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George Atwood

Number of games in database: 28
Years covered: 1794 to 1801
Overall record: +18 -9 =1 (66.1%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games.

Repertoire Explorer
Most played openings
C41 Philidor Defense (8 games)
000 Chess variants (7 games)
C37 King's Gambit Accepted (4 games)
B21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4 (3 games)
D20 Queen's Gambit Accepted (2 games)
C53 Giuoco Piano (2 games)
C23 Bishop's Opening (2 games)


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GEORGE ATWOOD
(born 1745, died Jul-11-1807, 61 years old) United Kingdom

[what is this?]

George Atwood was born in London, October, 1745. He was an English mathematician and lecturer at Cambridge. In 1776, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of London. William Pitt, British Prime Minister, was one of Atwood's former students. He gave Atwood a position as a personal secretary and an office in the Treasury. In the 1784, he created the Atwood machine for verifying experimentally the laws of acceleration of motion. Atwood is best known for his work A Treatise on the Rectilinear Motion and Rotation of Bodies, a textbook on Newtonian mechanics.

In 1787, he joined the London Chess Club. At the club, from 1787 to 1800, he recorded his own games and the games of others, including Francois Philidor. This was not a common practice at the time. On June 20, 1795, he took part in Philidor's last blindfold performance.

In 1798, he defeated Joseph Wilson in a match (3-0). In 1799 he again defeated Wilson, (3-0).

When George Atwood passed away on July 11, 1807, he left his chess notebook to Joseph Wilson. When Wilson passed away in 1833, Atwood's notebook was bought by George Walker. In 1835, Walker, based on Atwood's chess notebook, wrote Selection of Games at Chess, actually played by Philidor and his Contemporaries, published in London. The book contained 47 of Philidor's games.

Wikipedia article: George Atwood

Last updated: 2023-01-08 10:56:53

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 page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 28  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. G Atwood vs Philidor ½-½401794LondonD20 Queen's Gambit Accepted
2. G Atwood vs Philidor 1-0401794CasualB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
3. Philidor vs G Atwood 1-0221794Casual game, Knight odds000 Chess variants
4. G Atwood vs Philidor 0-1401794Philidor Blindfold simul, 3b LondonB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
5. G Atwood vs Cotter 0-1321795Casual gameC23 Bishop's Opening
6. Philidor vs G Atwood 0-1481795Odds Game a1 Rook and c7 pawn000 Chess variants
7. J Wilson vs G Atwood 1-0141795LondonC37 King's Gambit Accepted
8. Cotter vs G Atwood 0-1281795CasualC23 Bishop's Opening
9. G Atwood vs Philidor 0-1121795LondonC37 King's Gambit Accepted
10. G Atwood vs J Wilson 1-0221795CasualC41 Philidor Defense
11. Philidor vs G Atwood 1-0271795London000 Chess variants
12. Philidor vs G Atwood 0-1141795London000 Chess variants
13. G Atwood vs Philidor 0-1261795London000 Chess variants
14. J Wilson vs G Atwood 1-0481795CasualD20 Queen's Gambit Accepted
15. G Atwood vs J Bruehl 0-1291796CasualC41 Philidor Defense
16. J Wilson vs G Atwood 0-1311796CasualB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
17. G Atwood vs J Wilson 1-0221798CasualC41 Philidor Defense
18. J Wilson vs G Atwood 0-1331798London 5C37 King's Gambit Accepted
19. NN vs G Atwood 0-1231798London 5C37 King's Gambit Accepted
20. G Atwood vs Campbell 1-0241798CasualC41 Philidor Defense
21. G Atwood vs Verdoni  1-0241800London m000 Chess variants
22. G Atwood vs Verdoni 1-0231800London m000 Chess variants
23. G Atwood vs J Wilson 1-0361801CasualC53 Giuoco Piano
24. G Atwood vs J Wilson 1-0321801CasualC53 Giuoco Piano
25. G Atwood vs J Wilson 1-0251801CasualC41 Philidor Defense
 page 1 of 2; games 1-25 of 28  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Atwood wins | Atwood loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jan-11-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Most interesting; even in my teens, I had heard often of 'hot pants', but that is hardly the same thing as the clothing discussed herein.
Jan-11-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  moronovich: To the newbies : The most important thing is inside the pants.
Jan-12-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Susan Freeman: <perdidious> <Most interesting; even in my teens, I had heard often of 'hot pants', but that is hardly the same thing as the clothing discussed herein> I believe that is something else, worn by women, or at least girls.
Jan-12-24  stone free or die: Apologies for misleading y'all - but the proper term is

