Henry Ernest Atkins

Infobox chess player
playername = Henry Atkins


caption=
birthname = Henry Ernest Atkins
country = ENG
datebirth = Birth date|1872|8|20
placebirth = Leicester
datedeath = Death date|1955|1|31
placedeath =
title = International Master (1950)
worldchampion =
womensworldchampion =
rating =
peakrating =

Henry Ernest Atkins (20 August 1872–31 January 1955) was a British chess player, best known for becoming an Internaional Master and wining the British Chess Championship nine times.

Biography

Born in Leicester, he was educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys and Cambridge University, where he studied mathematics. Following teaching appointments in Northampton and at his old school, he was appointed principal of what later became Huddersfield New College in 1909, a post he occupied until his retirement.

Chess career

On nine occasions (1905–1911, 1924 and 1925) he won the British Chess Championship. His only appearances in major international tournaments were separated by a gap of twenty years: Hanover in 1902, where he was placed third behind Janowski and Pillsbury; and London in 1922, which was won by Capablanca. He represented England at the Chess Olympiads of 1927 and 1935.

Atkins wrote the introduction to the first edition of "Modern Chess Openings" (1911).

In 1950 he was awarded the International Master title by FIDE in recognition of his past achievements.

Aleister Crowley claimed that Atkins was the first player to beat him at chess. [ [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter3.html The Confessions by Aleister Crowley ] ]

References

Further reading

* cite book | author=Coles, R. N.| title=H.E. Atkins, doyen of British chess champions: A biography, with fifty of his best and most characteristic games| publisher=Pitman | year=1952

External links

*
* [http://www.chessworld.net/chessclubs/statistics_pgn_rating_chart.asp?username=Atkins,Henry Statistics at ChessWorld.net]