1927 Women's World Championship, 18-29 July, Central Hall, Westminster, London

1927 Women's World Chess Championship		Draw No.	Resid.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	Vera Menchik	12	USSR / Hastings	&;	1	1	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	10½
2	Katarina Beskow	7	Sweden	0	&;	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	9
3	Paula Wolf-Kalmar	8	Austria	0	1	&;	1	1	1	0	½	0	1	½	1	7
4	Edith Martha Holloway née Crittenden	11	Bromley	0	0	0	&;	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	½	6
5	Edith Mary Ann Michell née Tapsell	1	Kingston	½	0	0	½	&;	0	1	0	1	1	1	1	6
6	Edith Charlotte Price	10	London	0	0	0	0	1	&;	1	1	1	0	½	1	5½
7	Gisela Harum1	5	Austria	0	0	1	½	0	0	&;	0	1	0	1	1	4½
8	Florence Hutchison-Stirling	3	Edinburgh	0	0	½	0	1	0	1	&;	0	1	0	½	4
9	Marie Jeanne Frigard	6	France	0	0	1	½	0	0	0	1	&;	0	1	0	3½
10	Agnes Bradley Stevenson née Lawson	9	London	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	&;	½	0	3½
11	Sofie Synnevaag2	4	Norway	0	0	½	0	0	½	0	1	0	½	&;	1	3½
12	Martha Daunke	2	Germany	0	0	0	½	0	0	0	½	1	1	0	&;	3

¹ Gisela Harum arrived on 20 July owing to travel difficulties so her first three games had to be postponed until later in the tournament.
² About Sofie Synnevaag [Synnevåg]: she was from Bergen (Norsk Schakblad, No.7, September 1927, p116) and referred to as "Fru" (Mrs) in press references. I have google-translated her report from the aforementioned magazine and included it below. She was the top Norwegian female player from the 1920s through to the late 1940s, winning the Norwegian women's championship in 1946, 1947 and 1948, and was still active into the 1950s and possibly beyond. This study of women in Norwegian chess (in Norwegian) has some more details.

Katarina Beskow (left) plays Agnes Stevenson. This is a posed photo as neither was due to play each other on the day that it must have been taken, 18 July 1927, which was the first day of the inaugural Women's World Chess Championship tournament at Central Hall, Westminster, London. Photo from the Daily Mirror, 19 July 1927.
 

Martha Daunke (1899-1967). Photo: The Sphere, 30 July 1927.

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1927 BCF Premier (n.b. there were no British Championship or British Ladies Championship titles at stake in 1927)

1927 BCF Premier		Draw No.	Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	John Arthur James Drewitt	6	Hastings	&;	½	½	½	1	1	1	½	1	½	1	1	8½
2	William Winter	1	London	½	&;	0	1	½	1	1	1	1	½	1	1	8½
3	Dr (Jakob) Adolf Seitz	10	Germany	½	1	&;	½	½	1	1	0	1	0	0	1	6½
4	Karoly Sterk	4	Hungary	½	0	½	&;	½	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	6½
5	Dr Janos Balogh	7	Roumania	0	½	½	½	&;	1	½	0	½	½	1	1	6
6	Victor Buerger	11	London	0	0	0	1	0	&;	1	½	0	1	1	1	5½
7	John Harold Morrison	8	London	0	0	0	1	½	0	&;	½	½	1	1	1	5½
8	Bruno Moritz	12	Germany	½	0	1	0	1	½	½	&;	0	0	½	1	5
9	Sandor Zinner	9	Hungary	0	0	0	0	½	1	½	1	&;	1	0	1	5
10	Joseph Henry Blake	5	London	½	½	1	0	½	0	0	1	0	&;	1	0	4½
11	Johannes Giersing	2	Denmark	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	½	1	0	&;	1	3½
12	Harold Saunders	3	London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	&;	1