<"fornication pantaloons">

as I've learned from the <By Common Consent> blog.

Blog author Sam Bunson describes it thusly:

<I had two reactions when I read this [i.e. fornication pantaloons]. The first was that those two words, put together, may be the greatest phrase in the history of clothing. The second, though, was skepticism. That sounds like too good a story to actually verify. >

Use the source, Sam!

<Eight years later, the internet has lots of additional documents on it. And, it turns out, there’s a decent reason to attribute it to Brigham Young: the Mormon Expositor. ...

<"There are those fornication pantaloons, made on purpose for whores to button up in front. My pantaloons button up here (showing how), where they belong, that my secrets, that God has given unto me, should not be exposed.">

Did Brigham Young actually say this? I kind of hope so, because it is tremendously awesome.>

https://bycommonconsent.com/2014/08...

Perhaps this description of the

Feb-27-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gottschalk: Luckily he was interested in chess and became Philidor's disciple when he was in England. Without Atwood, most of Philidor's games we know would not have survived - because he wrote down his games and those of other players with the French master.
Feb-27-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gottschalk: With practice and lessons from Philidor, Atwood became a strong player. I think he got stronger than Verdoni- at least that's what the games that reached us show.
Feb-27-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Page feels naked without his picture. Who cares if it isn't actually him?
Feb-27-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  chancho: Edward Winter...

πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰πŸ˜‰

Feb-28-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: <Page feels naked without his picture. Who cares if it isn't actually him?>

There is an 'Illegibly Signed Portrait of a George Atwood' up for auction on at Live Auctioneers. The attire looks like it could be late Georgian.

https://stage-test.liveauctioneers....

We should put a bid in for it, post the portrait here for providence, change the signature to William Blake ( 1757 – 1827) and sell it on E-Bay.

Feb-28-24  stone free or die: I'd suggest an Easter Egg, either one of the illustrations of his famous machine, or this:

https://images.findagrave.com/photo...

.

Feb-28-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi Stoney,

He was the private secretary of William Pitt. He must have had portrait painted. So I net surfed to the Parliamentary Art Collection and discovered they have '10,000 works of art, divided between the House of Commons and the House of Lords.'

https://committees.parliament.uk/co...

Next time I'm in London to see Leyton Orient I'll pop into both and see if they have one.

He went to Trinity College, they might have portrait of him.

https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/about/hi...

I'll write to the address given;

The Keeper of the Pictures, Trinity College, Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1TQ.

If all else fails, we know where he is buried...you bring the shovel, I'll bring a camera.

Feb-28-24  stone free or die: Sorry <Sally>, but I'm not doing a Burke & Hare here, there, or anywhere.

I'm skeptical, after all, one naturally assumes such an well known personage should already have a bona fide portrait published somewhere on the web if it existed.

I certainly wish you well on the quest nonetheless - it would really be an accomplishment. I suppose it might be possible, given that the fake portrait probably misled some from engaging in the hunt previously.

So - bon courage mon ami. Let us know...

Feb-28-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: I will snail mail The Keeper of the Portraits, I am not confident, but via a good conduct see what the parliament has. I bet the parliament has a lot of their artwork not on display.

BTW, I see the joke but before anyone else corrects you. Burke and Hare never robbed a grave and actually committed their murders just around the corner from where I live. Towers were built in graveyards so watchmen could prevent grave robbing, a few still exist in Edinburgh and are shaped like giant Rooks. (The chess piece not the bird.)

https://www.theedinburghexperience....

