Profile of Stewart Reuben

Director of International Chess and Manager of Congress Chess

As many of you know, recently Peter Sowray stood down from being in charge of international chess and David Welch resigned as congress manager for reasons of ill health. Peter did a great deal of good work and I am sure his services will continue to be of value in the future in other fields. I am pleased to say that David will continue as Chief Arbiter for the Federation and continue to work in that field. The more managerial role he found taxing, although even so he conducted the business with his customary efficiency.

I learnt chess at the age of 11 when I went to grammar school. This was normal in that period; what was not normal was the high regard with which chess was regarded at William Ellis. I didn’t become an organiser until I was 14 (why such a late developer?) in 1953. I then took over running the lunchtime school chess club and was also appointed captain of Islington (adult) Club Second Team. We lost to the 1st team, but still managed to finish ahead of them, a feat which took me 49 years to duplicate in the European Senior Team Championship.

I continued in education and employment, including two years in New York. On my return from there I started the Islington Congress in 1965. This was the first weekend congress in Britain other than over a holiday weekend. It attracted 24 entries. By 1971 484 players took part and it had been imitated all over Britain. Thus we were ready for the explosion that was to follow in 1972 due to the publicity from the Fischer-Spassky match. That year the Evening Standard Islington Congress had 1204 players and the following year 1508. It was in 1973 that I introduced quickplay finishes, a way of concluding the game which much later became the worldwide standard. David Welch was one of my main arbiters, but in this period he also ran the Liverpool Junior Congress which had over 2000 entries at its peak. Many years later Islington chess became non-viable and is, alas, no more either as a club or congress.

I ran my first international tournament in 1973, again sponsored by the Evening Standard. Leonard Barden and I introduced the Cutty Sark Grand Prix in 1974 and it still runs, in a somewhat different form, today. But the Lloyds Bank Masters of 1977 was the event with which I am associated which has had most influence. It was shown that people can gain title norms in an open Swiss. Most international events throughout the world follow this system.

In 1978 the BCF changed its management structure from one being run by a huge committee to having directors. Also David Anderton became President. I realised that it would be possible to work with the BCF now and joined the Board in 1979 as London League representative. In 1980 we held the Phillips & Drew/GLC Kings and were able to repeat the event in 1982, 84 and 86, the latter sponsored solely by the Greater London Council. These were among the major events of their time in the world. We also ran the World championship in 1986.

Gerry Walsh was the Director of the British Championships, but he had to stand down due to business commitments. I took over in January 1981 and ran the event until 1996. By that time, I was also Chairman of the Federation and edited ChessMoves for a period. Tim Wall took over directing the congress, but again there were business distractions and I again stepped in and ran the 1997 event. Neil Graham took over in 1998 and continued for seven years, when David Welch took over. Now I am back in harness for the third time do I get a draw by repetition? An amazing coincidence is that the names of all three people I have taken over from, all in mid-year rather than at the AGM, start with W. I do have a sort of vague ambition for the future that I run the British in 2013. I will leave you to find out the significance of that year.

My major new event this century has been the Gibtelecom Chess Festival in Gibraltar. This is now one of the richest open events in the world and comes under the ECF as Gibraltar cannot affiliate to FIDE directly. Peter Purland and David Welch have worked on this project from the start.

It never occurred to me initially that when you organise a chess event you are not necessarily also the chief arbiter. Thus I have also been an International Arbiter for about 30 years. But I am Chairman of the FIDE Organizer’s Committee and also author of the only book on the subject in English, ‘The Chess Organiser’s Handbook’.
Have you noticed the spelling of organiser? I couldn’t persuade FIDE to use the English spelling. I have been secretary of the FIDE Rules and Title Regulations Committee since 1995 and am also involved with their Ratings and Titles committees.

I have attended FIDE Meetings all over the world and have acted as Councillor (a now defunct position) first to David Jarrett and then Gerry Walsh our FIDE Delegates since 1993. When David Anderton announced he intended not to stand for election as our Director of International Chess in 2001, I offered my services and was duly elected. Rupert Jones came forward in 2004 and I certainly wasn’t going to stand in the way of a much younger person, experienced at least in FIDE matters. In due course he didn’t stand for election and Peter Sowray became the director. So, once more into the breach, at least until October 2008.

At my best I was about 205, 2270 playing strength. One disadvantage of my taking over the Congress Manager’s job is that I am joint British Senior Champion with David Anderton and will be unable to defend the title. I do believe chess administrators are better for having some understanding of the strain of competitive chess.

Stewart Reuben author of:
The Chess Scene with David Levy
London 1980 with Bill Hartston
Chess Openings – Your Choice!
The Chess Organiser’s Handbook
Also several books on poker