You may be aware that I write articles about lesser known chess players, most (but not all) with local connections for British Chess News.

Last year I published two articles concerning the extraordinary story of Oliver Harcourt Labone, which you really should read for entertainment value alone. You can find them here and here.

The other day Sussex chess historian Brian Denman sent me a game of his I hadn’t seen before, in which he beat one of England’s finest ever players, Henry Ernest Atkins. The game took place at Leicester Chess Club: whether it was a serious or social encounter isn’t known.

I’ve chosen to annotate it and share it with you this week. As always, click on any move for a pop-up window which will enable you to play through the game.

If you followed football in the 1960s you’ll remember the Everton footballer Brian Labone, who was, at least in theory, Ollie’s great great nephew, as well as being related, through his mother, to Kingston Chess Club’s John Foley. Brian excelled as a defender. Ollie, however, was stronger in attack.