Feb-28-24  stone free or die: <<Sally> Burke and Hare never robbed a grave...>

A mere technicality!

And please do inform the this official site - at historic-uk.com - of the same glaring oversight:

<<The Story of Burke and Hare>

The story of Burke and Hare, infamous grave-robbers and murderers in 19th century Edinburgh.>

https://www.historic-uk.com/History...

Still, Bobby would have loved to reside in the building shown in your link.

Feb-29-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi Stoney,

If we cannot get a portrait of him then how about a picture of the painting he did of Milford Haven. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil...

They have Attwood (sic) in the heading. But the correct spelling is used later when they say the artist was George Atwood (1745–11 July 1807) the same d.o.b. we have here and he painted it in 1776. (now I'm wondering, did he do a selfie?)

Feb-29-24  stone free or die: <Sally> have to admit you have a knack for whack.

Don't think the mathematician ever painted though - couldn't find any mention of it in sources that are clearly identified with "our" <George Atwood>.

.

Mar-01-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi Stone,

<couldn't find any mention of it in sources that are clearly identified with "our" George Atwood>.

If you go to that link with George's painting https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil... look at the authority file and click on chess games 31580 (George's C.G. player I.D.) you will see that chessgames.com is actually being used as some kind of proof that it is our George.

That authority link takes you too; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess...

Mar-01-24  stone free or die: Yeah, I think <Sally> needs to come with a warning label (or should that be a jester label?!) ...

From the Museum holding the painting:

< Nothing further is known of J.R. Attwood. In 1794 this composition was reproduced as an engraving in the 'European Magazine.'>

https://museum.wales/collections/on...

Mar-01-24  stone free or die: And unlike <Missy>, here's what I have to say for those who consider <CG> an authority:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27c...

<CG> is more like a big beautiful soup - sometimes. Depends on the cook.

Mar-01-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi Stone,

The clue mathematician Atwood left us iΟ€ the picture. If you look at it you will see three (3) ships of the line, (men of war) and fourteen (14) frigates.

Ο€ (pi) is often expressed as 3.14. You might argue with me but you cannot argue with maths.

BTW it will soon be Pi Day (March 14th. 3.14) when mathematicians all over the world go to a restaurant and eat loads of Newton Apple Pie.

More info on Pi Day https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day

Mar-02-24  stone free or die: Ο€/4 = 1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - 1/7 + ...

Maybe the easiest formula to remember, but not the most convergent of series.

22/7 is quicker - but it's only good to 3 digits.

3.14159 is how I remember it, approximately. My memory banks can't handle anymore places.

But if you switch to base 60 then remembering 6 chunks can get you out to 8 decimal places:

3.82944_60 ~ 3.14159259

Up to 1988 the fastest methods of calculating an approximation to pi were based on the work of the Indian math genius Ramanujan. His work was supplanted by the work of the two Ukrainian-born American Chudnovsky brothers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appro...

I didn't see any mention of the Attwood painting's approximation however.

Mar-02-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: I think I have cleared up the Atwood, or to be correct, the Attwood painting. It appears the artist was called J.R. Attwood. That link above that attached our boy George to the painting is their error.

Here is the link to J.R. Attwood and the 1776 painting of Milford Haven https://www.meisterdrucke.uk/fine-a...

Mar-02-24  stone free or die: <<Sally> I think I have cleared up the Atwood, or to be correct, the Attwood painting.>

Hadn't we already cleared this up back here?

George Atwood (kibitz #51)

It used, as reference, the Museum in Wales website that actually has possession of the painting.

.

Mar-03-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi stone,

My proof is better and anyway we always need at least two sources to prove or disprove something.

George has a moon crater named after him so put up a picture of the moon. Not a full moon because upon seeing it half the crowd here would start barking at it.

This lad Eugenios Mihail Antoniadi also has a moon crater named after him.

No other chess players spotted but I may have missed one or two others. The wiki list of named moon craters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...

Mar-03-24  stone free or die: <<Sally> My proof is better and anyway we always need at least two sources to prove or disprove something.>

You are goofing us all again right?

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