1927 BCF Major

1927 BCF Major		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	Josef Rejfir	Czechoslovakia	&;	1	½	1	1	1	1	½	½	1	1	1	9½
2	Salo Landau	Netherlands	0	&;	½	0	1	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	7½
3	Dr Gyorgy Negyesy	Hungary	½	½	&;	0	1	0	½	1	1	1	1	1	7½
4	William Henry Watts	London	0	1	1	&;	0	1	0	1	1	1	1	0	7
5	Istvan/Stefan Fazekas	Czechoslovakia	0	0	0	1	&;	1	1	1	½	0	1	1	6½
6	Christopher Barclay Heath	London	0	0	1	0	0	&;	1	1	0	1	1	1	6
7	Hans Christian Christoffersen	Norway	0	0	½	1	0	0	&;	0	½	1	1	1	5
8	Ronald Melville Norman	Weston-super-Mare	½	1	0	0	0	0	1	&;	½	1	0	1	5
9	Gideon Stahlberg	Sweden	½	0	0	0	½	1	½	½	&;	1	0	0	4
10	R Gooding	London	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1	3
11	Carrick Wardhaugh	Glasgow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	&;	1	3
12	Charles Reuben Gurnhill	Sheffield	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	&;	2

1927 BCF First Class A

1927 BCF First Class A		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	Ferdinand J Kayser	Sweden	&;	1	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	½	1	1d	9
2	N Schwarz	London	0	&;	1	1	½	½	1	1	1	½	1	1d	8½
3	John Bertram Goodman	Plymouth	½	0	&;	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	½	1d	8
4	G Freeman	London	1	0	1	&;	0	1	½	½	0	1	1	1d	7
5	M A Prentice	London	0	½	0	1	&;	1	0	½	½	½	1	1d	6
6	Rev Ernest Walter Poynton	Bath	0	½	0	0	0	&;	½	1	½	1	1	1d	5½
7	Dr Vickerman Henzell Rutherford	London	0	0	0	½	1	½	&;	½	1	0	1	1d	5½
8	Edward Buddel Puckridge	Bromley	0	0	0	½	½	0	½	&;	1	1	½	1d	5
9	Mrs Amabel Nevill Gwyn Sollas née Jeffreys	Oxford	0	0	0	1	½	½	0	0	&;	½	1	1d	4½
10	Col. Charles Edward Stuart-Prince	Hyères	½	½	0	0	½	0	1	0	½	&;	0	1d	4
11	H Loeffler	London	0	0	½	0	0	0	0	½	0	1	&;	1d	3
12	F Wilkinson	Kingston	0d	0d	0d	0d	0d	0d	0d	0d	0d	0d	0d	&;	0d

1927 BCF First Class B

1927 BCF First Class B		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	John James O'Hanlon	Portadown	&;	0	1	1	½	1	1	1	0	1	1	1	8½
2	George W Powell	Stroud	1	&;	1	1	1	1	½	½	1	1	0	½	8½
3	Richard Edward Lean	Brighton	0	0	&;	½	0	1	1	1	½	1	1	1	7
4	S M Gus	London	0	0	½	&;	1	1	½	0	½	1	1	1	6½
5	Dermot Michael Macgregor Morrah	London	½	0	1	0	&;	½	½	0	1	1	1	½	6
6	Gilbert Victor Butler1	Brighton	0	0	0	0	½	&;	1	1	0	1	1	1	5½
7	Rev William Ernest Evill	Canterbury	0	½	0	½	½	0	&;	½	1	1	1	½	5½
8	Richard Hilary Newman	Oxford	0	½	0	1	1	0	½	&;	1	0	0	1	5
9	Anthony Clifford Steadman	Bristol	1	0	½	½	0	1	0	0	&;	0	1	1	5
10	Sydney Meymott	London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	&;	½	1	3½
11	Miss Mary Constance Forbes	Edinburgh	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	½	&;	0	2½
12	Rev George Dickson Hutton	Dunbar	0	½	0	0	½	0	½	0	0	0	1	&;	2½

¹ Gilbert Victor Butler died on 9 August 1942, aged 39 (d.o.b. 2 November 1902). Obituary, BCM, January 1943, giving three of his (undated) wins vs RN Coles, Dr H Fraenkel and G Wernick. Son of H W Butler, founder of the Sussex County Chess Association, Butler jnr was a former Sussex champion. See also Chess Notes CN10455 for the game vs RN Coles.

