Rhoda bowles: a lost heroine of female chess | thearticle

I recently came across a handsome boxed chess set of some historical significance. Inscribed on a solid silver plaque , adorning the lid, were the words: _To Mrs Rhoda A Bowles, from the

Cambridge University Chess Club, in grateful recognition of her enthusiastic and sustained exertions on its behalf in the cause of International Chess 1903-1908._ Never having heard of the

said Mrs Rhoda Bowles, I decided to investigate further, and thereby unearthed a remarkable story concerning a quasi-forgotten heroine of the 64 squares. The first mention which sprang into

light came from the vivid pen of Mrs Bowles herself , an incident that Mrs Bowles later related (as published in the “_BCM_” in 1987): _“Among my earliest chess recollections I recall a

pathetic scene at Hastings during the 1895 Congress. I had just arrived from London, and on the stairs leading to the hall of play I met poor Steinitz, (Wilhelm Steinitz , world chess

champion from 1866-1894) who upon seeing me, burst into tears and said, “Oh, Madam Bowles what shall I do?” he said. “I have just lost my game to Lasker, and that is my fourth successive

loss, I shall never win again. Even my own pupil, young Pillsbury, has beaten me and I cannot sleep at night; for three nights have I tossed and tumbled, but sleep is denied me, I am utterly

broken down.” And he wept. I felt a big lump in my throat, but I tried to cheer him, and begged him to go home and go to bed, even if he could not sleep. He thanked me, but went away with a

sad heart, promising, however, to take my advice. I was up betimes the next morning, and when he entered the hall I was waiting with a buttonhole, which I pinned in his coat, telling him

that I had come to turn his luck, and should expect him to win that day.“_ Steinitz then went on to beat Curt von Bardeleben, in perhaps the most celebrated game of his entire illustrious

career. WILHELM STEINITZ VS. CURT VON BARDELEBEN Hastings, 1895, rd. 10 1.E4 E5 2. NF3 NC6 3. BC4 BC5 4. C3 NF6 5. D4 EXD4 6. CXD4 BB4+ 7. NC3 D5 8. EXD5 NXD5 9. O-O BE6 10. BG5 BE7 11. BXD5

 BXD5 12. NXD5 QXD5 13. BXE7 NXE7 14. RE1 F6 15. QE2 QD7 16. RAC1 C6 17. D5 CXD5 18. ND4 KF7 19. NE6 RHC8 20. QG4 G6 21. NG5+ KE8 22. RXE7+ KF8 23. RF7+ KG8 24. RG7+ KH8 25. RXH7+And Black

resigned at this point. As Steinitz demonstrated immediately afterward, there is a mate in ten moves which can only be averted by ruinous loss of material; analysis follows: 25… Kg8 26. Rg7+

Kh8 27. Qh4+ Kxg7 28. Qh7+ Kf8 29. Qh8+ Ke7 30. Qg7+ Ke8 31. Qg8+ Ke7 32. Qf7+ Kd8 33. Qf8+ Qe8 34. Nf7+ Kd7 35. Qd6 checkmate 1-0 Further research excavated the following facts , based on

sources of the day and especially the highly informative _British Chess Magazine _(_BCM)_. In the 1890s, women’s chess in England, as in most places, was considered nearly inconsequential.

To bring this arena to the forefront required dedication, energy and persistence. It so happened that many of the women who had those requirements and were willing to apply them towards

chess also had blood relatives or husbands who were also devoted to the game. Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900) One of the most energetic, dedicated, persistent and effective promoters of women’s

chess in England during its infancy, was Mrs. Rhoda A. Bowles. Rhoda Annie Knott of Dawlish, a small town in Devon, married Henry Lewis Bowles, a strong chess player from nearby Exeter.

While Rhoda wasn’t a chess-player at the time, when she came down with an illness that left her temporarily blinded, her husband taught her to play the game by touch. Rhoda Bowles soon

became one of the stronger woman players in England. More importantly, she became one of the most active promoters of women’s chess. In January of 1895 she, with a group of other ladies,

formed the British Ladies’ Chess Club of London. In 1896, she started acting on her idea for a women’s international tournament. She found support, backers and competitors (see the

competitors’ photo above) from all over for the Ladies’ 1st International Tournament held in 1897. Ada S. Ballin enlisted her to write the chess column for her new illustrated monthly,

