Rowena Mary Bruce (15 May 1919 – 24 September 1999), née Dew, was an English chess player who held the title of Woman International Master (WIM, 1951). She was an eleven-time winner of the British Women's Chess Championship (1937, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1967 and 1969). She has won the tournament the most.
| Rowena Mary Bruce | |
|---|---|
 Bruce (1959) | |
| Country |  England |
| Born | 15 May 1919 Plymouth, England |
| Died | 24 September 1999 (aged 80) Plymouth, England |
| Title | Woman International Master (1951) |
Biography
editFrom the end of the 1930s to the end of the 1960s, she was one of England's strongest and most well-known female chess players. In 1935, she won the FIDE World Girls Championship. Rowena Mary Bruce won the British Women's Chess Championship eleven times: 1937, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1967 and 1969 (both last times shared 1st place with Dinah Margaret Norman).[1] In 1952, in Moscow, she participated in the Women's Candidates Tournament where she took 12th place.[2] In 1951, she was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title.
On 21 June 1946, Bruce played (and lost) a "radio chess" match against Lyudmila Rudenko. Bruce was one of two women who were part of a twelve-member British team who played in a four-day tournament. The British team played their moves in London while the Russian team played their moves in Moscow.[3][4]
Rowena Mary Bruce played for England in the Women's Chess Olympiads:[5]
- In 1966, at second board in the 3rd Chess Olympiad (women) in Oberhausen (+5, =5, -2) where she won an individual silver medal, and
- In 1969, at second board in the 4th Chess Olympiad (women) in Lublin (+5, =3, -6).
In 1940, she married Ronald Bruce, and the two were married until his death in 1991.[6]
Death
editFollowing a series of small strokes, she died at the age of 80 in 1999.
References
edit- ^ "John Saunders's Chess Pages: British Chess Champions, 1904 to present". www.saund.co.uk.
- ^ "1952 Candidates Tournament : World Chess Championship (women)". www.mark-weeks.com.
- ^ "Britain v. Russia: Plymouth Woman Player In Radio Chess Match". The Western Morning News. 20 June 1946. Retrieved 8 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Radio Chess Match: Plymouth Woman Defeated In Final Round". The Western Morning News. 22 June 1946. Retrieved 8 October 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Bartelski, Wojciech. "OlimpBase :: Women's Chess Olympiads :: Rowena Bruce". www.olimpbase.org.
- ^ "Bruce, Rowena Mary (1915 – 1999)". www.keverelchess.com.
External links
edit- Rowena Mary Bruce player profile and games at Chessgames.com
- Rowena Mary Bruce chess games at 365Chess.com