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John Saunders @johnchess

Chess archivist BritBase.info and freelance chess photo-journalist. Associate Editor, CHESS Magazine. Also on BSky. Play guitar, ukulele & watch rugby

Joined November 2009
  • Tweets 5,555
  • Following 585
  • Followers 4,911
1,420 Photos and videos
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John Saunders@johnchess
24 Jun 2016
A new idea in the English Opening - the #Brexit variation #chess
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John Saunders retweeted
CHESS Magazine@CHESS_Magazine
Apr 29
Wow, @chesspublishing, you've had a makeover! Worth checking out the homepage or chesspublishing.com/news/the…! Looks much sleeker and with some extra features, like comparing your games with theory, as well as a reference database from @MarkTWIC and @johnchess' BritBase games! #chess

Chess Publishing

Serious analysis for serious players since 1999. Monthly opening theory updates from Grandmasters.

chesspublishing.com
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The celebrated Italian Renaissance artist Sofonisba Anguissola (c1532-1625) painted her three sisters playing chess, circa 1555. Absolutely exquisite.
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The 144th Varsity match between Oxford and Cambridge universities, held at the RAC, Pall Mall, on 7 March, ended in a 4-4 draw. Results, games, report, photos at the BritBase website: saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn/20…
Left to right: Connor Clarke (Oxford captain), Henry McWatters (RAC), Remy Rushbrooke (Cambridge captain)

ALT Left to right: Connor Clarke (Oxford captain), Henry McWatters (RAC), Remy Rushbrooke (Cambridge captain)

Teams and guests at the 2026 Varsity Chess Match

ALT Teams and guests at the 2026 Varsity Chess Match

Oxford University team at the 2026 Varsity Chess Match

ALT Oxford University team at the 2026 Varsity Chess Match

Cambridge University team at the 2026 Varsity Chess Match

ALT Cambridge University team at the 2026 Varsity Chess Match

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A PGN file with 975 of Tony Miles's games up to the end of 1979 has been posted on BritBase... saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn/mi… The new material consists mostly of games he played in weekenders which have been digitised and contributed by IM Geoff Lawton, for which many thanks.

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John Saunders retweeted
Ian Rogers@GMIanRogers
Jan 24
Chatting with a helpful couple at Bunnings in Canberra, Cathy mentioned that she was present in the ACT for the ongoing Australian Junior Ch'ps, whereupon the woman revealed that she was the great, great, granddaughter of Captain WD Evans of Evans Gambit fame!
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John Saunders retweeted
KingstonChess@KingstonChess
Jan 20
Last week Kingston A scored an important 4.5-1.5 away victory against Maidenhead A in Thames Valley division 1. On board 1 Kingston FM David Maycock recorded a crucial win over Maidenhead GM Matthew Wadsworth. John Saunders has kindly annotated the game tinyurl.com/34t5z42u
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Chess cannot compete with cricket's legendary "the bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey" or "Lillee caught Willey bowled Dilley" but the following deserves a (dis)honourable mention...
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From #GibChess Battle of the Sexes opponents in 2022 (with Gibraltar matchmaker Brian Callaghan @gibraltarchess); to marriage in 2025. Congratulations @IM_Rosen & @irene_sukandar !!
Eric Risen, Irene Sukandar, Brian Callaghan, Battle of the Sexes, Opening Ceremony, 23 January 2022 (photo John Saunders)

ALT Eric Risen, Irene Sukandar, Brian Callaghan, Battle of the Sexes, Opening Ceremony, 23 January 2022 (photo John Saunders)

Eric Rosen, Irene Sukandar, Gibraltar Battle of the Sexes Closing Ceremony, 3 February 2022 (photo Irene Sukandar)

ALT Eric Rosen, Irene Sukandar, Gibraltar Battle of the Sexes Closing Ceremony, 3 February 2022 (photo Irene Sukandar)

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Sharing 1st place in the XTX London Classic Open on 7/9: R Praggnanandhaa (India), Velimir Ivic (Serbia) and Ameet Ghasi (England)
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (India), world ranked no. 7 (December 2025)

ALT Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (India), world ranked no. 7 (December 2025)

Velimir Ivic (Serbia), FIDE rating 2623, world ranked 111th (December 2025), shared 1st in the XTX London Classic, December 2025.

ALT Velimir Ivic (Serbia), FIDE rating 2623, world ranked 111th (December 2025), shared 1st in the XTX London Classic, December 2025.

Ameet Ghasi (GM, England, FIDE Rating 2500) shared 1st in the 2025 XTX London Classic Open.

ALT Ameet Ghasi (GM, England, FIDE Rating 2500) shared 1st in the 2025 XTX London Classic Open.

