 3b) 198
Woodcock, Christopher Francis (Liverpool; Hoylake; Oxford U.; 5a) 198
Beach, (Thomas) John (Waterloo; Liverpool; 3b) 197
Hoad, Philip Charles (Liverpool; 3b) 197
Knox, Victor W (Wallasey; London U.; 4b) 197
Griffith, Neil Robert Desmond (Wallasey) 196 [n.b. listed as 'N. R. D. Griffiths' but the 's' is wrong - JS]
Seppings, John L (York: 4a) 196
Abrahams, Gerald (Liverpool; 3b) 195
Dabulawicus, Brian Paul (Warehousemen and Clerks; Manchester; Exeter Univ.) 194
Ellison (Derek) George (Bolton; 4b) 193
Toothill, Andrew (Bradford; 5a) 193
Wolstenholme, John (Manchester; 4a) 193

W.E.C.U. (6)

Myers, Richard (Bristol; 4b) 200
Jones, John Edwin (Totnes; 4a) 199
Bruce, Ronald Mackay (Plymouth; 4a) 198
Paige, Roger Leslie (Exeter U.) 197
Gordon, A L (Plymouth; 4b) 194 [I think this might be Alexander Leslie Gordon, 1917-1990, but can't be sure - JS]
Boyce, (Geoffrey) Michael (Bristol; 4a) 193

Welsh C.U. (2)

Chesters, Graham, Jun (Swansea U.; Crewe) 197
Gilbert, Colin (Newport) 193

4b 192-185 (99)

S.C.C.U. (53)

Ellis, David (Sidcup) 192
Machell, Donald M (Mushrooms; 4b) 192 [emigrated to Australia?]
Sherman, David (Essex; 4b) 192
Hall, Arthur (Hastings; 4b) 191
McBain, Michael J (Metropolitan) 191
Mackay, Donald George UBattersea; 3a) 191
Poutrus, Walid E (Islington and North London; 4a) 191
Stockwell, Roger J (G.P.O.; 4a) 191
Wheeler, John Francis (Streatham and Brixton; 4a) 191
Wright, Daniel (Islington and North London; 5b) 191
Harman, Kenneth Brian (Islington and North London; 4b) 190
James, Geoffrey H (Regency; 4b) 190
Learner, Abraham Emanuel (Hastings) 190
Mabbs, David J (Cedars; 4a) 190
Morgan, Roger William (Oxford) 190
Owen, Philip C (Richmond and Twickenham; 4b) 190
Thompson, Marshall William J (Woolston) 190
Edmonds, Alfred M (Woolston) 189
Richards, William Edward Cole (Patent Office; 5a) 189
Whitbread, Alan W (Battersea; 4b) 189
Adams, James Bernard (Islington and North London; 4b) 188
Bennett, John Herbert B (Metropolitan; 4b) 188
Dymond, Michael J (Portsmouth; 5b) 188
Ecelson, John William (Tunbridge Wells; 4a) 188
Flynn, J D (St. Pancras) 188
Harman, Ronald Frederick A (Islington and North London) 188
Levy, David Neil Laurence (Finchley; 5b) 188
Neat, Kenneth P (Imperial College) 188
Roe, Philip Lawrence (Bedford; 4a) 188
Springall, N R (West London; 5a) 188
Stuart, (Edward) Leslie (Coulsdon and Purley; 3b) 188
Sturgeon, Dr. Bennett (Ilford; 4a) 188
Ventham, Michael Edward (Hampstead; 5a) 188
Woolverton, Harry Ivor (Ilford; 4a) 188
Champion, Kenneth F (Gravesend) 187
Cranmer, Stanley Ernest Edmund (Cosmopolitan Banks; 5a) 187
Crombleholme, Alan K (Mushrooms) 187
Matchett, Harry Gethin Thorp (Hastings; 4b) 187
Tredinnick, George Harold Foster (Insurance; 4b) 187
Upton, Richard St George (Hastings; 5a) 187
Williams, Douglas C (Guildford; 4b) 187
Borland, Robert Edmond (Wimbledon; 4a) 186
Cardy, E A (Port of London Authority; 5a) 186
Coldrick, Arthur J (Streatham and Brixton; 4b) 186
Ludgate, Alan Templeton (High Wycombe; 5a) 186
Pratten, Wilfred Henry (Fareham; 5a) 186
Stock, J R (Newham & East London; 4b) 186
Tidmarsh, David A (Cosmopolitan Banks; 5a) 186
Clunie, Ronald James (Guildford) 185
Felce, Harold George (Sutton & Cheam; 4b) 185
Fox, Terry C (Kingston; 5b) 185
Lancaster, Roger (Mushrooms; 5a) 185
Rogers, (Dennis) John (Acton; 4b) 185

M.C.C.U. (14)

Starosolsky, Roman (Imp. Typewriter; 4a) 192
Winbow, Graham Arthur (Wolv'n Kipping; Camb. Univ.) 192
Burton, Colin G (Hodge Hill; 4b) 191
Jenson, Dr. Victor George (Wolv'n Kipping; 5a) 191
Levens, David George (N.A.L.G.O. Leicester; 4a) 190
Harman, Tom (Daimler; 3b) 189
Sharpe, Ian W (Nott'm Mech.; London Univ.) 189
Miller, Michael Harry (Leicester; 5a) 187
Tennant-Smith, James (Nottingham Mech.; 4b) 187
Griffiths, Peter Charles (Solihull; 5b) 186
Morry, (William) Ritson (City & Erdington; 4a) 186
Dean, James (Bablake; 4b) 185
Morton, Henry (Rolls Royce; 4b) 185
Wallis, Philip Norman (Leicester; 4a) 185

