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William Napier
W Napier 
 

Number of games in database: 198
Years covered: 1894 to 1942
Overall record: +93 -49 =48 (61.6%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 8 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Ruy Lopez (21) 
    C78 C67 C65 C64 C80
 Orthodox Defense (12) 
    D51 D60 D52 D63 D55
 King's Gambit Accepted (9) 
    C39 C33 C38
 Petrov (9) 
    C43 C42
 French Defense (7) 
    C02 C00 C10 C13 C01
 Sicilian (6) 
    B45 B30 B40 B44
With the Black pieces:
 Ruy Lopez (19) 
    C67 C65 C70 C77 C66
 Petrov (8) 
    C42 C43
 Sicilian (8) 
    B22 B25 B45 B32 B30
 King's Gambit Accepted (7) 
    C39 C33
 Giuoco Piano (6) 
    C50 C54 C53
 Queen's Gambit Declined (5) 
    D31 D37
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   W Napier vs NN, 1904 1-0
   W Napier vs W T Dickinson, 1904 1-0
   W Napier vs Marshall, 1896 1/2-1/2
   von Bardeleben vs W Napier, 1902 0-1
   W Napier vs C Howell, 1901 1-0
   W Napier vs J Mieses, 1905 1-0
   W Napier vs Marshall, 1901 1-0
   J F Barry vs W Napier, 1904 0-1
   Marshall vs W Napier, 1896 0-1
   W Napier vs L Eisenberg, 1902 1-0

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Brooklyn CC Championship 1897/98 (1897)
   Napier - Ruth (1896)
   Brooklyn CC Championship 1896/97 (1897)
   Napier - Marshall (1896)
   London (1904)
   Mieses - Napier (1905)
   British Championship (1904)
   Buffalo (1901)
   13th DSB Congress, Hanover (1902)
   Monte Carlo (1902)
   Cambridge Springs (1904)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   0ZeR0's Favorite Games Volume 91 by 0ZeR0
   1st British Chess Federation championship 1904 by pacercina
   1st British Chess Federation championship 1904 by jessicafischerqueen
   Mieses - Napier (1905) by MissScarlett
   Mieses - Napier (1905) by Chessical
   1901 Buffalo by Calli


Search Sacrifice Explorer for William Napier
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WILLIAM NAPIER
(born Jan-17-1881, died Sep-06-1952, 71 years old) United Kingdom (federation/nationality United States of America)

[what is this?]

William Ewart Napier was born in Camberwell, London, England. His older brother was Edward John Napier. The family immigrated to the United States when William was five.

Napier routed Frank Marshall, three years his senior, in the Napier - Marshall (1896) match. In 1904, he won the British Championship after a playoff against Henry Ernest Atkins. Atkins became a legendary figure in British chess, winning the next nine British championships in which he played. In 1905, he drew a match against Jacques Mieses (+4 =2 -4) and lost one to Teichmann (+1 =4 -5). Napier is probably best remembered for losing Lasker vs W Napier, 1904 to Emanuel Lasker.

Napier largely retired from serious chess competition after 1905, going into the insurance business and ultimately becoming Vice President of the Scranton Insurance Company. He died in Washington D.C. in 1952.

Wikipedia article: William Ewart Napier

Last updated: 2024-07-03 18:35:18

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 8; games 1-25 of 198  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Showalter vs W Napier 0-1471894Simul, 17bB45 Sicilian, Taimanov
2. W Napier vs C G Griswold  1-0411895YMCA Handicap TournamentC64 Ruy Lopez, Classical
3. W Napier vs H Helms  1-0261895Casual gameC67 Ruy Lopez
4. W Napier vs H Helms  1-0311895Casual gameC67 Ruy Lopez
5. H Helms vs W Napier  1-0221895Casual gameA85 Dutch, with c4 & Nc3
6. H Helms vs W Napier  0-1211895Helms Simul 9b, BrooklynA03 Bird's Opening
7. J Morphy vs W Napier  0-1301895Morphy Simul 12b, BrooklynC45 Scotch Game
8. W Napier vs S Ruth  1-0491896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
9. A Y Hesse vs W Napier  0-1351896Brooklyn CC Junior tC67 Ruy Lopez
10. S Ruth vs W Napier  1-0591896Napier - RuthC65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense
11. W Napier vs S Ruth 1-0111896Napier - RuthB30 Sicilian
12. S Ruth vs W Napier  0-1321896Napier - RuthD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
13. W Napier vs S Ruth  1-0421896Napier - RuthC44 King's Pawn Game
14. S Ruth vs W Napier  ½-½721896Napier - RuthD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
15. W Napier vs S Ruth 0-1191896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
16. S Ruth vs W Napier  0-1431896Napier - RuthD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
17. W Napier vs S Ruth  1-0261896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
18. S Ruth vs W Napier ½-½481896Napier - RuthD07 Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense
19. W Napier vs S Ruth  1-0251896Napier - RuthC43 Petrov, Modern Attack
20. Marshall vs W Napier 0-1231896Napier - MarshallC29 Vienna Gambit
21. W Napier vs Marshall 1-0471896Napier - MarshallB01 Scandinavian
22. Marshall vs W Napier 0-1771896Napier - MarshallC55 Two Knights Defense
23. W Napier vs Marshall ½-½751896Napier - MarshallC02 French, Advance
24. W Napier vs Marshall  0-1291896Rapid Transit Handicap Tournament000 Chess variants
25. Marshall vs W Napier ½-½721896Napier - MarshallC50 Giuoco Piano
 page 1 of 8; games 1-25 of 198  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Napier wins | Napier loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Oct-13-13  redwhitechess: from the Sunday Times Perth 1905:

Creassey Edward C Tattersall vs William Ewart Napier, Hastings 1st British Champ 1904

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Rd1+ Ke8 10.Nc3 h6 11.b3 Bb4 12.Bb2 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 a5 14.Rd2 Ne7 15.Rad1 Nd5 16.Bb2 Bg4 17.c4 Nf4 18.h3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Nxh3+ 20.Kh2 Nf4 21.Rd7 Ne6 22.Ba3 c5 23.f4 g6 24.Kg3 b6 25.Bb2 Kf8 26.a4 Kg7 27.Kf3 Rhd8 28.Ke4 Rxd7 29.Rxd7 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Nxd8 31.e6+ Kf8 32.Bg7+ Ke7 33.exf7 Nxf7 34.Be5 Nxe5 35.fxe5 Ke6 36.f4 c6 37.Kf3 Kf5 38.Kg3 g5 39.Kf3 gxf4 40.e6 Kxe6 41.Kxf4 h5 0-1

http://ageofchess.blogspot.com/2013...

May-18-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: <Napier's Trick Problem>


click for larger view

White to play and mate with the knight on f4 in three moves. ("Brooklyn Daily Eagle", September 30, 1900).

Jan-17-15  zanzibar: Mentioned here:

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/5...

March 15, 1900 Brooklyn Daily Eagle (p14):

<W.E. Napier, Brooklyn's former champion, is now in Paris France where he expects to remain some time. After leaving Berlin quite recently he visited Dresden and Cologne and may cross over to London for the cable match. He contemplates returning to this country during the summer.>

May-03-15  TheFocus: <Of chess it has often been said that life is not long enough for it - but that is the fault of life, not chess> - William Napier.
May-09-15  TheFocus: <In the laboratory the gambits all test unfavorably, but the old rule wears well, that all gambits are sound over the board> - William Ewart Napier.
May-12-15  TheFocus: <The pawn move is a capital investment. Every one of the forty-eight should, from the beginning, be spent as if it were one of the last forty-eight apprehensive and responsible dollars between yourself and starvation> - William Ewart Napier.
May-25-15  TheFocus: <Castle if you will, or if you must, but not when you can> - William Napier.
Oct-23-15  zanzibar: Focus - that last quote is Napier quoting Pillsbury, I believe.

Better check all your other Napier quotes as well...

* * * * *

Napier's sole book is the basis of this wonderful collection by <Phony>

Game Collection: Amenities and Background of Chess-play

Might have been mentioned in the past, but well deserving of a rerun if so.

Oct-23-15  TheFocus: The chess quotes attributed to Napier are from www.chessquotes.com.
Oct-23-15  zanzibar: I thought that might be the case... too bad since Napier is the source of many great quotes.

His book, (Horowitz edition), is on hathitrust:

http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?...

Oct-23-15  TheFocus: Yes, he is. I wish I had that book. Wish list material.
Oct-23-15  zanzibar: Here's a good breakdown of quotes garnered from Napier's <Amenities and Background> book:

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

Thanks to Edward Winter.

Some of content looks like direct quotes of Napier, e.g.

<237. ‘Spielmann plays always like an educated cave-man, who fell asleep several thousand years ago, – and woke up quite lately in the Black Forest.’>

(Item numbers from Napier's work (sans page numbers))

Oct-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: <Zanzibar> Hmm. Another project I need to get back to.
Jan-17-16  TheFocus: Happy birthday, William Napier.
Feb-10-16  morfishine: More bio is definitely needed on Napier. While we know he pursued business interests besides chess, there must be more amplifying information on his life

*****

Feb-11-16  TheFocus: <morfishine> <More bio is definitely needed on Napier. While we know he pursued business interests besides chess, there must be more amplifying information on his life>

John Hilbert did an excellent book about Napier. Lots of info there.

Apr-03-16  zanzibar: Biographer Bistro (kibitz #13682)
Apr-19-16  bengalcat47: Does anyone know why Napier appears to have "retired" from competing in major chess events after 1905? I'm just wondering, that's all.
Apr-21-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <bengalcat47: Does anyone know why Napier appears to have "retired" from competing in major chess events after 1905? I'm just wondering, that's all.>

Just wondering, eh? TBH it sounds like more than that. I think I may know the answer to your question but I would need proof that you are really Just Wondering.

One can't be too careful these days.

Apr-21-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <bengalcat47>

Like many chess masters down to the present, he seems to have decided there were easier ways to make a living. He became an insurance executive.

Here's a short article about him from the amazing <Chess Archeology> site.

http://www.chessarch.com/archive/00...

And here's an 1920 advertisement for an insurance agent position with the Scranton Insurance Company. Applications to W.E. Napier, Secretary. God, I love the internet.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Z...

Jan-17-17  TheFocus: Happy birthday, William Napier.
Apr-27-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  Stonehenge: "Napier's parents returned to England about the turn of the century".

Ernest J Clarke in http://www.chessdryad.com/articles/....

Jan-17-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  WTHarvey: Here's a short list of chess puzzles from his games http://wtharvey.com/napi.html Find the winning moves.
Jun-27-23  DataFly: "Napier's parents returned to England about the turn of the century".

That may be the case, but they subsequently returned to the USA as William's father, John Napier, died in Brooklyn on the 18th April, 1914, and William's mother, Isabella Hester (nee Colyer) died in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on the 2nd September, 1923.

Mar-02-25  BarakSaltz: Napier represented the Brooklyn Chess Club in a Met. League match against A. Sieben (printed "Sieber") in 1933. [BDE], vol. 92, no. 53, 23 Feb. 1933, page 26 [ https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/... ]
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