the optimist expects it to change;

the realist adjusts the sails.

1. W. Ward 15.0
2. J. H. Blake 13.5
3. G. E. Wainwright 12.0
4. E. C. Sergeant 11.5
5. C. J. Woon 10.0
6-7. R. P. Michell 9.5
6-7. J. P. Savage 9.5
8. E. O. Jones 9.0
9 - 15 ?
16. Mortimer 5.0

9. W.E. Allnutt 8.0
10. Henry Stephens Barlow 7.5
11. Percy Rawle Gibbs 7.5
12. Arthur John Curnock 7.0
13. J.F. Allcock 6.5
14. E. Morgan 6.5
15. T.R.E. Ross 5.5
17. H.B. Uber 5
18. Percy E. Heale 4.5

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

together with scathing criticism by E. E. Cunnington who had been a chief contributor to 'The British Chess Code' of which 'The Laws of Chess' were to be a simplified version (an article by W. Moffatt on the background of this work is also contained in the feature article).

Biographical Notes by Alan Smith:

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<William Ward> was a leading British chess player for over twenty years. He came to the fore by tying with Blake for first prize at Salisbury 1898.

Two years later he made his debut for the Cable match team. In seven matches he scored +2 =3 -2 including a win over Marshall (Marshall vs W Ward, 1901).

He was one of the victors in 1911, when Great Britain finally secured the Sir George Newnes Trophy.

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<Ward is one of the players who came close to winning the British Championship, but never won the title.>

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He made four appearances in the event 1905 to 1909. Three times he placed in the top three, yet Henry Atkins finished ahead of him each time. Even so Ward made a level score with Atkins in these events.

Ward was champion of the City of London Chess Club six times - 1902,1904 and 1906 then a hattrick of victories 1909-1911.

He defeated Marshall, three times, Atkins, Gunsberg and Blackburne. In his toughest tournament, City of London CC 1900, he won fourth prize ahead of Blackburne and van Vliet.

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Ward's Results: http://www.edochess.ca/players/p562...

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<Ward’s novelty> was forgotten, but was revived by Alekhine who used it to defeat Spielmann at New York 1927 (Spielmann vs Alekhine, 1927).

This was not Ward’s only contribution to the theory of the Sicilian Defence, he also introduced:

- Sicilian Dragon - 6.Be2 Bg7 7.Be3 0-0 8.0-0 Nc6 9.f4 <Qb6> (Gunston vs Ward, 1910).

- Sicilian Accelerated Dragon - 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 <b6> (Gunsberg vs W Ward, 1908).

In both cases he was successful.

Ward was a strong player as well as a trailblazer in the Sicilian Defence - for the game Jacques Davidson vs W Ward, 1913 he won the brilliancy prize.

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Source: Quotes & Queries 6125, BCM Sep. 2018.