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From CHESS, October 1974, Vol. 40, no.s 707-708, ppn 18-22 (I have added forenames – JS)
THE B.C.F. GRADING LISTS FOR 1974
This year’s National Grading List follows last year’s pattern, as described on pages 132-146 of the 1972-73 Year Book. The performances are for the 12 months to end-April 1974. Where less than 30 games have been played in that year (subject to the minimum of 10), games are brought in from 1972-73 to bring the total to 30. But if less than 20 are played in 1973-74, performances in the 1974 list do not count for titles.
The delay in issuing the list this year results from the teething troubles in the computerisation programme of S.C.C.U, introduced after the sad illness and death of that great tower of strength to grading, Mr. H. G. Felce.
The National List contains 56 names, compared with 58 in the 1973 List. There are 11 in the top group of over 224 compared with 7 last year. The bottom figure here of 225 corresponds with the F.I.D.E. International Ranking List (I.R.L.) figure of 2400. In the second group, 224 to 216, there are 12 compared with 17: this is the level that if maintained in four lists gives the British Master (BM) title, and for two consecutive lists the Candidate Master (CM) title: both speeded up by performances in the top group.
A. J. Miles’s victory in the World Junior will not score until next year’s List; in this year he has held his last year’s 230, as has M. F. Stean. Among the youngest players, the advances of J. D. M. Nunn and A. J. Mestel are remarkable; M. J. Basman also scores well. This is a notable year also for the first appearance of Mrs. Hartston in the national list.
With Miles’s international master title we still have nine IM’s (his success restores the number after the loss of C. H. O’D. Alexander). Of these, Hartston, Keene, Miles, Penrose, Wade and Levy are in active play. M. F. Stean’s performance wins him the BM title. J. D. M. Nunn, A. J. Mestel and J. Horner all earn the Candidate Master title.
There are 30 England and Wales players in the men’s International rating list of I May 1974, including B. J. Denman who is listed under Scotland. This is about 2½% of the total; about the same proportion as ours of the IM’s in the I.R.L. list; but of course we have none of the 100 or so listed grand masters. In the women’s I.R.L., we have 11, or about 5% of the total; and our 4 “Masters” (Mrs. Bruce, Mrs. Hartston, Mrs. Pritchard and Miss Sunnucks) are about the same proportion of the “Masters” in the list.
Comparison of the B.C.F. grading numbers and the I.R.L. [FIDE Rating] for the 31 in both (including Mrs. Hartston) according to our normal conversion formula shows that on the average the B.C.F. numbers are one point higher than the I.R.L. equivalent, which suggests that the formula is still sound. 18 of our 31 have higher B.C.F. numbers than the I.R.L. equivalent; 2 the same; 11 lower. In the top group, the B.C.F. numbers (particularly Mestel and Stean) are mostly above the I.R.L. equivalent: in the second group, pluses and minuses equally balanced: in the third group, more B.C.F. numbers are lower than higher. This illustrated once more how much faster the B.C.F. list reacts than the I.R.L. to improvement and worsening of performance.
The Committee have been considering anomalies which appear to have been arising in tournaments which define the entry by grading numbers. Where it is known that people are graded in two Unions, the graders straighten it out; and immense trouble is taken. But when several thousands of players are being graded (many called “J. Smith”) by scores of graders this cannot be generally known. We are trying to standardise the practice of the graders all the time, but as the num¬bers grow, so do these problems. So we decided that we could not help to police these difficulties, which must remain the responsibility of congress organisers (who could certainly ask competitors whether they were graded elsewhere).
Sir Richard Clarke, who started the B.C.F. grading scheme in 1954, and has been chairman of the Grading Committee for many years, has felt bound to relinquish the chairmanship through ill-health. His successor as chairman is Mr. E. E. Croker, who apart from his work on the B.C.F. Junior Committee has been in charge of junior grading for a long time.
