With the election dominating the news, this week I focus on the strongest chess player to have entered Parliament. Marmaduke Wyvill was MP for Richmond Yorkshire, and he won the silver medal in the very first international tournament, which was organised by Howard Staunton to coincide with the Great Exhibition of London in 1851. Stylistically, Wyvill was a student of Staunton, and he favoured the king’s side bishop fianchetto and a delayed action to challenge the centre from the flanks. Notes based on those by Imre Konig in Chess from Morphy to Botvinnik (Hardinge Simpole).
Marmaduke Wyvill-Lowe: London 1851; English Opening
1 c4 e5 2 e3 c5 3 Nc3 Nc6 4 g3 Be7 5 Bg2 d6 6 d3 White is happy to allow Black to build up in the centre as he plans to counter with d4 at a later date. 6 … Nf6 7 a3 Be6 8 Nge2 The modern approach here would be 8 Nd5, preventing Black’s next move. 8 … d5 9 cxd5 Nxd5 Now Black has freed his game and stands well. 10 0-0 0-0 (see diagram 1) 11 Qc2 White must play patiently as 11 d4 cxd4 12 exd4 exd4 13 Nxd4 Nxd4 14 Qxd4 Bf6 is good for Black. 11 … Nxc3 This helps White as it improves his pawn structure. 11 … Rc8 was better. 12 bxc3 Bd5 13 e4 Be6 14 Be3 Now White can meet 14 … c4 with 15 d4. 14 … Qd7 15 f4 f5 This is a bad mistake after which White obtains the advantage. 15 … Rfd8 is better when Black is certainly not worse. 16 fxe5 Nxe5 17 Nf4 Ng4 (see diagram 2) 18 Bd2 18 Nxe6 is very strong. 18 … Nxe3 19 Nxf8 wins material and 18 … Qxe6 19 Bf4 is simply very strong strategically. 18 … c4 This is completely wrong.
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