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1927 BCF First Class C

1927 BCF First Class C		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	Patrick Charles Littlejohn	Nuneaton	&;	1	1	1	1	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	9
2	Frederick Norman Braund	Ware	0	&;	1	1	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	8
3	Rev Arthur Percival Lacy Hulbert	Birmingham	0	0	&;	1	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	8
4	Alan Maurice Ewbank	London	0	0	0	&;	1	1	1	1	1	0	1	½	6½
5	Joseph Strachstein [Stone]	London	0	1	0	0	&;	0	½	1	1	1	1	1	6½
6	George Wright	York	1	0	0	0	1	&;	0	½	1	1	1	1	6½
7	Ronald Langley Mitchell	London	0	0	1	0	½	1	&;	½	1	0	1	1	6
8	Arthur T Watson	Brighton	0	1	0	0	0	½	½	&;	1	1	½	½	5
9	Mrs Mary Mills Houlding née Palmer	Newport	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	0	1	1	3
10	S J Osborn	London	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	&;	0	0	3
11	John G Hayes	Ilford	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	0	1	&;	1	2½
12	Rev Charles Fenton Bolland	Eastbourne	0	0	0	½	0	0	0	½	0	1	0	&;	2

1927 BCF Second Class A

1927 BCF Second Class A		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total
1	William Patrick Pepper	Liverpool	&;	0	1	1	1	1	½	1	1	1	1	8½
2	Miss Emily Eliza Abraham	Herne Bay	1	&;	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	6
3	George Breese	London	0	1	&;	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	1	6
4	Rev William Thomas Mackenzie Hooppell	Stoke	0	1	1	&;	1	½	1	0	½	0	1	6
5	Charles Henry Taylor	London	0	0	1	0	&;	0	1	1	1	1	1	6
6	G W Bedford	Swanage	0	0	0	½	1	&;	1	1	½	½	1	5½
7	W Barker	Wolverhampton	½	1	0	0	0	0	&;	½	1	1	1	5
8	Mrs Jeanie Brockett née Willox	Glasgow	0	1	0	1	0	0	½	&;	0	1	1	4½
9	Miss L Groling	Margate	0	0	0	½	0	½	0	1	&;	1	1	4
10	Dr Rose Jordan	London	0	0	1	1	0	½	0	0	0	&;	1	3½
11	Miss Stella Violet Aline Malcolm	Edinburgh	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	0

1927 BCF Second Class B

1927 BCF Second Class B		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	S Nirenberg	London	&;	½	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	10
2	Willington Lucette Wakefield	Coventry	½	&;	1	½	½	0	1	1	½	1	1	1	8
3	Rev Frederick William Botterill	Wednesbury	½	0	&;	1	½	0	½	1	1	1	1	1	7½
4	Miss (Charlotte) Helena Minchin Cotton	London	0	½	0	&;	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	7½
5	M Perlmutter	London	0	½	½	1	&;	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	7½
6	Hon. Arthur James Beresford Lowther	London	0	1	1	0	½	&;	1	0	½	1	1	1	7
7	H A Clarke	London	0	0	½	0	½	0	&;	1	1	1	1	1	6
8	Miss M Andrews	London	0	0	0	0	½	1	0	&;	½	1	1	1	5
9	Miss Alice Elizabeth Hooke	Watford	0	½	0	0	0	½	0	½	&;	1	1	1	4½
10	Mrs F Marza	London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1	2
11	Miss C Horne	Worthing	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1
12	J E Bond	London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	0