NATIONAL GRADING LIST / FIDE Rating List (May 1974)
| Above 224 (11) | Title/Prev Grade | BCF | FIDE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartston, William R. | (IM:236) | 240 | 2480 |
| Keene, Raymond D. | (IM:231) | 238 | 2505 |
| Miles, Anthony J. | (IM:230) | 230 | 2410 |
| Stean, Michael F. | (BM:230) | 230 | 2345 |
| Basman, Michael J. | (BM:218) | 228 | 2400 |
| Littlewood, John E. | (BM: 221) | 227 | 2340 |
| Nunn, John D. M. | (CM: 214) | 227 | 2395 |
| Webb, Simon | (BM: 219) | 226 | 2380 |
| Whiteley, Andrew J. | (BM: 226) | 226 | 2340 |
| Mestel, A Jonathan | (CM: 216) | 226 | 2270 |
| Markland, Peter R. | (BM: 222) | 225 | 2390 |
| 224-216 (12) | Title/Prev Grade | BCF | FIDE |
| Williams, A Howard | (BM: 227) | 224 | 2405 |
| Horner, Jeff | (N: 222) | 222 | |
| Eley, Brian | (BM: 216) | 221 | 2350 |
| Botterill, George S. | (BM: 214) | 220 | 2410 |
| Hindle, Owen M. | (CM: 216) | 220 | |
| Penrose, Jonathan | (IM: 226) | 219 | 2450 |
| Bellin, Robert S. | (CM: 220) | 219 | 2355 |
| Saverymuttu, Seth | (CM: 213) | 217 | 2250 |
| Corden, Martyn J. | (CM: 214) | 217 | 2315 |
| Eales, Richard G. | (N&S: 208) | 217 | |
| Richardson, Keith B. | (S: 214) | 217 | |
| Wise, Derek M. | (S&W: 210) | *216 | |
| 215-207 (33) | Title/Prev Grade | BCF | FIDE |
| Clarke, Peter H. | (BM: 211) | *215 | 2355 |
| Wright, Daniel | (CM: 219) | 215 | |
| Parr, David | (S & Wales: 207) | 215 | |
| Bruzzi, Stefano | (S: 205) | *215 | |
| Milner-Barry, P Stuart | (BM: 215) | *214 | |
| Griffiths, Peter C. | (M: 204) | 214 | 2285 |
| Holloway, Nigel J. | (S & W: 214) | 214 | |
| Sales, Dr. Keith D. | (S: 205) | *214 | |
| Hartston, Mrs. Jana | (S: 200) | 213 | 2250 |
| Jones, Iolo C. | (Wales: 208) | 213 | 2210 |
| Law, Andrew P. | (S: 216) | 213 | |
| Harris, Ronald A. | (S: 214) | *212 | |
| Haygarth, Michael J. | (BM: 214) | 211 | |
| Ball, John D. L. | (M: 190) | 211 | |
| Bennett, Gerald H. | (S & W: 206) | 211 | |
| Ludgate, Alan T. | (N: 207) | 211 | |
| Wade, Robert G. | (IM: 216) | 210 | 2350 |
| Hutchings, Stuart J. | (W & Wales: 211) | 210 | 2310 |
| Kennaugh, Charles W. | (N: 193) | 210 | |
| Perkins, Alan H. | (S: 215) | 210 | 2360 |
| Lambshire, Michael V. | (S: 206) | *210 | |
| Franklin, Michael J. | (BM: 216) | *209 | 2335 |
| Phillips, Alan | (BM: 210) | *209 | |
| Byway, Paul V. | (S: 200) | 209 | |
| Toothill, John | (N: 207) | *209 | |
| James, Geoffrey H. | (S: 200) | 208 | |
| Stephenson, F Norman | (N: 205) | 208 | |
| Cooper, John G. | (S & Wales: 201) | *208 | 2215 |
| Henshaw, John C. | (S: 201) | *208 | |
| Moles, John L. | (S: —) | *208 | |
| Denman, Brian J. | (S & Scot: —) | 207 | 2205 |
| Scholes, James E. | (S: 214) | *207 |
* Fewer than 30 games in 1973-74.