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10-year-old British chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan scores another stellar success, beating Rajko Vujatovic in the XTX London Classic Pro-Biz Cup play-off, winning the title with team partner, US grandmaster Abhimanyu Mishra
Bodhana Sivanandan beats Rajko Vujatovic in the Pro-Biz Cup play-off

ALT Bodhana Sivanandan beats Rajko Vujatovic in the Pro-Biz Cup play-off

Bodhana Sivanandan beats Rajko Vujatovic in the Pro-Biz Cup play-off

ALT Bodhana Sivanandan beats Rajko Vujatovic in the Pro-Biz Cup play-off

Bodhana Sivanandan & her team partner Abhimanyu Mishra won the XTX London Classic Pro-Biz Cup

ALT Bodhana Sivanandan & her team partner Abhimanyu Mishra won the XTX London Classic Pro-Biz Cup
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I've taken 100s of ceremonial first-move photos but this is already my favourite: the self-confidence, the joy, the decisiveness. And she's called Anand! The future of chess is in good hands... @xtxmarkets London Chess Classic
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Danny Gormally won the 2025 UK Blitz Championship and Bodhana Sivanandan won the 2025 UK Women's Blitz Championship in Leamington on 22 November. All the games and information on BritBase: saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn/20…
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John Saunders retweeted
Chess & Bridge: London Chess Centre@ChessAndBridge
4 Nov 2025
New @CHESS_Magazine out now featuring @anishgiri who claims a @FIDE_chess candidates spot - @FabianoCaruana prevails at the @GrandChessTour finals and much more! Get your copy now in print or instant digital download: chess.co.uk/collections/new-… #chessmagazine @TelegraphChess
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John Saunders retweeted
Sean Ingle@seaningle
6 Sep 2025
Loved chatting with the Guardian’s Lennard Barden, who after 70 years, 14 prime ministers, and nearly 4,000 articles, is still writing his brilliant chess column every week - and is now a officially a record holder. Some lovely memories in this piece theguardian.com/sport/2025/s…

Record-breaker: Leonard Barden’s chess column celebrates 70 years and a place in history

Now 96, this week marks a milestone for our columnist, whose astonishing career has set a Guinness World Record

theguardian.com
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John Saunders retweeted
Stephen Moss@StephenMossGdn
20 Aug 2025
Happy birthday to Leonard Barden, chess correspondent of the Guardian. Leonard, a former British champion, is 96 today and continues to produce unmissable Saturday chess columns. Next month marks his 70th anniversary as Guardian chess correspondent. A truly remarkable career
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Final photo-report from the Kingston Invitational Chess Tournament: GM Jakub Kosakowski (POL) finished 2 points clear of David Maycock Bates (MEX) & Ivan Valles Moreno (ESP). In the Open Norwegian FMs Jacob Templen Grave & Gunnar Lund were 1st=. johnchess.blogspot.com/2025/…
GM Jakub Kosakowski (Poland, centre) won the 2025 Kingston Invitational All-Play-All. In shared second place, FM-elect David Maycock Bates (Mexico, left) and IM Ivan Valles Moreno (Spain)

ALT GM Jakub Kosakowski (Poland, centre) won the 2025 Kingston Invitational All-Play-All. In shared second place, FM-elect David Maycock Bates (Mexico, left) and IM Ivan Valles Moreno (Spain)

Norwegian FMs Jacob Templen Grave (left) and Gunnar Lund receive their prizes for finishing 1st equal in the 2025 Kingston Invitational Chess Open from Kingston Chess Club president John Foley.

ALT Norwegian FMs Jacob Templen Grave (left) and Gunnar Lund receive their prizes for finishing 1st equal in the 2025 Kingston Invitational Chess Open from Kingston Chess Club president John Foley.

WGM Michalina Rudzinska (Poland) receives the prize for finishing 3rd in the 2025 Kingston Invitational Open from Kingston Chess Club president John Foley

ALT WGM Michalina Rudzinska (Poland) receives the prize for finishing 3rd in the 2025 Kingston Invitational Open from Kingston Chess Club president John Foley
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Day 4 photo-report on the #KingstonChess tournament: GM Jakub Kosakowski (POL) wins the All-Play-All with a round to spare while Gunnar Lund (NOR) leads the Open - johnchess.blogspot.com/2025/…
GM Jakub Kosakowski (Poland), winner of the 2025 Kingston Invitational All-Play-All

ALT GM Jakub Kosakowski (Poland), winner of the 2025 Kingston Invitational All-Play-All
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As I walked to #KingstonChess this morning I took a picture of the street sculpture seen here. On arrival at the venue the next picture I took happened to be Graeme Buckley talking to Supratit Banerjee. Then later I looked at the two together... LOL
Hippo and hare sculpture

ALT Hippo and hare sculpture

Supratit Banerjee, Graeme Buckley

ALT Supratit Banerjee, Graeme Buckley

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Day 3 photo-report of the #KingstonChess tournament covers rounds 5 and 6: Jakub Kosakowski (POL) 5/6; David Maycock (MEX), Ivan Valles (ESP) 4, while 15-year-old Jai Kothari (Hampton School, ENG) leads the Open - all the details johnchess.blogspot.com/2025/…
15-year-old Jai Kothari of Hampton School leads the Kingston Open

ALT 15-year-old Jai Kothari of Hampton School leads the Kingston Open
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Day 2 photo-report of the #KingstonChess tournament: rounds 3 and 4, annotations, etc. GM Jakub Kosakowski (POL) leads, David Maycock (MEX) secures the FM title, etc... johnchess.blogspot.com/2025/…
GM Jakub Kosakowski (POL) vs IM Ivan Valles Moreno (ESP)

ALT GM Jakub Kosakowski (POL) vs IM Ivan Valles Moreno (ESP)
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