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{{Short description|British chess player}}
{{multiple issues|
{{Refimprove|date=April 2010}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2010}}
{{No footnotes|date=April 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox chess player
| name = Simon Webb
| image =
| caption =
| country = {{Unbulleted list|[[England]]|[[Sweden]]}}
| birth_date = {{Birth-date|10 June 1949}}
| birth_place = [[London]], England
| death_date = {{Death-date and age|14 March 2005|10 June 1949}}
| death_place = Sweden
| title = {{Unbulleted list|class=nowrap|[[ICCF Grandmaster]] (1983)|[[FIDE International Master]] (1977)}}
| rating = 2420 (January 1992)<ref name="FIDE ratings" />
| peakrating = 2445 (January 1978)<ref name="FIDE ratings" />
| ICCF_rating = 2609 (April 2005)<ref name="ICCF ratings" />
| ICCF_peakrating = 2665 (October 2001)<ref name="ICCF ratings" />
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}}

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'''Simon Webb''' (10 June 1949 – 14 March 2005) was a British [[chess]] player and writer who held the [[chess titles]] of [[International Master]] and [[International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster|Correspondence Chess Grandmaster]].


⚫
Born in [[London]], he was joint British under-18 champion in 1966, and fourth in the European Junior Championship in 1969. Webb was briefly a professional player in the late 1970s, participated in a number of strong tournaments, and met some strong players, including a 17-year-old [[Garry Kasparov]] at the 1980 [[European Team Chess Championship|European Team Championship]] (Webb lost). At one event, he was assigned a lady translator. Webb married her and took her to England. He was joint second in the 1975 [[British Chess Championship|British Championship]] behind [[William Hartston]]. Perhaps his best tournament result was joint first with [[Liuben Spassov]] at Hamburg 1977, ahead of [[István Csom]] and [[Milan Matulović]]. He was famous for his ability to save or even win from hopelessly lost positions, which earned him the nickname "[[Houdini]]". He became an [[International Master]] in 1977. His final [[FIDE]] [[Elo rating]] was 2420.<ref name="FIDE ratings">{{cite web |url=https://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/player/Webb,%20Simon.html |title=FIDE rating history: Webb, Simon |website=OlimpBase.org |access-date=20 December 2021}}</ref>
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'''Simon Webb''' (10 June 1949 – 14 March 2005) was a British [[chess]] player, an [[International Master]], a [[International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster|Correspondence Chess Grandmaster]], and a chess writer.


⚫
Webb took up [[correspondence chess]] in the early 1980s, and all but gave up over-the-board play for a long time. He gained the [[International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster]] title in 1983 and scored a number of impressive results. In the 14th World Correspondence Chess Championship, won by [[Tõnu Õim]], Webb finished fifth of the 15 participants with 8.5/14. His final [[International Correspondence Chess Federation|ICCF]] Elo rating was 2609.<ref name="ICCF ratings">{{cite web |url=https://www.iccf.com/player?id=210178&tab=3 |title=ICCF Ratings: Webb, Simon |website=[[ICCF.com]] |access-date=20 December 2021}}</ref>
⚫
Born in London, he was joint British under-18 champion in 1966, and fourth in the European Junior Championship in 1969. Webb was briefly a professional player in the late 1970s, participated in a number of strong tournaments, and met some strong players, including a 17-year-old [[Garry Kasparov]] at the 1980 [[European Team Chess Championship|European Team Championship]] (Webb lost). At one event, he was assigned a lady translator. Webb married her and took her to England. He was joint second in the 1975 [[British Chess Championship|British Championship]] behind [[William Hartston]]. Perhaps his best tournament result was joint first with [[Liuben Spassov]] at Hamburg 1977, ahead of [[István Csom]] and [[Milan Matulovic]]. He was famous for his ability to save or even win from hopelessly lost positions, which earned him the nickname "[[Houdini]]". He became an [[International Master]] in 1977. His final [[FIDE]] [[Elo rating]] was 2420.


⚫
Webb was perhaps best known for his humorous book on practical tournament play, ''Chess for Tigers'' (Oxford University Press, 1978, {{ISBN|0-19-217575-0}}).<ref name="Guardian" /><ref name="Times" /> As well as his chess achievements, he also represented England at [[contract bridge|bridge]], partnered by his brother Roger.
⚫
Webb took up [[correspondence chess]] in the early 1980s, and all but gave up over-the-board play for a long time. He gained the [[International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster]] title in 1983 and scored a number of impressive results. In the 14th World Correspondence Chess Championship, won by [[Tõnu Õim]], Webb finished fifth of the 15 participants with 8.5/14. His final [[International Correspondence Chess Federation]] Elo rating was 2609.


⚫
In the 1980s, Webb moved to Sweden.<ref name="Guardian" /> Since the late 1990s, he played in the Swedish team championship.
⚫
Webb was perhaps best known for his humorous book on practical tournament play, ''Chess for Tigers'' (Oxford University Press, 1978, ISBN 0-19-217575-0). As well as his chess achievements, he also represented England at [[contract bridge|bridge]], partnered by his brother Roger.