IM: International Master; BM: British Master; CM: Candidate Master; M: M.C.C.U.; N: N.C.C.U.; S: S.C.C.U.; W: W.E.C.U.; I.R.L. = International Rating List [FIDE/Elo Rating]
COMBINED UNION LISTS (264)
206 (8)
Adams, David (N; York: 191)
Carleton, John J. (M & S; Birmingham Nomads: 211: FIDE 2270)
Green, Barry N. (S; Cavendish: 196)
Horton, Mark H. (M; Notts Gambit: 203)
Linnell, Peter A. (N & S; East Cheshire, Cambridge Univ.: 217)
Smith, Brian R. (N; Middlesbro: 190)
Speelman, Jonathan S. (S; Hampstead: 204)
Thornton, John D. (Wales; Caerphilly: 190)
205 (6)
Anderton, David W. (M; Wolverhampton Kpg.: 192)
Binks, Michael E. (W; Downend & Fishponds: 199)
Cafferty, Bernard (CM; Birmingham: 207: FIDE 2335)
Helman, Amir (S; Islington: 210)
Jones, Brian A. (N; Sheffield: 190)
Trangmar, Alan G. (S; Cambridge Univ.: 209)
204 (8)
Farrand, Julian T. (N; E. Cheshire: 209)
Gait, Paul D. (S; Battersea: 204)
Knox, Victor W. (BM; Manchester: 223)
Mabbs, David J. (S; Hampstead: 199)
O’Kelly, Rory M. R. (S; Mushrooms: 200)
Pope, A. (S; Ilford: 199)
Walsh, D. J. (S & W; Maidenhead, Portsmouth Poly: 207)
Waters, Peter J. (S & W; London Univ., Barnstaple: 207)
203 (4)
Horner, John E. (N; Chorlton: 191)
McFarland, Robert S. (M; Nuneaton: 196)
Thomas, Andrew R. B. (W; Tiverton: 200)
Toothill, Andrew (N; Bradford: 197)
202 (14)
Ashby, Alan P. (N & S; Manchester, London Univ.: 208)
Beach, Richard A. (M; Electro, Stoke: 202)
Edwards, L. Alan (M; Braunstone: 208)
Emerson, Roger (S; Wimbledon: 198)
Goldsmith, A. R. (W; Woolston Comm. Centre: —)
Hardinge, Dr. Julian A. (S; Brighton: 196)
Holmes, Roger De L. (S; Tunbridge Wells: —)
Kinlay, Jonathan (S; Islington: 190)
Lee, Graham D. (S; Wood Green: 192)
Parr, Frank (S; Sutton & Cheam: 200)
Pritchard, David B. (S; Hampstead: 209)
Russell, H. (N; Sheffield Univ.: 189)
Veauce, Louis De (N; Manchester: 204: FIDE 2270)
Watson, Ronald H. (N & S; Leeds Univ., London: 195)
201 (10)
Bzowski, J. (S; Wimbledon: 187)
Cooper, Andrew C. (S; Cambridge Univ.: 189)
Harris, Geoffrey F. (M; Stourbridge: 193)
Hopewell, Barry (M; Electro, Stoke: 204)
Kalton, Nigel J. (Wales; Swansea Univ.: 195)
Petschar, Kurt (W; Bristol Univ.: —)
Prizant, Michael (S; Sutton & Cheam: 196)
Rogers, D John (S; Hammersmith: 192)
Webb, Roger (S; Islington: 200)
Yerbury, Paul D. (S; Cavendish: 193)
200 (10)
Century, Jonathan I. (S; Islington: 200)
Edwards, Raymond B. (N; Harrogate: 202)
Littlewood, Paul E. (N; Skelmersdale, Wigan: 197)
Macdonald-Ross, Michael (S; Lewisham: 211)
Neat, Kenneth P. (N; Sunderland: 189)
Quinn, John M. (M & S; Stafford, Harrow: 198)
Reuben, Stewart (S; Islington: 193)
Walker, Andrew N. (M; Notts. Univ.: 197)
Walker, Michael A. (N; Leeds: 200)
Wicker, Kevin J. (M & S; White Eagles, Leics., Lewisham: 196)
199 (6)
Burnett, Leon P. (S & W; Essex Univ., Weston-s-Mare: 194)
Singleton, Michael P. F. (S; Hendon: 189)
Sommerville, Johann P. (S; Lewisham: 194)