_Womanhood._ Launched in December 1898, this was a magazine of exceptional quality that catered for intelligent, informed and independent-minded women. The chess column was, indeed, of a

high standard. It seems that the magazine folded around 1906. After that, Mrs Bowles contributed some articles for _The Chess Amateur_, launched in October 1906. The _British Chess Magazine_

tells us about a living chess game in 1903 between the strong English player, Henry Lewis Bowles, and the American champion and victor of Hastings 1895, Harry Nelson Pillsbury. Bowles,

better known as H.L. Bowles, was the husband of Rhoda Bowles. An eye witness report follows: “A highly-successful exhibition of Living Chess was given at the Borough Road Polytechnic,

London, on Saturday, November 29th. The proceedings were started by young men of the gymnasium, who, to military drill , plaited the board with alternate strips of crimson and white

material. This was followed by the entrance of the living pieces, who advanced one at a time on either side of the board to their respective places, being accompanied by appropriate

selections on the pianoforte by Dr Elwyn Lewis, hon. sec. Kent County Chess Association. The costumes and mounting of the pieces were highly creditable to Messrs. C & W. May, who

supervised this part of the arrangements. Particularly conspicuous were the two Queens. Mrs. H. N. Pillsbury represented the Black Queen in crimson velvet and gold, and Mrs. Rhoda A. Bowles

the White Queen resplendent in silver and gold.” It seems that the great Pillsbury, who dominated the strongest tournament ever staged until that time, Hastings 1895, was a loyal supporter

of Rhoda Bowles, and performed everything within his powers to endorse and magnify her efforts to promote chess. Rhoda was born in 1861 and died in 1931. The 1932 issue of the _BCM_ had this

to say: _The Metropolitan Chess Club has sustained a heavy loss by the death early in December of Mrs. Rhoda Bowles. She had been a vice-president and staunch supporter of the club for a

generation. At one time she was secretary of the Ladies’ Chess Club, and ran a successful and informative column in “Womanhood”. A great organiser, she ran the Ladies’ International

Tournament of 1897, and together with her husband, the late H.L. Bowles, conducted a series of matches between the English and American Universities. It was, in fact, her husband who taught

her chess, in the course of a long illness. In June last she was involved in a serious motor accident, and her death must be attributed to injuries then received. _ The _BCM_ gave another

account of Mrs. Bowles in 1900: “Mrs. Rhoda A. Bowles.—Among the new chess columns we have received during the past year, that started in _Womanhood_, in February last, is now always certain

of hearty welcome to our table; not only on account of the literally ability of its conductor, but also because of her charming personality and the influence for good she wields in the

London chess world. Mrs. Rhoda A. Bowles or, ”Little Mother,” as she is affectionately called by her intimate chess friends, has, in the short space of four years, compiled such a remarkable

record as an organiser that we take special pleasure in referring to her achievements in the pages of the “_B.C.M.”_ All well informed chess votaries know that Mrs. Bowles is the life and

soul of the now famous Ladies’ Chess Club, but few know how she became acquainted with chess. The story is a pretty one. Mrs. Bowles tells us that it was entirely through her husband’s love

of chess that she, under his tuition, learnt to play. At tennis, billiards, &c., they could play together. Chess she deemed quite beyond a woman’s powers; but nature subsequently came to

her aid. After a few years of married life she was seized with a terrible illness, and was almost blind for three weeks, during which period I had, she says,—to be amused in some way. “My

dear husband read to me until I tired of that, then the brilliant idea struck him that he might teach me the ‘ names’ of the chess pieces by ‘touch’—for my eyes were bandaged night and

day—this interested me greatly, and by the time that I had learnt the names and how to move the pieces, the shield could be lifted from my eyes sufficiently for me to see the 64 squares, and

by the time of my convalescence I could move each piece correctly. “Then came my eagerness to play a game! Oh the pleasure of it! No woman can realize until she has faced her husband on

what she thinks the highest pinnacle beyond her. Of course I never stood a chance of winning, but the pleasure was to be in the same ‘running’; to try, now that I was on the track, to

perfect my speed—in other words play—until I could catch him up. I haven’t done this yet, but I sometimes trap him, and have the pleasure of hearing him say ‘well-played’.” After her

recovery Mrs. Bowles became one of a coterie of ladies who met every week at each others houses to play chess; but finding there was a natural feeling of diffidence to this system Mrs.

