Michael Basman

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Michael Basman in 2006

Michael J. Basman (born March 16, 1946 in St Pancras, London) is an English chess player, and International Master. He is a prolific writer, who has made many contributions to the field of chess openings, and is particularly known for frequently choosing bizarre or rarely played openings in his own games, including the St. George Defence (with which English Grandmaster Tony Miles once famously defeated the then World Champion Anatoly Karpov), the Grob (for Black and White) and also 1.h3 . He created the UK Chess Challenge, a tournament for juniors of all standards and ages progressing over 4 stages. Possibly his greatest tournament success was when tying for first place in the British Chess Championship tournament of 1973, although he was to lose the play-off match with William Hartston. Basman's father was an Armenian immigrant who changed the family name from Basmadjian. His family knew the singer Cleo Laine, who worked as a babysitter for the young Michael.