On 14 March 2005, he was fatally stabbed in the family hallway by his 25-year-old son, Dennis. Dennis subsequently drove into a wall at some 130&nbsp;km/hour but survived with a broken nose.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,1443803,00.html |title=Tributes to murdered grandmaster |work=[[The Guardian]] |first=Sandra |last=Laville |date=22 March 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823232814/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/mar/23/sandralaville |archive-date=23 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="Times">{{cite news |url=https://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1536094,00.html |title=Son held over knife killing of chess Grand Master |work=[[The Times]] |first=Roger |last=Boyes |date=22 March 2005 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060107202242/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1536094,00.html |archive-date=7 January 2006}}</ref>
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In later years, Webb lived in Sweden. Since the late 1990s, he played in the Swedish team championship.


==References==
On 14 March 2005, he was stabbed to death in the family hallway by his 25-year-old son, Dennis. Simon had beaten Dennis countless times as a child, and continuously lied to him. Finally Dennis had enough and demanded truthful answers. However Simon 'Houdini' thought he could evade losing and refused to answer any questions. Dennis stabbed him 66 times while the great Houdini cried for help. Dennis then searched his pockets for Simon's car keys. Subsequently he drove into a wall at some 130 km/hour but survived with a broken nose. Allegedely Dennis tried to commit suicide because even if he served his time nothing would change upon his eventual release.
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
* {{ICCF|210178}}
*{{chessgames player|id=23327}}
* {{Chessgames player|23327}}
*[https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,1443803,00.html#article_continue Report on Webb's death in the ''Guardian'']
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1536094,00.html Report on Webb's death in the ''Times'']


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Chess International Masters]]
[[Category:Chess International Masters]]
[[Category:Correspondence chess grandmasters]]
[[Category:Correspondence chess grandmasters]]
[[Category:British chess players]]
[[Category:Chess players from London]]
[[Category:British non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:British non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:British chess writers]]
[[Category:British chess writers]]
[[Category:British expatriates in Sweden]]
[[Category:British expatriate sportspeople in Sweden]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from London]]
[[Category:English murder victims]]
[[Category:English murder victims]]
[[Category:British male writers]]
[[Category:British male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century British chess players]]
[[Category:British male non-fiction writers]]

Latest revision as of 03:08, 13 November 2024

Simon Webb
Country
Born10 June 1949 (1949-06-10)
London, England
Died14 March 2005 (2005-03-15) (aged 55)
Sweden
Title
FIDE rating2420 (January 1992)[1]
Peak rating2445 (January 1978)[1]
ICCF rating2609 (April 2005)[2]
ICCF peak rating2665 (October 2001)[2]

Simon Webb (10 June 1949 – 14 March 2005) was a British chess player and writer who held the chess titles of International Master and Correspondence Chess Grandmaster.

Born in London, he was joint British under-18 champion in 1966, and fourth in the European Junior Championship in 1969. Webb was briefly a professional player in the late 1970s, participated in a number of strong tournaments, and met some strong players, including a 17-year-old Garry Kasparov at the 1980 European Team Championship (Webb lost). At one event, he was assigned a lady translator. Webb married her and took her to England. He was joint second in the 1975 British Championship behind William Hartston. Perhaps his best tournament result was joint first with Liuben Spassov at Hamburg 1977, ahead of István Csom and Milan Matulović. He was famous for his ability to save or even win from hopelessly lost positions, which earned him the nickname "Houdini". He became an International Master in 1977. His final FIDE Elo rating was 2420.[1]

Webb took up correspondence chess in the early 1980s, and all but gave up over-the-board play for a long time. He gained the International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster title in 1983 and scored a number of impressive results. In the 14th World Correspondence Chess Championship, won by Tõnu Õim, Webb finished fifth of the 15 participants with 8.5/14. His final ICCF Elo rating was 2609.[2]

Webb was perhaps best known for his humorous book on practical tournament play, Chess for Tigers (Oxford University Press, 1978, ISBN 0-19-217575-0).[3][4] As well as his chess achievements, he also represented England at bridge, partnered by his brother Roger.

In the 1980s, Webb moved to Sweden.[3] Since the late 1990s, he played in the Swedish team championship.

On 14 March 2005, he was fatally stabbed in the family hallway by his 25-year-old son, Dennis. Dennis subsequently drove into a wall at some 130 km/hour but survived with a broken nose.[3][4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "FIDE rating history: Webb, Simon". OlimpBase.org. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "ICCF Ratings: Webb, Simon". ICCF.com. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Laville, Sandra (22 March 2005). "Tributes to murdered grandmaster". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 August 2013.
  4. ^ a b Boyes, Roger (22 March 2005). "Son held over knife killing of chess Grand Master". The Times. Archived from the original on 7 January 2006.
[edit]
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