1927 BCF Third Class Division 1

1927 BCF Third Class Division 1		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
1	Ian Hamilton	Edinburgh	&;	1	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	½	1	1	8½
2	Miss Olga Menchik	USSR	0	&;	1	1	1	0	½	1	1	1	0	1	7½
3	Mrs Rosa Annie Banting née Vines	London	1	0	&;	½	½	0	1	1	1	0	1	1	7
4	Henry Otway Boger	London	0	0	½	&;	½	1	1	1	½	½	1	1	7
5	M J Mitchell	Surbiton	0	0	½	½	&;	1	½	1	½	1	1	0	6
6	Mrs A Chase	London	1	1	1	0	0	&;	½	0	½	1	0	½	5½
7	G Coley	Grantham	0	½	0	0	½	½	&;	0	1	1	1	1	5½
8	R Jarman	London	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	&;	1	1	0	1	5
9	John Baines Lewis	Harrogate	0	0	0	½	½	½	0	0	&;	1	1	1	4½
10	Mrs M Healey	London	½	0	1	½	0	0	0	0	0	&;	1	1	4
11	G Pethard	London	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	&;	1	4
12	A E Harding	Bromley	0	0	0	0	1	½	0	0	0	0	0	&;	1½

1927 BCF Third Class Division 2

1927 BCF Third Class Division 2		Nat'y	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Total
1	Reginald Samuel Thynne	Liverpool	&;	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	9½
2	Mrs V Bennett	London	0	&;	1	1	1	0	1	0	1	1	1	7
3	Mrs Pauline Peckar	London	½	0	&;	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	6½
4	Claude Norman Popper	London	0	0	1	&;	1	1	1	0	½	1	1	6½
5	Daniel Castello	London	0	0	1	0	&;	1	½	1	½	1	1	6
6	Rev. P Stanley	London	0	1	0	0	0	&;	1	½	1	1	1	5½
7	Miss C Pannell	Hove	0	0	0	0	½	0	&;	1	1	1	1	4½
8	Mrs F Fish	Worthing	0	1	0	1	0	½	0	&;	0	½	1	4
9	Miss B J Spencer	London	0	0	0	½	½	0	0	1	&;	0	1	3
10	Mrs J D FitzGerald	London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	1	&;	1	2½
11	Mrs Clara Margaret MacVean	Bournemouth	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	&;	0

BCM, August 1927, p321-330

[passages relevant to the Women's World Championship and the General BCF Congress included here - those related to the Olympiad may be found in the Olympiad file]

At 5-30 [on 18 July 1927] in the Library of the Central Hall, Canon Gordon Ross received the entrants for the General Congress, some 120 players, and the first round was started at 6 o’clock. Chief interest seemed centred in the Women’s Championship. Here Fraulein G. Harum, of Vienna, did not arrive, possibly, like Herr Hans Kmoch, unable to get away owing to the disturbances there, but as the latter was expected to arrive at Victoria this evening, it is hoped that Fraulein Harum will also arrive, in which case her game with Mrs. Stevenson will be played later. Miss Menchik beat Froken K. Beskow, of Sweden, fairly easily, and her chances of winning the championship are fancied by many. Mrs. Holloway, after a long fight beat Miss Hutchison Stirling, but her end-game play was poor, and she made it a much longer process than it ought to have been. Frau Synnevaag claimed a draw by repetition of moves in a game which seemed to be in Miss Price’s favour. Mlle. J. Frigard, the French lady champion, beat Frau Wolf Kalmar, of Austria, playing an end-game extremely well. Mrs. Michell had a long tussle with Fraulein Daunke, of Germany.

In the Premier tournament Saunders got a very cramped game, and Buerger in no way hurrying the attack, gradually pressed him back, Saunders eventually making a blunder. Winter, with the attack vs. Giersing, of Denmark, pressed it home cleverly. Zinner v. Blake was a long end-game struggle, where later Blake made an error and lost. An interesting ending was that won by Bruner Moritz, of Germany, against Dr. Balogh.