Bowles advocated, and was chiefly instrumental in securing, a small room at Charing Cross. Lady Newnes was invited to become president, and gladly consented; Mrs. Bowles was the first match

captain and tournament secretary of the club, and was shortly after elected secretary and treasurer, and here, with the modest annual subscription of 5/-, was practically started the now

famous Ladies’ Chess Club. The esprit de corps now manifest in the club could be traced largely to the indefatigable energy and exceptional organising powers of Mrs. Bowles, whose efforts

were so highly appreciated by her fellow members that they presented to her in 1896 a beautiful writing table as a slight token of regard. By this time the club membership had risen to over

100, and yet the ambition of the “Little Mother” was not satisfied. She had long thought that an International Tournament for Ladies would be a fitting event to be held during the Diamond

Jubilee year of our Queen’s (Queen Victoria’s) reign. Indeed so far back as Whitsuntide, 1896, Mrs. Bowles had sought the opinion of several influential friends, whose encouragement was

further emphasised by Sir George Newnes, who generously gave £60 for the first prize. The tournament was played in London; lasted a fortnight, from June 23rd, 1897, and proved a huge

success—no less than 20 Ladies from all parts of the world competing for the prizes—the aggregate value of which amounted to some £250! The competitors came from Canada, New York, Germany,

France, &c. Miss Rudge (England) proved to be the champion player and took first prize. Mrs. Worrall took the fourth prize to America, and received a great ovation. After the tournament

the competitors marked their indebtedness to Mrs. Bowles by giving her a beautiful gold bracelet, with a gold chess Queen as pendant. We have long held the opinion that the officials of

chess clubs devote too little attention to the social side of the game; and the wonderful successes achieved by Mrs. Bowles confirm our opinions. Every year the birthday of the Ladies’ Club

is honoured at a delightful re-union party, the fifth of which was given last month. We also learn from the February issue of _Womanhood _that the new quarters lent themselves capitally for

the occasion, and the brightness of the rooms was enhanced by the scarlet and white (the Ladies’ Chess Club colours) of the beautiful flowers which were prettily arranged about them. The

gold medal, which was given as a brilliancy prize by the Ladies’ Chess Club, and won by Herr Lasker in the recent ( 1899) London International Tournament, fully inscribed with the winner’s

name, was handed around for his many admirers to see before posting it off to Herr Lasker, who is at present in Berlin. We congratulate Mrs. Bowles most heartily on the success which has

attended her efforts on behalf of the club for which she has done so much, and we hope that the members will continue to enjoy, for many years to come, the pleasures which arise from her

arduous labours in their behalf.” Meanwhile, we read from the _BCM_, 1902: “On March 26th the Cambridge University Chess Club concluded its annual Metropolitan chess tour with the return

match against a team of ladies, captained by Mrs. Rhoda Bowles, chess editor of Womanhood. At the call of time the unfinished games were adjudicated by Mr. Pillsbury, who then gave the

assembled company several remarkable illustrations of his mental powers. The first illustration was the placing of a Knight upon any of the squares of the chessboard that the company might

select, and then, without sight of the board, Mr. Pillsbury rapidly dictated move after move by which the Knight, without covering any one square twice, covered each one of the sixty-four

squares in turn. In the next illustration a pack of cards was shuffled and about twenty dealt out, each card being called. Mr. Pillsbury not seeing the cards simply listened, and then

rapidly and accurately called off all the remaining cards that had not been dealt. Then a list of thirty words and names, some of them most fantastic, were written down by the company, and

after the list had been read over he answered correctly all enquiries as to what name appeared against particular numbers and vice versa, and then in conclusion gave the whole list backwards

in proper order. These feats were all accomplished by memorising efforts alone, and bear striking testimony to the remarkable development of his mental powers, which have already become

world-famous by his successful achievement of twenty games of chess played _sans voir_.” In its review of the 1897 Ladies’ International Chess Congress, the _BCM _wrote: _“Mrs. Bowles (hon.

sec. of the Ladies’ Chess Club) has rendered a great service to the cause of chess by organising this splendid Tournament. It is less than five years ago that enforced leisure, consequent

upon the recovering from an illness, afforded her the opportunity of learning the moves of chess, and having mastered the elementary principles , she became at once a great enthusiast of the

game. She joined the Ladies’ Chess Club, then newly formed, and at once took an active part in its development. For the past two years she has been either its match captain, its secretary,

or its treasurer, occupying indeed all three positions for the last twelve months. The members of the club are so perfectly satisfied with her labours on their behalf that they have left her

no alternative but to continue her work, though the task is almost beyond her strength. _ We have already referred to her inception of the idea of a Jubilee International Ladies’

