William H.K. Pollock

(1859-96)

2000 Canadian Chess Hall of Fame

1895 Represented Canada at prestigious Hastings International Congress

1894 Arrived Canada to report on World Championship Match in Montreal; stayed until trip to England in 1895, but returned briefly in 1896

1892 2nd place, U.S. Championship

1892 Brooklyn, New York Champion

1891 Tied first place, U.S. Championship (lost play-off match to Showalter)

1890 2nd place, U.S. Championship

1889 Travelled to America to play in the New York tournament which was to select a challenger to World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz; won Brilliancy Prize

1889 Second place, Irish Chess Association's 3rd Masters Tournament, scoring 6.5/8 ahead of Mason

1886 First place, Irish Chess Associationís 2nd Principal Tournament, scoring 8/8 ahead of Blackburne and Burn

1885 First place, Irish Chess Associationís 1st Principal Tournament at Dublin, Ireland, scoring 9/10

Credited with inventing the opening moves 1. e4 e6 2. Qe2

Co-author of booklet on St. Petersburg 1895-6 tournament

Medical student at Trinity College, Dublin

Born in England of Irish descent

Here are three of William Pollock's games, against former World Champion Steinitz, and two World Championship challengers:

Wilhelm Steinitz - William H. K. Pollock, Hastings, Round 6, 1895.08.12

William H.K. Pollock - Siegbert Tarrasch, Hastings, Round 13, 1895.08.21

Isidor Gunsberg - William H.K. Pollock, Hastings, Round 14, 1895.08.23

Source: Pollock Memories by Mrs. Frideswide F. Rowland, 1899.