Cecil Purdy

Cecil John Seddon Purdy (born March 27, 1906 in Port Said , † November 6, 1979 in Sydney ) was an Australian chess player . He was the 1st official correspondence chess world champion .

Life

The national champion in local chess of New Zealand (1924) and four-time Australian local chess master (1935, 1937, 1949, 1951) won the first world championship in correspondence chess in 1953 . He also won the correspondence chess championship of Australia twice. In 1951 he was awarded the title of International Master by the World Chess Federation FIDE .

From 1929 to 1967 he published the chess magazine Australasian chess review (from 1946 under the title Chess world ). He also wrote some textbooks popular in English-speaking countries , including Guide to good chess (1950). Occasionally he used the pseudonym Chielamangus .

He died of a heart attack during a game of chess against Ian Parsonage in the Sydney Championship , his last words were: I have a winning position but it will take some time .

official

Purdy was Vice President of the World Correspondence Chess Federation ICCF from 1951 to 1976 . He also worked as President of the Correspondence Chess League of Australia until his death . In 1979 the ICCF made him an honorary member for his services.

family

Purdy's father-in-law was Spencer Crankanthorp, a six-time New Zealand champion.

Purdy had a son, John Spencer Purdy , who was also a strong chess player. This won the 1955 championship of Australia. In the same year he took part in the Junior World Championships in Antwerp. Until about 1985 he was President of the Australian Chess Federation. He then worked as a judge in Canberra.

Purdy also had a daughter. She married the New Zealand chess master, Frank Hutchings.

literature

• Cecil Purdy: The search for chess perfection . Davenport 1997. ISBN 0-938650-78-5

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Schach-Echo 1955/6 inside cover on the back

Web links

• Some positions from his games