In the Major tournament W. H. Watts played finely against Gooding and eventually won a piece and the game.

[In the] second round of the General Congress. In the Premier Tournament W. Winter beat Saunders, Drewitt beat Zinner, and Buerger claimed his game against Sterk, owing to the latter exceeding his time, but the position was undoubtedly in favour of Buerger. Blake won a nice game against Seitz.

In the Major Tournament Heath, who had defeated Gumhili on the first day, scored against Negessy of Hungary. Watts, however, lost to Fazekas of Czecho-Slovakia.

In the Women’s Tournament, which we understand is to be recognised as for the Women’s Championship of the World by the F.I.D.E., Miss Menchik gave her supporters a fright for she lost a Pawn to Fraulein Daunke, of Germany, and got a bad position. Later, however, she was able to win a piece and eventually the game. Mrs. Holloway beat the Norwegian representative, but Mrs. Michell lost to Miss Hutchinson Sterling. Fraulein Harum of Austria called to say that she was coming, but had not arrived up till Wednesday, consequently Mrs. Stevenson, Miss Price and Mrs. Holloway are one game short of their quota.

In the General Congress Buerger and Winter again won their games. Buerger’s game with Blake was a good one, as will be seen by the following score :— [Buerger-Blake - viewer/download]

Winter won a Pawn and eventually succeeded in obtaining his opponent’s resignation. Drewitt, the other leader, was only able to draw with Seitz.

In the Major, Heath scored his third consecutive win, while Rejfir, of Czecho-Slovakia, is 2½.

In the Women’s Championship Mrs. Michell beat the Norwegian representative, and Miss Menchik beat Frau Wolf-Kalmar, of Austria.

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BCM, September 1927, ppn 353-377

In the fourth round of the Premier Tournament Winter drew with Blake, while Buerger getting into trouble with his clock, lost to Drewitt, after winning a Pawn in the earlier part of the game, so that Winter and Drewitt lead by half a point from Buerger. In the Major, C. B. Heath, London, J. Rejfir, Czechoslovakia, S. Landau, Holland, and Dr. Negyesy, of Hungary, lead with three each. Miss Menchik secured her fourth victory in the Women’s Championship by defeating Miss Hutchison Stirling. Mrs. Michell is next with 3.

In the Congress fifth round Winter and Drewitt was a capital fight, as will be seen by the score. [see viewer/download]

Buerger v. Dr. Balogh was a long and even struggle, but towards the end Buerger weakened, and Dr. Balogh will probably win on resuming. In the Major, Rejfir beat Gooding, Landau beat Gurnhill, Heath beat Norman, but Negyessy only drew with Christoffersen, of Norway, and the two former now lead by half a point. In the Women’s Championship Miss Menchik defeated Mrs. Stevenson, after a long struggle; Mrs. Michell won against Mlle. Frigard on time, and is still only one point behind the Russian girl.

The sixth round of the Congress, completing the first week, brought Winter against Dr. Balogh in the Premier Tournament. The former, as Black, after a long struggle, came out a Pawn up, but found he could not force a win. Drewitt defeated Giersing, and Buerger beat Morrison. Soon after the second sitting, Zinner with a passed K P missed a winning line against Dr. Seitz, and the game was adjourned a second time with the appearance of a draw by perpetual check. Drewitt leads with 5, Winter 4½, Buerger 4 (one adjourned) coming next. In the Major, Rejfir 5, S. Landau 4½, C. B. Heath and Dr. G. Negyessy 4, are the leaders.

Miss Menchik had a long struggle with Frau S. Synnevaag, who, a Pawn down, sacrificed a Rook, expecting to get perpetual check, but the Russian girl found a way to avoid it. Mrs. Michell got a bad game v. Mdme. Beskow, but by a similar sacrifice got a longer run of checks, and eventually came out with six Pawns for a Rook, but later allowed her Queen to be trapped. The two now tieing with a score of 4 for second place, two points behind Miss Menchik.