Stubbs, P. J. (S; Richmond: 193)
Westra, Roelof D. (N; Hull: 199)
Wheeler, John F. (S; I.B.M.: 199)
198 (12)
Blackstock, Leslie S. (S; Athenaeum: 208)
Burton, Colin G. (M; Hereford: 189)
Chapman, Terence P. D. (S; Wimbledon: 196)
Hall, Richard V. M. (N; Teeside: 209)
Harman, Ronald F. A. (S; Centymca: 196)
Hempson, Peter W. (N & S; Sheffield, Durham, Cavendish: 196)
Johannes, Ronald L. (S; Cambridge Univ: 190)
Lemoir, David A. (S & W; Mushrooms, Patchway: 198)
MacGrillen, Hugh (S; Mushrooms: 189)
May, Alan K. (S; Richmond: 206)
Thompson, Marshall W. J. (W; Woolston Comm. Centre, Soton: 189)
Wise, Thomas H. (N; Middlesbro: 192)
197 (14)
Argyris, Nicholas J. (S; Mitcham: 204)
Bailey, Richard (S; Cambridge Univ.: 205)
Beach, T John (N; Waterloo: 186)
Berry, Stephen (M, N & W; Sutton Coldfield, Hull, Bristol Univ.: 181)
Conroy, Mike J. (N; Burnley: 199)
Howson, James B. (S; King & King: 194)
Lees, David (N; South Manchester: 198)
Lister, David I. (N; Sheffield: 191)
Oliver, Norman R. (S; Lewisham: 192)
Radoicic, Miroslav (S; Hampstead: 198)
Shephard, Chris C. W. (M; South B’ham: 199)
Timson, Paul F. (S; Harrow: 201)
Winser, W Arthur (S; Hastings: 193)
Wise, David (N; Middlesbro: 190)
196 (9)
Cutler, N. (S; Old Parkonians: 186)
Gibbs, Peter C. (M; Birmingham: 203)
Markham, D. R. (N; Leeds: 194)
Montgomery, J. (M; Stafford: 193)
Povah, Nigel E. (N & S; Leeds Univ., Streatham: 204)
Shaw, Clifford J. (S; Gerrard's Cross: 190)
Taylor, G. C. (S; Willesden: —)
Wills, Michael W. (S; Centymca: 195)
Young, D. H. (S; Maidstone: 195)
195 (13)
Booth, Anthony J (N & S; Cheshire, Bedford: 179)
Gamble, Raymond J. (M; Brit. Celanese, Derby: 193)
Goodman, David S. C. (S; Brighton: 185)
Hawes, Stephen O. N. (S; Horsham: 188)
Hutchinson, Paul A. (M; Stafford, Brigg: —)
James, David J. (Wales; Cwmbran: 185)
Johnston, David/Dafydd R. (N; Hull: 197)
Nicholson, John G. (S; Lewisham: 197)
Rothbart, Bernard M. (S; Hendon: 199)
Smith, M. A. (N; Bolton: 189)
Steedman, James (N; North Shields: 194)
Stockwell, Roger J. (S; Post Office: 192)
Walker, John N. (S; Cowley: 193)
194 (11)
Barnard, C. S. (M; Electro, Stoke: 192)
Briggs, J. N. (S; Wimbledon: 193)
Brogden, John G. (S; Wimbledon: 194)
Bryant, Richard B. E. (S; Guildford: 182)
Chandler, Clifford R. (S & W; Enfield, Southampton Univ.: 192)
Harding, Timothy D. (S & W; Athenaeum, Weymouth : 197)
Marks, Laurence D. (S; Trinity Sch.: 187)
Marshall, A. T. (S; Wanstead: 184)
Pearce, Gareth D. (S & Wales; Oxford Univ.: 188)
Simpole, Julian I. P. (S; Brighton: 198)
Tucker, David S. (S; London Univ.: 192)
193 (11)
Gorman, John A. (N; Chester Y.M.C.A.: 179)
Hayes, Gerry M. (S; Athenaeum: 190)
Jones, M. (Wales; Llanelli: —)
Kooiman, Bernard (S; Mitcham: 197)
Lynch, David P. (N; Bolton: 187)
Melville, A. C. (S; London Univ.: 201)
Myers, R. J. (S; Civil Service: 187)
Noyce, Terence C. (S; Croydon: —)
Smith, Ivor B. N. (S; Ilford: 184)
