Elaine Zelia Pritchard (7 January 1926 – 7 January 2012), née Saunders, was an English chess player who held the title of Woman International Master (WIM, 1957). She was a four-time winner of the British Women's Chess Championship (1939, 1946, 1956, 1965).
| Elaine Pritchard | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Elaine Zelia Pritchard |
| Country |  England |
| Born | 7 January 1926 |
| Died | 7 January 2012 (aged 86) |
| Title | Woman International Master (1957) |
| Peak rating | 2150 (January 1990) |
Biography
editPritchard learned to play chess at the age of five, and was considered a child prodigy.[1] For two consecutive years, she won the World Girl Chess Championships (1936, 1937), and also successfully participated in simultaneous exhibitions against Alexander Alekhine and Rudolf Spielmann.[2]
For decades, she was among England's leading women chess players. Elaine Pritchard four times won the British Women's Chess Championships (1939, 1946 — after winning an additional match against Rowena Mary Bruce,[3] 1956, 1965).[4]
Pritchard played for England in the Women's Chess Olympiads:[5]
- In 1957, at first board in the 1st Chess Olympiad (women) in Emmen (+6, =4, -4),
- In 1972, at second board in the 5th Chess Olympiad (women) in Skopje (+1, =2, -4),
- In 1974, at second board in the 6th Chess Olympiad (women) in Medellín (+4, =2, -2),
- In 1976, at second board in the 7th Chess Olympiad (women) in Haifa (+4, =2, -2) and won the team silver medal,
- In 1978, at second board in the 8th Chess Olympiad (women) in Buenos Aires (+2, =3, -1).
In 1957, she was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title. She was author of two chess books and an Honorary Life Member of the English Chess Federation.[6] She was married to David Pritchard.
Literature
edit- Elaine Pritchard. Chess For Pleasure. London. 1971. ISBN 9780571092017
- Elaine Pritchard. Young Chess Player. London. 1976. ISBN 9780571105670
References
edit- ^ "Chess Prodigies by Edward Winter". www.chesshistory.com.
- ^ "Rudolf Spielmann vs Elaine Saunders Pritchard (1938)". www.chessgames.com.
- ^ "BritBase Chess: 33rd British Championship 1946, Nottingham". www.saund.co.uk.
- ^ "John Saunders's Chess Pages: British Chess Champions, 1904 to present". www.saund.co.uk.
- ^ Bartelski, Wojciech. "OlimpBase :: Women's Chess Olympiads :: Elaine Pritchard". www.olimpbase.org.
- ^ "Elaine Zelia Pritchard RIP – English Chess Federation". www.englishchess.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-12-31. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
External links
edit- Elaine Pritchard player profile and games at Chessgames.com
- Elaine Pritchard chess games at 365Chess.com