Julian Simpole

Brighton: the International Chess Tournaments Julian Simpole

Between 1979 and 1985 seven International Tournaments were held in Brighton, England, as a result of the efforts of Ray Keene and Julian Simpole. Here the two organisers recombine as joint authors to record all games from these events, all results and some notes and comments to the most outstanding clashes. The players invited form a veritable roll call of British illuminati in chess - Nigel Short, Jon Speelman, Dr John Nunn, William Watson, James Plaskett, Dr Jonathan Mestel and Shaun Taulbut. The foreign challenge was also considerable including World Championship Candidate Johann Hjartarson from Iceland as well as Grandmasters Jon Arnason, Gudmundur Sigurjonsson, Heikki Westerinen, Jon Fedorowicz and Jon Tisdall. Many of these games will be unknown to the chess public. They form a treasure trove of ideas and strategies, as well as being an invaluable historical document in their own right, within the context of the celebrated English chess explosion which commenced in the late 1970s and led to an English challenge for the World Title in 1993. Raymond Keene is a British Chess Champion, and the first British Player to achieve a FIDE (World Chess Federation) Grandmaster norm. He was awarded the OBE for services to chess in 1985. He is Chess Correspondent of The Times, The Sunday Times, The Spectator, and The International Herald Tribune. He is a prolific author of chess books, several of which are classics of the genre. He has organised three World Chess Championships. Julian Simpole was top board for the Brighton team that won the 1969 British Lightning Team Championship, while in 2003 he was awarded the title of Official World Chess Federation Organiser, in recognition of his work in creating and running important international tournaments in the UK.