Scottish Championship 1952

The 59th Congress of the Scottish Chess Association was held during Easter under the auspices of the Central Chess Club, in the City Chambers, Glasgow.

The championship included two former champions, Aitken (1935) and Anderson (1950). Perkins had tied for the title in 1948 but lost the play-off to Fairhurst.The holder, Aird Thomson, was unable to participate because of ill-health.

Aitken, who last won the Championship in 1935, started with two draws and a loss, then won six games in succession.

Scottish Championship 1952	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Pts
1. Dr J.M. Aitken	■	½	1	1	0	½	1	1	1	1	7
2. N.A. Macleod	½	■	0	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	6
3. P.B. Anderson	0	1	■	½	0	1	½	1	½	1	5½
4. A. Lerchs	0	½	½	■	½	1	½	½	1	1	5½
5. N.A. Perkins	1	½	1	½	■	0	½	½	½	1	5½
6. C.W. Marshall	½	0	0	0	1	■	½	1	1	1	5
7. E. Knopfler	0	½	½	½	½	½	■	½	1	0	4
8. D.H. Beattie	0	0	0	½	½	0	½	■	1	½	3
9. Dr M. Rose	0	0	½	0	½	0	0	0	■	1	2
10. T.J. Hamilton	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	½	0	■	1½

Ladies' Championship 1952	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Pts
1. Miss L.M. Hogarth	■	1	1	0	1	1	1	5
2. Mrs S.M. Steedman	0	■	1	½	1	1	1	4½
3. Mrs A.D. McEwan	0	0	■	1	1	1	1	4
4. Mrs M. Waterworth	1	½	0	■	½	1	0	3
5. Mrs M. Hepburn	0	0	0	½	■	1	1	2½
6. Mrs M.L. Battrum	0	0	0	0	0	■	1	1
7. Mrs R.M. Jones	0	0	0	1	0	0	■	1

Major Tournament

1-2. I.C. Kirkwood and J. Steele 6½; M.J. Heaton and R.B. Neilson 5½.

Boys' Championship 1952
Played in two sections

Section 'A'	Section 'B'
G.W. Kerr 6½ R. Smeeton 6 W. McLaughlin 5 D.G. Weir 4½ D. Kinsler 3 J. Allan 2 B.J. Roche 1 R.G. Falconer 0	I. Morton 5 M. Fallone 5 G. McGowan 5 J. McCurley 4½ E. Smeeton 4 J. McBrearty 2 J. Logue 1½ D. Black 1

Winner: Iain Morton, who won the triple tie in 'B' and then defeated Kerr 2-0 in the final play-off.

Sources:
The Scottish Chess Association Yearbook 1953-54
BCM 1952, pp168-170

Alan McGowan
Historian/Archivist, Chess Scotland

revised 20/11/2020