In the General Congress in the seventh round there were many blunders in the Premier Tournament. Morrison overlooked the loss of a piece against Winter. Saunders made a bad move against Drewitt, in a position which seemed fairly level, but soon had a lost game. Buerger (v. Zinner) got short of time, and at the second hour, in the scramble against the clock, found himself in a mating net—but his game then was already compromised. Blake made a bad move with his Queen against Sterk, but got two pieces for it and the game was adjourned, but he eventually lost.

Drewitt now leads with 6, followed by Winter with 5½ and Zinner with 4 and one adjournment.

In the Major Tournament Heath beat Gooding in good style; Fazekas beat Norman, and Watts won off Dr. Negyessy. The game between Rejfir and Christofferson was adjourned till the afternoon, but was later won by Rejfir who leads with 6, Landau being next with 5½.

In the Women’s Championship Miss Menchik beat Miss Price, winning a piece in the middle game, after which her seventh win was easy. Mrs. Holloway beat Mrs. Stevenson, but both Mrs. Michell and Madame Beskow’s games were adjourned, the former’s a second time, but Madame Beskow won her game in the afternoon, and is second with 5 wins.

The eighth round of the General Congress (July 26th), in the Premier Tournament, brought Winter level with Drewitt at the top with 6½; Winter beating Zinner in a very carefully played game, while Drewitt had rather the worst position against Sterk, of Hungary, but played the ending extremely well and secured a draw.

Blake defeated Moritz and Morrison scored against Giersing. Balogh beat Saunders in the end-game. Buerger disappointed his supporters by throwing away much material to get a mate in two, which his opponent avoided and his game crumpled to pieces.

In the Major Tournament the leader, Rejfir, beat his opponent Landau, and now leads with 7. Landau is still second with 5½, but several have a score of 5.

In the Women’s Championship Fraulein Harun held Miss Menchik at bay for a long time—the latter eventually broke through on the Queen's side and with a few trenchant moves secured her eighth consecutive victory and is more or less certain of winning the championship.

Madame Beskow won a difficult game off Miss Stirling where she was a piece up for two Pawns, the latter not managing the ending to the best advantage.

Mrs. Holloway won a good game off Miss Price, as also did Mrs. Michell from Mrs. Stevenson. Madame Beskow is second with a score of 6. Mrs. Michell’s score is 5 with one adjourned.

The ninth round of the General Congress was started at 9-30 on July 27th. Here Winter got the better of his game v. Seitz, but made a bad move just before the 20th, which gave away all his advantage, and Seitz, in playing the ending extremely well scored a win. As Drewitt drew his game with Blake he is once more half a point ahead. Giersing beat Zinner, Saunders lost to Morrison and Sterk and Dr. Balogh’s game ended in a draw under the following circumstances:— [see viewer]

Buerger and Moritz drew. The leading scores are : Drewitt, 7; Winter, 6½; Sterk and Dr. Balogh, 5.

In the Major Tournament Wardhaugh beat Gurnhill, Rejfir beat Watts, Norman beat Landau, Heath beat Christofferson, Negyessy beat Stahlberg. Rejfir now leads with a score of 8. Heath is 6 and Landau 5½.

In the Women’s championship Miss Menchik won her ninth-game in succession against Mrs. Holloway. Madame Beskow’s game with Frau Synnevaag was adjourned. Mrs. Michell lost to Miss Price, so that Madame Beskow is second with 6 and one adjourned. Miss Menchik is practically certain of the first prize.

The tenth round of the General Congress resulted in Winter beating Buerger, who has not played in anything like his usual form; possibly because the time limit is not one that suits him. In this particular game he gave up a Pawn thinking to trap Black’s Queen, but instead lost the Exchange and eventually his game went to pieces. Meantime, Moritz won a Pawn off Drewitt by an ingenious combination, but as a result of some hard thinking Drewitt was able to win it back and a draw resulted.

Saunders lost a piece to Zinner, who gave him no chance of recovering. Morrison got rather the better position with Sterk, and eventually won.