Swift, Anthony K. (S; Lewisham: 200)
Taylor, Stephen J. (S; Cambridge Univ.: 188)
192 (16)
Adams, Philip (N; Oldham: 187)
Ball, A. J. (S; St. Albans: 176)
Beaty, John H. (N; Doncaster: 191)
Clunie, Ronald J. (M; W. Bridgford, Notts.: 187)
Dickson, George A. (S; Metropolitan: 195)
Ewans, H. M. (S; R.A.E., Farnborough: 189)
Hassall, Mark I. (M & S; Wigston, Leics., London Univ.: 177)
Hoad, Philip C. (N; Liverpool: 194)
Hollis, Geoffrey A. (S; Cavendish: 200)
McDonnell, J. A. (S; King & King: 187)
Norman, Kenneth I. (S; Richmond: 187)
Reynolds, D. Ian W. (S; Ilford: 163)
Robinson, John K. (M; Wigston, Leics.: 192)
Saunders, John C. (S; Cambridge Univ.: 186)
Stebbings, Anthony J. (S & W; Waltham Forest, Southampton Univ.: 198)
Stoddard, T. J. (N; S. Manchester: 190)
191 (15)
Andrews, G. (N & S; Doncaster, Oxford Univ.: 175)
Brown, P. A. J. (S; Stevenage: 196)
Ellison, D George (N; Bolton: 187)
Habershon, Paul F. (S; Bedford: 181)
Homeyard, Keith F. (S; Worthing: 191)
Johns, C. W. (S; Bedford: 181)
Johnson, J. A. (S; Orpington: 181)
Lamb, Derek (M; Wolverhampton Kpg: 200)
Larner, Kenneth P. W. (M & S; Warwick Univ.: 182)
O’Hara, Michael J. (N; Bolton: 189)
Ralph, Dr. P. D. (S; Metropolitan: 163)
Stokes, M. R. (M; Foxhunters, Leics.: 186)
Walker, R. A. (S; St. Albans: 181)
Warren, K. D. (Wales; Cardiff: 193)
Wood, R Frank T (M; Sutton Coldfield: 191)
190 (19)
Batchelor, Roy A. (S; Metropolitan: 183)
Cook, Michael P. (S; Maidstone: 187)
Elwell, Robert G. W. (S; Maurice: 178)
Hall, John (N; Bolton: 186)
Homolka, Vincent (M & S; Birmingham Univ.: Ramsgate: 179)
Hughes, M. (N; Wrexham: 185)
Kemp, Paul R. (M; Notts. Gambit: 188)
Kitchlew, Andrew (S; Wimbledon: 190)
Lambert, Glenn E. J. (W; Southern G.S., Portsmouth: 176)
Lewis, Adrian P. R. (S; Sussex Univ.: 185)
Newman, R. C. (S; Brighton: 184)
O’Sullivan, Brian F. (S & W; Islington, Southamp¬ton: 198)
Priestley, J. R. (S; Chelmsford: 184)
Prizant, Alan H. (S; Sutton & Cheam: 190)
Smith, Michael D. (M & N; Worksop, Sheffield Univ.: 176)
Trevelyan, John (S & Wales; Slough, London Univ., Bridgend: 193)
Turnock, John F. (N; Newcastle: 187)
Vaughan, David O. (Wales; Cwmbran: 188)
Wheatley, A. I. (S; Stevenage: 186)
189 (13)
Bramley, Dr. Eric N. (S; Slough: 177)
Doney, Ronald A. (N; Manchester: 198)
Hillyard, Graham D. (S; Brentwood School: 173)
Hipple, D. (N; Sheffield Univ.: 188)
Jones, D. R. T. (S; Oxford Univ.: 188)
Killick, Peter G. (M; White Eagles, Leics.: 179)
Little, Ernest A. (N; Waterloo: 185)
Mashayekh, M. (W; Bristol & Clifton: 178)
Morry, W. Ritson (M; Mutual, B’ham: 187)
Philpott, A. (S; Bognor Regis: 195)
Powell, David H. (S; Cambridge Univ.: 183)
Shepstone, Andrew P. (S; Cambridge Univ.: 191)
Wood, Baruch H. (M; Sutton Coldfield: 206)
188 (21)
Adams, James B. (S; Centymca: 195)
Alcock, Michael (M; Derby: 193)
Brigden, Michael E. (W; Bristol: 197)
Cooke, John R. (S; Ilford: 191)
Cooley, Christopher M. (W; Swindon: 181)