Tournament, but the amount of work she has got through in carrying her idea into effect is simply prodigious. Not less than 2,000 letters have been written by her own hand during the last

twelve months in connection with the Tournament, and this in addition to her other chess work. She is full of good chess ideas, and has played many bright games, but her opportunities for

actual play are restricted, owing to the pressure of her chess work in organising and managing the club and the Tournament. We heartily congratulate Mrs. Bowles on the success of her

spirited endeavours to prove that women can play chess. We delight in every forward movement of the game, and we are sure that the arousing of feminine interest in chess will tend to keep 

many a male chess votary true to his love for the game, who under other circumstances might have passed out of the ranks. The Tournament has been held, it has been a success, and it marks an

epoch in the game, and we dare to say will not be the last of its kind. In planning, organising, and carrying out this unique chess tournament, Mrs. Bowles has done a good service to the

game.” The following is a good specimen of Mrs. Bowles lively style of play:- MRS. RHODA BOWLES VS. AMATEUR 1-0, 1897 1.D4 D5 2. E4 DXE4 3. F3 EXF3 4. NXF3 NC6 5. C3 BG4  …always a loss of

time in this and analogous positions. 6.BC4 E6 7. O-O A6 …Again loss of time 8.H3 BH5 9. QA4 B5  10.BXB5 BXF3 Here 10. …axb5 should have been played, then if 11. Qxb5 Bxf3, and Black has a

piece for two pawns. 11.BXC6+ BXC6 12. QXC6+ KE7 13. BG5+ NF6 14. ND2 RB8 15. NC4 QD7 16. NE5 QD6 17. QF3 KE8 18. BXF6 GXF6 19. QXF6 Black resigns 1-0 Here is the record of Rhoda Bowles’

supreme organisational triumph: FIRST INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT FOR LADIES, LONDON, 1897 Although Vera Menchik is officially credited as the first women’s world chess champion, in a title

dating to the 1920’s, it is completely clear to me that London 1897 should be recognised as the first such championship. Furthermore, the organisational exertions of Rhoda Bowles should be

honoured and Mary Rudge acknowledged as the first women’s world champion. Similarly the overall championship officially continues to exclude such obvious wielders of the global sceptre as

Philidor, Labourdonnais, Staunton, Anderssen, Morphy, while failing to recognise the claims of Steinitz going back to 1866, as he himself claimed. The time has come to set the record right.

I am indebted to my sister, the historian Professor Jackie Eales, who published the following extract in _BCM_. _The 1897 tournament excited both a great deal of interest and a great deal of

initial criticism. Staunch adversaries of women’s chess suggested that the tournament would be a farce, not merely because of the lower standard of play amongst women, but also because the

players would collapse with “nervous strain” at having to play two rounds a day for ten days._ _The “nervous strain” argument was of course a well-known jibe trotted out by Victorian

paternalists whenever women showed any sign of climbing out of their crinolines and attempting to challenge the established order of male superiority. In the 1870s the very same argument had

 been used against women sitting for university exams, on the grounds that the strain would result in a breakdown in the health of the aspiring female graduates._ _Despite the antagonism

engendered by the idea, the Secretary of the London Club, Rhoda Bowles, persevered with the organisation of the tournament, which attracted twenty entries, representing Canada, the United

States, Germany, Italy, Belgium, France England, Ireland and Scotland._ _The organisation of this tournament marked a changing point in women’s chess; thereafter women’s tournaments and

championships became an accepted feature of chess life._ _The increased acceptance of women’s participation in organised chess was the result of the efforts of the women themselves and a

number of individual Victorian players and problemists deserve greater attention._ _Mary Rudge (6 February 1845 – December 1919), the winner of the London 1897 tournament, was one of the

first women to take up chess as a competitive sport. She started playing at the Counties Congress in 1874, when she took second place in the Class II_ _competition. By 1878 she had earned

the reputation of being the best woman player in England, although she never progressed past the point of being a strong second class player. The greatest success of Mary Rudge’s chess

playing career was undoubtedly her victory at the 1897 tournament, but only highlights of her games in this tournament were published in BCM of that year, who waited for her opponents to

make mistakes which she exploited methodically._ _The runner-up to Mary Rudge in the London 1897 tournament was L. Mathilda Fagan (9 January 1850 – 11 August 1931). She was unusual among

women chess players of the Victorian era because she was one of the very few who was active in the women’s emancipation movement. In 1875 a number of her problems appeared in the _City of

London Chess Magazine _under her nom de plume of ‘Deesa’. In 1882 she won the Chess Tournament of the Bombay Sports Club, although she was very nearly disqualified before the tournament

started because she was a woman._ As is customary, we end with a selection of games associated with our theme. Mary Rudge vs. Louisa Matilda Fagan (1897) Louisa Matilda Fagan vs. George