Giersing beat Seitz and Seitz beat Zinner, under the time limit, in the adjourned game from the sixth round—a game which Zinner should have won. Dr. Balogh and Blake drew.

The leaders now are: Winter and Drewitt, 7½, the latter not having lost a game; C. Sterk, Dr. Balogh and Dr. Seitz have all 5½.

In the Major Tournament Rejfir made certain of his first place by beating Gurnhill. Landau beat Heath, Watts beat Norman and Gooding beat Christofferson. The leaders are Rejfir, 9 ; Landau, 6½; Negyessy, 6 (1) ; W. H. Watts and C. B. Heath, 6.

In the Women’s Championship Miss Menchik scored her tenth consecutive win, against the French champion, who overlooked the loss of her Queen by a diverging check. Mrs. Holloway and Mrs, Michell drew after a hard fight. Mrs. Holloway also drew with Fraulein Harum a postponed game from the previous round, while Madame Beskow beat the Austrian lady and also won her adjourned game against Frau Synnevaag, and, therefore, is an easy second with a score of eight, having only lost to Miss Menchik and on time to Fraulein Wolf-Kalmar.

The last round of the Congress brought Winter against Moritz. Winter, after a long opening struggle won a piece for two Pawns, but the end-game was difficult and he did not succeed in securing a win until the afternoon. Drewitt in the meantime having the move against Dr. Balogh, made a strong attack on Black’s backward Q P, eventually winning it with another Pawn into the bargain, which reduced the game into a simple ending, thereby increasing his score to 8½—at which later Winter joined him. It is very satisfactory to find two Britishers well ahead in this tournament.

Seitz, like Winter, had a piece for two Pawns against Saunders and eventually won, thereby tying with Sterk, who had beaten Zinner on time, in an apparently even position, with 6½, for third prize.

Buerger, whose play had been disappointing, secured an early win against Giersing and Morrison got the better of Blake. Saunders seemed entirely out of form.

In the Major Tournament Rejfer early agreed to a draw, his position as first being certain whatever he did.

Landau defeated Gooding after a good fight and, therefore, drew with Dr. Negyessy for second prize with 7½. W. H. Watts by beating Heath secured fourth prize with a score of 7.

In the Women’s Championship Miss Menchik could make no impression on Mrs. Michell. The ending came down to a Q, Kt and five Pawns each, both having a passed Pawn, and rather than lose by trying to force a win Miss Menchik agreed to a draw.

Madame Beskow beat Mlle. Frigard and finished, with a score of 9, a good second. Her play since the tournament in 1922 has much improved, and she thoroughly deserved her position.

Frau Wolf-Kalmar was third with 7, and Mrs. Holloway and Mrs. Michell tied for the fourth with 6 points.

It was disappointing that the British ladies did not do better. Nearly all played good games at times, but were very uneven.

The only adjourned game which had to be finished on Saturday was a long one between Mrs. Holloway and Frau Wolf-Kalmar, but in the end Mrs. Holloway succumbed.

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Norsk Schakblad, No.7, September 1927, p116 - report by Mrs Sofie Synnevåg (Bergen), google-translated

(earlier reference to Mrs Synnevaag in the tournament report in the magazine: "About the ladies' tournament, the only Norwegian lady in the team, Mrs. Synnevåg from Bergen, kindly wrote a report as follows below. Mrs Synnevåg was unfortunately on Mrs Caissa's blacklist, because she was not surprised to get higher than No. 11 in the table with 3½.")

London, 31 July 1927

"Mr. Editor!

"They've asked me to tell you a bit about the women's tournament, and here you have it. The first thing I want to say is that it was a struggle. The small amount of thought one might otherwise have in one's head suddenly seemed to be gone.

"12 ladies participated in the ladies' group. Of these, 5 were from England, 1 from Scotland, 2 from Hungary, while Russia, France, Germany, Sweden and Norway each had 1 participant. First prize winner and the group's best and youngest player was Miss Vera Menchik, Russia.

