D.B.A. Hunter

Born: 29 July 1944, Motherwell.

Bryan Hunter was active in both over-the-board and correspondence chess.

  • Associated with Greenock, Cathcart, Glasgow and Bearsden Chess Clubs.
  • Greenock CC Champion 1961-62, scoring 12/12 (perhaps a Handicap Tournament).
  • West of Scotland Champion 1965.
  • Glasgow CC Champion 1966.
  • Glasgow League v Liverpool League 1970 (telephone match) - won against Parsonage.
  • Played in the Scottish Championships 1964, 1966, 1968 (2nd=), 1969.
  • Member of Glasgow CC team that won the Richardson Cup 1963 in a 7-0 win v Edinburgh CC.

Bryan (as he was always known) was also actively involved in postal chess, winning the Scottish Correspondence Championship twice: in season 1969-70 he scored 8/9 without loss, winning again in 1970-71.

He represented Great Britain in a correspondence match against Poland 1972/3, winning his game.

Defeated Gligoric in a simultaneous exhibition 1964.

Gligoric - D.B.A. Hunter [B32]
Glasgow (simultaneous exhibition) 5 February 1964

Annotations by W.A. Fairhurst from his 'Chess Notes' column in the Glasgow Herald.

1.e4 c5 The ideal defence against a simultaneous player, as great complications are likely, requiring exact treatment. The simultaneous player has very little time to think, and this is a big handicap when exact analysis may be required in many of the moves. 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 A variation which is rarely played, and Black is prepared, with previous analysis, to meet the complications. 5.Nb5 a6 A forcing move which compels White to allow the analysed line. 6.Nd6+ Bxd6 7.Qxd6 Qf6 8.Qc7 This is not as strong as 8. Qd1, when Black has a lead in development as compensation for White's two bishops. 8...Nge7 9.Be3 After 9. Nc3 Qe6 Black also gets a good game, but the text move is bad for White. 9...d5 10.Bc5 0-0 11.Nc3 dxe4 12.Nxe4 Qg6 Black now obtains an overwhelming position. 13.f3 Nd5 14.Qd6 Be6 Threatening to win the queen. 15.Bf2 Rfd8 16.Qc5 After 16. Qa3 Nd5-b4 Black also wins. 16...Rac8 17.c3 Nd4 18.Bxd4 White obtains rook and knight for the queen, but with a bad development, and Black soon forces the win. 18...Rxc5 19.Bxc5 Nf4 20.Rg1 Bf5 21.Nf2 b6 22.Be3 Qh6 The threat ...Nxg2+ wins a pawn. 23.Nd1 Qxh2 24.Bf2 Qh6 25.Ne3 Nd3+ 26.Bxd3 Bxd3 27.Rd1 Qf6 28.Rh1 e4 29.fxe4 Bxe4 30.Rxd8+ Qxd8 31.Rh5 Qd3 32.Re5 Qb1+ 33.Nd1 h6 34.Bxb6 Bxg2 White resigns. A finely played game by Hunter who gave his great opponent no chance after the ninth move.

In the photograph below, Gligoric is congratulating Bryan Hunter. On Hunter's left, at board 9, is Peter Jamieson.

From: Gerald Bonner's chess column in The Evening Citizen , April 1970.

'Tournament chess is as much a psychological struggle as it is of planning over the board. Most players have their own specialities in opening play and seek to steer the game into lines which suit them.

In some case the particular variations used are labelled "inferior" or "slightly inferior" by theorists, but this need not and, indeed, should not deter anyone from using them if one knows the positions that arise, and is quite happy to play them; many an "inferior" opening is devastating in the hands of its devotees.

The game below from the telephone match between the Glasgow League and the Liverpool League, shows Bryan Hunter, a former West of Scotland champion, choosing an infrequently used variation of the Ruy Lopez, in which he is an expert.'

G.H.T. Parsonage - D.B.A. Hunter [C61]
Glasgow League v Liverpool League, Telephone Match, 1970.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 c6 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Re1 d6 8.e5 dxe5 9.Rxe5+ Be7 10.Qe1 Or 10.Qe2 b5 11.Bb3 a5 12.a4 Ra7 13.axb5 0-0 14.b6 Qxb6 15.Rxe7 d3 16.Qe3 Rxe7 17.Qxe7 dxc2 and Black wins. 18.Bxc2 (18.Nc3 Qxb3) 18...Re8.

10...b5 11.Bb3 a5 This manoeuvre frees Black's QR2 for his rook, enabling him to defend the king's bishop and then castle. He is quite happy to sacrifice some pawns in the process.

12.a4 Ra7 13.axb5 cxb5 14.Na3 Ba6 15.Nxb5 Bxb5 16.Rxb5 d3 An important part of Black's plan. White's queen's bishop is shut in.

17.Qe3 Rd7 18.Rbxa5 0-0 19.Ra7 Re8 Black now has all his pieces developed.

20.Rxd7 Nxd7 Not 20...Qxd7 21.Ba4.

21.Qxd3 Bc5 22.g3 Qf6 23.Qf1 Ne5 24.Bd5 Ng4 Now the White king's bishop pawn must fall.

25.Ra8 Rxa8 26.Bxa8 Nxf2 27.Kg2 Qf5 28.b4 Missing his last chance: 28.d4 Bxd4 29.Qc4 Qh3+ 30.Kf3 Qf5+ 31.Kg2 with a draw by repetition.

28...Qh3+ 29.Kg1 [29.Kf3 Qxf1]

29...Ng4+ White resigned. 0-1

Sources:
Glasgow Herald of 19 January 1962.
Scottish Chess (various issues)
British Chess Magazine
Bryan Hunter

Compiled by
Alan McGowan

Updated - 23/01/2019