N.C.C.U. (16)

Green, Barry Noel (Altrincham; Oxford Univ.) 192
Joyce, Peter (Burnley; Oxford Univ.) 192
Almond, Philip (Blackburn; Camb. Univ.; 5b) 191
Glaser, Jan (Morpeth; 4b) 188
Rastall, John S (Sheffield; Leeds Univ.; 7a) 188
Sunnucks, (Patricia) Anne (Chester Y.M.C.A.; Wrexham; 5b) 188 [later surname Mothersill]
Toothill, John (Chester Y.M.C.A.; 4b) 188
Walton, John S (Crewe; London Univ.) 188
Bielby, Paul R (Huddersfield; Bradford; 4a) 187
Yerbury, Paul Doyle (Oxford Univ.; Wirral) 187
Borwell, Alan Peter (York; 5a) 186
Fletcher, J (Waterloo; Liverpool; 4a) 186
Moore, Peter G (Stockport; 5a) 186
Platt, Robert J (Waterloo; Liverpool; 5a) 185
Povey, John Edwin (Leeds; 5a) 185

W.E.C.U. (16)

Bonner, Denys Pepperell (Yeovil; 4b) 192
Coast, Peter (Cheltenham; 4b) 191
Richards, David John (Exeter; 4b) 190
Gray, Dr. Denis John Pereira (Exeter; 4b) 189
Poolake, Maximilian Ernst (Bristol; 4a) 189
Busby, Arthur William (Camborne; 5a) 187
Cullum, John (Bristol; 5b) 187
Meade, Philip James (Cheltenham; 4b) 187
Northage, Robert H (Bath; 4b) 186
Bissell, Maurice D (Cheltenham; 4b) 185
Breach, Philip Hastings (Falmouth; 5a) 185
Cock, John Crowle (Cheltenham; 4a) 185
Garside, Rolf (Cheltenham; 5a) 185
Mann, Richard Henry Keeling (Parkstone; 5b) 185
Pitt, Angus Rayfield (Cheltenham; 4b) 185
Wise, Derek Maurice (Bristol; 6b) 185

WELSH CHESS UNION

[History of Cardiff Chess Club - mentions some of the following players]

Cadden, Gordon V (Newport) 5A
Jones, Dr. Harry Victor Mainwaring (Newport) 5A

Caines, David A (Newport) 5B
Jones, Arthur Owen (Swansea) 5B
Jones, D (Llanelly) 5B
Jones, Gareth (Cardiff) 5B
Moore, G (Cardiff North) 5B [George Powell Moore?]

Heath, Brian A (Newport) 6A
Lang, J (Cardiff) 6A
Mills, John Denley (Pontypridd) 6A
Schiffer, Otto (Cardiff North) 6A
Whitcutt, John K (Newport) 6A
Williams, J (Newport) 6A

Cox, Alan J (Min. of Housing, Cardiff) 6B
Davies, (William) Vivian (Llanelly) 6B [n.b. listed as V. Davies but I'm fairly sure it should be W V Davies - JS]
Evans, John S (Newport) 6B
Hughes, Alan J (Cardiff) 6B
Lewis, Dr. G (Swansea) 6B
Mylward, Roger (Swansea University) 6B
Sully, David J (Cardiff 6B)
Taylor, Robert Graham (Cardiff) 6B
Thomas, P A (Newport) 6B
Wade, Norman Ernest (Newport) 6B

NOTES

Guide to BCF (British Chess Federation) Grade Conversion

1) When the BCF grading system came into being, grades were published as shown in column 1 below. (I believe the underlying three-figure grades were calculated but the published figure was a code such as 1a, 1b, 2a, etc.)

2) With the advent of FIDE (or, as they are usually known, Elo) ratings, there was a commonly-used conversion formula which was (BCF x 8) + 600 = FIDE (as shown in column 3).

3) These days I believe the conversion formula is as per column 4 - (BCF x 7.5) + 700 = FIDE.

Old BCF Codes BCF Grades Conversion A Conversion B
1a 241-248 2528-2584 2508-2560
1b 233-240 2464-2520 2448-2500
2a 225-232 2400-2456 2388-2440
2b 217-224 2336-2392 2328-2380
3a 209-216 2272-2328 2268-2320
3b 201-208 2208-2264 2208-2260
4a 193-200 2144-2200 2148-2200
4b 185-192 2080-2136 2088-2140
5a 177-184 2016-2072 2028-2080
5b 169-176 1952-2008 1968-2020
6a 161-168 1888-1944 1908-1960
6b 153-160 1824-1880 1848-1900

File Updated

Date Notes
28 July 2026 First uploaded to BritBase.
29 July 2026 After appealing to the English Chess Forum for help with forenames, a number of amendments have been made. My thanks to Richard James, Mike Alderson, Paul Dupré and Jon D'Souza-Eva.