George Alan Thomas
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Sir George Alan Thomas, Bart. (born Therapia, Turkey; June 14, 1881–July 23, 1972) was a British chess, badminton and tennis player. He was twice British Chess Champion and a seven-time All-England Badminton champion. He also played in the semi-finals of the men's tennis doubles at Wimbledon in 1911.[1]
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[edit] Chess
As a chess player he won the first-equal prize at Hastings 1934-35 Tournament on top of best players of his day, tieng with world chess champion Max Euwe and top player Salo Flohr, ahead of other world champions José Raúl Capablanca and Mikhail Botvinnik whom he defeated in their individual games, among others.
Thomas beat world champions Capablanca, Euwe and Botvinnik in individual games, and held Alekhine to six draws. But his lifetime scores against the world champions and the next tier were usually minus: Emmanuel Lasker (-1, not counting a win in a Lasker simultaneous exhibition in 1896), Capablanca (+1-5=3), Alekhine (-7=6), Efim Bogoljubov (-5=3), Euwe (+1-9=2), Flohr (+2–9=4), Savielly Tartakower (+3–9=10).
But he was even with Botvinnik (+1-1), Richard Réti (+3–3=1) and Siegbert Tarrasch (+1–1=3), and had a plus score against Géza Maróczy (+3–1=5).
Thomas also had a plus score against his great English rival Frederick Yates (+13 –11 =13), a slight minus against Women's World Chess Champion Vera Menchik (+7 -8 =7), but lost badly to Edgar Colle (+1 –9 =8).
Thomas never married, so the hereditary Thomas baronetcy ended on his death. He was admired for his fine sportsmanship.
[edit] Badminton
As a badminton player he is the most successful player ever in the All England Open Badminton Championships with 21 titles between 1906 and 1928. Four of those titles were in men's singles, nine in men's doubles and eight in mixed doubles.
[edit] References
- ^ May 6, 2004, Europe have yet to lift trophy, Malay Mail