William Richmond (1897) Rhoda Annie Bowles vs. Frideswide Rowland (1895) Rhoda Annie Bowles vs. Ellison Pearse (1902) with annotations by Harry Pillsbury Harry Pillsbury And for the

following, we are indebted to GM Susan Polgar, from her comments online via _X_, formerly _Twitter_. It is astonishing to see that the prejudice which was alive and well in 1882 in Bombay,

was still flourishing in Budapest over a century later. _Between April and May of 1986, I participated in the Hungarian National Championship in Budapest. Going into the tournament, all

participants were told the rules, and that the top 3 finishers would qualify to play in the “Men’s” World Championship Zonal Tournament. I had just turned 17 right before the tournament and

until then, people would not even think about a woman qualifying for the “Men’s” World Championship._ _But I was brought up differently by my parents. I was taught that I could accomplish

anything I want if I put in the hard work. I had put in a lot of hard work since I had been 4 or 5. Unfortunately, I was not told that as a young woman and Jew, I would be black-listed. By

the time my younger sisters had begun to play serious chess, my battles had cleared the way for them._ _The unexpected of course happened. Knowing that I needed to finish in the top 3 to

achieve the unthinkable, I paced myself to accomplish just that. I finished tied for 2nd with IM Laszlo Hazai, behind Grandmaster Ivan Farago. I was very happy of what I have accomplished. I

had qualified for the “Men’s World Chess Championship” cycle. But the happy moment quickly turned sour. Many people were not happy. The Hungarian Chess Federation changed the rules and

announced that only the top two would represent Hungary instead of the top three._ _No problem, I said to myself. So we will have a play-off between IM Hazai and me and the winner will move

on. Wrong! The decision was made. Susan Polgar is not going to the “Men’s World Championship” cycle no matter what. IM Hazai will represent Hungary and that was final._ _After I legitimately

qualified and broke the gender barrier, I learned rules can be changed at any time (especially if you are a young Jewish woman). To add more insult to injury, FIDE _ _also refused to allow

me to participate in the “Men’s World Championship” Zonal tournament. The reason? The word “Men’s Championship” speaks for itself._ _Dr Laszlo Lako of Hungary stated that he would not allow

Susan Polgar or any other Hungarian women to play in the “Men’s World Chess Championship” Zonal tournament even if FIDE would have agreed to let me play. The Hungarian federation and FIDE

succeeded in stopping me from participating even though I had earned my spot. However, they could not stop women forever. They had to eventually change the name to the World Chess

Championship in the following cycle and the word ‘Men’ was FINALLY removed._ _Fortunately, my loss was a gain for women in chess. Now, all women can compete in the overall World Chess

Championship. Someday, hopefully another woman can break through the next barrier and win it all. But in the meantime, I am very proud to be able to chisel through the wall of gender

discrimination in chess for future generations. I am happy to see so many good women players from around the world. I hope this trend will continue.“_ Here, as a postscript, is a much more

recent female triumph over Grandmaster Mickey Adams, who seldom loses a game against anyone: Nurgyul Salimova vs. Michael Adams RAY’S 206TH BOOK, “  CHESS IN THE YEAR OF THE KING  ”, WRITTEN

IN COLLABORATION WITH ADAM BLACK, AND HIS 207TH, “  NAPOLEON AND GOETHE: THE TOUCHSTONE OF GENIUS  ” (WHICH DISCUSSES THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHESS) ARE AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON AND

BLACKWELLS.  A MESSAGE FROM THEARTICLE _We are the only publication that’s committed to covering every angle. We have an important contribution to make, one that’s needed now more than ever,

and we need your help to continue publishing throughout these hard economic times. So please, make a donation._ _List of those in the photograph at the top of the article are as follows:_

_Upper row (from left to right): Madame Marie Bonnefin, Miss Alice E. Hooke, Miss G. Watson, Miss Eliza M. Thorold, Miss Forbes-Sharp; second row: Miss Mary Rudge, Miss Kate B. Finn, Mrs.

Anna S. Stevenson, Madame de la Vingne, Miss A.M. Gooding, Miss Müller-Hartung, Mrs. F. Sterling Berry; third row: Miss Gertrude Field, Mrs. Harriet J. Worrall, Mrs. Rhoda A. Bowles, Lady

Edith M. Thomas, Mrs. Louisa M. Fagan; fourth row: Miss Rita Fox, Miss Anna Hertzsch, Miss Eschwege, Mrs. E.H. Sidney._