"She now lives in England and, like the English ladies, was very used to tournaments, and sat there with not a little theoretical wisdom. Miss Beskov, Sweden, must then be considered a good No. 2. She lost the first 2 games, the first against Miss Menchik and the second on time against Mrs. Wolf-Kalmar in a manner that was very unflattering to the latter lady. The other participants were consistently very even, a little alternating between good luck and bad luck.

"The undersigned has done anything but well. Time must take the blame. We had to play 20 moves in each hour. In my first game [against Edith Price - JS] I had a good position, but ran out of time and had to make the same move again in order not to lose. Against Mrs Kalmar, I had a winning position, but in the crunch of time I allowed her the opportunity to give perpetual check. Against Miss Beskov, strangely enough, I also had a clear winning position at the break, but had to continue one evening at 8, after I had played against Mrs Kalmar both morning and afternoon and had not had the slightest rest. I then went and "lost" the game.

"But if I have not reaped glory and wealth, it has been an interesting time all the same. There is only praise to be said about the English ladies. They were very hospitable, even and fair to everyone. Sofie Synnevaag." [note that her surname was spelled Synnevåg on page 116 but Synnevaag on page 118 of the magazine.]

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File Updated

Date	Notes
7 July 2022	First upload. The Women's World Championship (not how it was originally styled but it acquired FIDE ratification as such shortly after its conclusion), plus the Premier and other BCF events, ran alongside the inaugural FIDE Olympiad which was held in an adjoining room at Central Hall, Westminster. Sadly, very few games from these events have come down to us, probably because journalistic efforts would have been focused on the Olympiad. In this initial upload there are four games from the Women's World Championship tournament, four from the BCF Premier, and one each from the Major and First Class sections. Having worked out the draw and the pairings, I've decided to supply all the stubs for the Women's and Premier tournaments. Hopefully this will help me and others in the pursuit of further scores. In assembling this file I have laboured under the handicap of not having all the relevant issues of BCM to hand. The issues I haven't seen yet are the August and October 1927 issues. If anyone could help, either by sending me scans of the relevant pages or indicating where I can get hold of these issues, I would be very grateful. EDIT: a visit to Richard James has solved the problem of the missing BCMs. I now have scans of both and will be adding to the text in due course. Many thanks, Richard.
10 July 2022	Added one game: G.Butler 1-0 Rev. W.Evill, First Class B. My thanks to Brian Denman.
13 July 2022	Seven games added. From the BCF Premier: (1) K.Sterk 1-0 J.Giersing (rd 4); (2) B.Moritz 0-1 K.Sterk (rd 6); (3) V.Buerger 0-1 S.Zinner (rd 7). And from the BCF Major: (4) W.Gooding 0-1 G.Stahlberg (rd 8); (5) C.Gurnhill 0-1 G.Negyesy (rd 8); (6) G.Negyesy 1-0 G.Stahlberg (rd 9); (7) J.Refyir 1-0 W.Watts (rd 9). Many thanks to Ulrich Tamm.
14 July 2022	Added a game: V.Buerger 1-0 J.Blake (Premier, rd 3). Plus some text from the BCM relating to the early rounds.
14 July 2022	Added two more games from the BCF Major: (1) H.Christoffersen 0-1 S.Landau (rd 2); (2) G.Stahlberg 0-1 S.Landau (rd 3). Many thanks to Ron de Haas for contributing them.
2 October 2023	Added some biographical details about Sophie Synnevaag, the Norwegian representative in the Women's World Championship tournament.
28 November 2023	Added the game N.Schwartz 1-0 J.Goodman, First Class A.
3 December 2024	Added two games, both from First Class C: (1) G Wright 1-0 AP Lacy-Hulbert (rd 6); (2) A Lacy-Hulbert 1-0 Mary Mills Houlding. Many thanks to Gerard Killoran for contributing them via the English Chess Forum.