While best known as a research chemist, he was also a fine chess player when he was younger. He played in the 1936 Australian Champion in Perth, scoring at least 6 wins, as well as the inaugural (1937) Australian Correspondence Chess Championship. He did this while completing his studies as an undergraduate at the University of Sydney, and while suffering the final stages of otosclerosis, which resulted in total hearing loss.
He maintained a strong connection with the Correspondence Chess League of Australia, and was a life member of the CCLA.
Goldstein,Maurice Edward - Cornforth,John W [E28]
AUS ch Perth (9.2), 07.01.1937
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O 7. Bd3 d6 8. Ne2 b6 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. O-O e5 11. e4 Nc6 12. d5 Na5 13. Ng3 Ba6 14. Qe2 Qd7 15. a4 Nb3 16. Ra3 Nxc1 17. Rxc1 Rae8 18. a5 bxa5 19. Rxa5 Bc8 20. f3 a6 21. Ra3 g6 22. Bc2 Qe7 23. Ba4 Rd8 24. Rb1 h5 25. Qd2 h4 26. Ne2 Nh5 27. Qh6 Qf6 28. Bc6 h3 29. Rf1 hxg2 30. Rf2 Bh3 31. Qc1 g5 32. Rxa6 Nf4 33. Nxf4 exf4 34. Ra7 Qe5 35. Rb2 Kg7 36. Rbb7 g4 37. Re7 Qg5 38. e5 dxe5 39. d6 Rxd6 40. Bd5 Rf6 41. Qb1 gxf3 42. Bxf3 Re6 43. Rec7 e4 44. Qb7 Qf5 45. Bd1 f3 46. Ra2 Rd8 47. Ba4 e3 48. Rxf7+ Qxf7 49. Rxg2+ Bxg2 0-1
3 comments:
Yes, he scored 6 wins and 5 losses in coming 7th out of 12. One of his wins was against Goldstein who came second.
Oops - when I wrote the previous comment I hadn't noticed that the Goldstein game is the one you quoted.
In 1936 at the Australian Championships in Perth 1936 Cornforth also set the Australian blindfold record, playing 10 games simultaneously.
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