Cordon, William A. (S; Bedford: 181)
Crouch, Colin S. (S; Harrow: 188)
Hanreck, Alan E. (S; Charlton: 186)
Kalinsky, Sydney M. (S; Cavendish: 180)
Large, Peter G. (S; St. Olaves School: 175)
Lee, Peter J. (W; Southern G.S., Portsmouth: 174)
Linton, William A. (S; Mushrooms: 192)
Macdonald-Ross, Stephen (S; Lewisham: 181)
Roycroft, A. John (S; I.B.M.: 197)
Sharp, Peter J. (M; Players, Notts.: 172)
Skilleter, John V. (S; Railways: 186)
Speed, Graham (S; Mitcham: 197)
Stirling, William J. (S; East Ham: 181)
Tennant-Smith, James (N; Manchester: 180)
Whitfield, G. (N; Sunderland: 183)
Wolfarth, George E. (S & W; Cambridge Univ., Gloucester: 179)
187 (15)
Aitken, Dr. James M. (W; Cheltenham: 187)
Bennett, Terry B. (S; Hertfordshire: 189)
Boyce, James R. (W; Bristol & Clifton: 192)
Dudley, Brian C. (M; Stourbridge: 177)
Hare, Paul D. (M; Notts. Gambit: 186)
Hemingway, Thomas K. (S; Stevenage: 193)
Hyde, Keith G. (S; High Wycombe: 191)
Jackson, Oliver A. (N; Manchester: 191)
Lamb, Harry (N; Bolton: 202)
Lightfoot, Malcolm J. (S; Richmond: 188)
Parkes, Timothy J. (S; Cambridge Univ.: 184)
Ridley, C. L. (N; Chester Y.M.C.A.: 163)
Spurgeon, Ronald E. (S; Metropolitan: 193)
Stuart, E. Leslie (S; Hampstead: 205)
Woolnough, M. (S; Norfolk-Norwich: —)
186 (23)
Bailey, J. (N; Daresbury: 184)
Burnett, James (N & S; Doncaster, Oxford Univ.: 182)
Clegg, Christopher R. A. (S; Kingston: 179)
Coles, William F. (S; Gerrard’s Cross: 179)
Collins, Dr. R. A. (N; Lancaster: 180)
Day, J. C. (Wales; Swansea, Bridgend: —)
Dolan, S. W. (S; Oxford Univ.: 183)
Hewson, Brian W. R. (S; Harvey G.S.: 185)
Hutcheson, J. (S; Alcazar: 192)
Jones, R. S. (S; Bedford: 184)
Littlewood, Michael P. (N; Sheffield: 179)
Mellor, Robert H. (N; Carlisle: 177)
Moore, P. G. (N; Manchester, Wilmslow: 189)
O'Connell, Kevin J. (S; Athenaeum: 197)
O'Dell, James E. (S; Mitcham: 190)
Patience, Paul J. (S; Centymca: 189)
Pitt, Michael J. (M; Olton, B'ham: 182)
Pugh, John K. (S; Lowestoft: 190)
Sayers, A. G. (N; Sunderland: 191)
Stevenson, Michael A. (M; Wes. & General, Birmingham: 188)
Weeramantry, Sunil (S & W; Waltham Forest, Southampton Univ.: 195)
Willmott, N. D. (S; Hilltop: 183)
Wolstenholme, John (N; Manchester: 201)
185 (6)
Cronick, Stephen K. (Wales; Cardiff: 200)
Curtis, Paul W. (S & W; Ipswich, Southampton Univ.: 176)
Mahdavi, Mohamed (W; Southampton Univ.: 184)
Morley, Andrew J. (M; Wigston, Keele: 177)
Sully, David J. (S; Camden: 183)
Sutton, J. Anthony (M; Warboys, Hunts.: 188)
File Updated
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| July 2022 | First uploaded. Note that I have applied a few minor cosmetic amendments to aid present day understanding, e.g. referring to FIDE rating rather than the abbreviation I.R.L. which was used at the time (but never caught on). |
| 5 August 2022 | Some amendments: conversion to HTML rather than PDF. Added some forenames - thanks to Neil Graham. |