Cecil Purdy
Encyclopedia
Cecil John Seddon Purdy (27 March 1906, Port Said
, Egypt
– 6 November 1979, Sydney
, Australia
) was an Australia
n chess
International Master (IM) and inaugural World Correspondence Chess
champion. Purdy earned the Grandmaster title at Correspondence Chess
in 1953. He was also an influential chess magazine writer, editor, and publisher.
, then to Tasmania
, Australia
, before they settled in Sydney when he was 12, where he was educated at Cranbrook School
. While in Tasmania one of his classmates was future film star Errol Flynn
.
He began his chess career at the age of 16 and soon decided to become a full time chess writer and player. Initially an over the board (OTB) player, he soon began to mix OTB play with correspondence play. He was four times winner of the Australian Chess Championship
, in 1935, 1937, 1949, and 1951. He won the first two Australian Correspondence Chess Championship
s, in 1938 and 1945. He also won the New Zealand Chess Championship
in 1924/25. In Auckland
1952, he drew a hard-fought match with Ortvin Sarapu
, at the time by far the best player in New Zealand. They were thus declared Australasia
n co-champions.
He was married in 1934 to Anne Crakanthorp, the daughter of two-time Australian Chess Champion Spencer Crakanthorp
. The marriage produced two children, John (1935–2011) and Diana. John Purdy
followed in his father's (and grandfather's) footsteps in winning the Australian Chess Championship in 1955 and 1963. Diana was also a keen chessplayer, and married leading New Zealand
player Frank Hutchings in 1960.
Purdy founded and edited the magazine Australasian Chess Review (1929–1944); this became Check (1944–45), and finally Chessworld (1946–1967). He was described by Bobby Fischer
as being a great chess instructor. Some of his writings are still in print. He is somewhat famous for saying "Pawn
endings are to chess as putting is to golf."
In 1976 he was awarded the Order of Australia
for services to chess.
reports that Purdy's last words were "I have to seal a move", and that Purdy "wasn't even winning in the final position — Cecil wouldn't have mistaken a drawn position for a winning position."
C.J.S.Purdy, Frank Hutchings and Kevin Harrison, How Purdy Won: The Correspondence Chess Career of a World Champion, Castle Books 1983, ISBN 0-7255-1439-6
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
– 6 November 1979, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
International Master (IM) and inaugural World Correspondence Chess
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
champion. Purdy earned the Grandmaster title at Correspondence Chess
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
in 1953. He was also an influential chess magazine writer, editor, and publisher.
Life
As a child he moved with his family from Egypt to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, then to Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, before they settled in Sydney when he was 12, where he was educated at Cranbrook School
Cranbrook School Sydney
Cranbrook School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill and Rose Bay, both eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. While in Tasmania one of his classmates was future film star Errol Flynn
Errol Flynn
Errol Leslie Flynn was an Australian-born actor. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles in Hollywood films, being a legend and his flamboyant lifestyle.-Early life:...
.
He began his chess career at the age of 16 and soon decided to become a full time chess writer and player. Initially an over the board (OTB) player, he soon began to mix OTB play with correspondence play. He was four times winner of the Australian Chess Championship
Australian Chess Championship
The Australian Chess Championship is a tournament organised by the Australian Chess Federation and held every two years. The tournament is usually restricted to Australian chess players, although exceptions have been made on occasion. The winner of the tournament holds the title of Australian Chess...
, in 1935, 1937, 1949, and 1951. He won the first two Australian Correspondence Chess Championship
Australian Correspondence Chess Championship
The Australian Correspondence Chess Championship is organised by the Correspondence Chess League of Australia . The event was held three times before 1937, with O Ludlow winning once and F M Hallman winning twice. Regular championships have been held since 1937 with a break from 1939 to 1945 due to...
s, in 1938 and 1945. He also won the New Zealand Chess Championship
New Zealand Chess Championship
The New Zealand Chess Championship was first conducted in 1879.Note: Up until 1934 foreign players were eligible for the title. The eligibility rules were changed in 1935 to preclude this; John Angus Erskine was born in Invercargill and was therefore eligible although he was domiciled in...
in 1924/25. In Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
1952, he drew a hard-fought match with Ortvin Sarapu
Ortvin Sarapu
Ortvin Sarapu MBE , sometimes known as "Mr Chess", was a New Zealand chess International Master who won or co-won the New Zealand Chess Championship 20 times between 1952 and 1990.-Early life:Born Ortvin Sarapuu in Estonia, he won the Estonian Junior Championship in 1940, then defected to Finland...
, at the time by far the best player in New Zealand. They were thus declared Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
n co-champions.
He was married in 1934 to Anne Crakanthorp, the daughter of two-time Australian Chess Champion Spencer Crakanthorp
Spencer Crakanthorp
Spencer Crakanthorp, was a chess player and Australian Chess Champion in 1923−24, 1925−26, 1926 and 1927. He was the father-in-law of chess master Cecil Purdy and grandfather to another chess master, Cecil's son John Purdy John Purdy.-External links:...
. The marriage produced two children, John (1935–2011) and Diana. John Purdy
John Purdy (chess player)
John Purdy was an Australian chess player and Family Court judge.- Early life and education :John Spencer Purdy was born on 25 September 25 1935 in Sydney, New South Wales...
followed in his father's (and grandfather's) footsteps in winning the Australian Chess Championship in 1955 and 1963. Diana was also a keen chessplayer, and married leading New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
player Frank Hutchings in 1960.
Purdy founded and edited the magazine Australasian Chess Review (1929–1944); this became Check (1944–45), and finally Chessworld (1946–1967). He was described by Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
as being a great chess instructor. Some of his writings are still in print. He is somewhat famous for saying "Pawn
Pawn (chess)
The pawn is the most numerous and weakest piece in the game of chess, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants or pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the rank immediately in front of the other pieces...
endings are to chess as putting is to golf."
In 1976 he was awarded the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for services to chess.
Death
Purdy died from a heart attack while playing chess over the board, with his final words allegedly being "I have a win, but it will take some time" . However Australian grandmaster Ian RogersIan Rogers (chess player)
Ian Rogers , is a retired Australian chess grandmaster and FIDE Senior Trainer .-Career:Rogers was the first Australian to become a Chess Grandmaster, a title he achieved in 1985 after becoming an International Master in 1980...
reports that Purdy's last words were "I have to seal a move", and that Purdy "wasn't even winning in the final position — Cecil wouldn't have mistaken a drawn position for a winning position."
Further reading
J. Hammond and R Jamieson, C.J.S. Purdy: His Life, His Games and His Writings, Belmont Printing Co. Melbourne 1982C.J.S.Purdy, Frank Hutchings and Kevin Harrison, How Purdy Won: The Correspondence Chess Career of a World Champion, Castle Books 1983, ISBN 0-7255-1439-6
External links
- Purdy, Cecil John Seddon (1906 - 1979), Australian Dictionary of Biography - Online Edition