Fairy Chess Review
Encyclopedia
The Fairy Chess Review was a magazine
that was devoted principally to fairy chess
problems but also included extensive original results on related questions in mathematical recreations such as knight's tours
and polyomino
s (under the title of "dissections") as well as much else, such as chess-related word puzzles. It appeared six times per year and nine volumes were published, from 1930 to 1958.
Although they are often referred to under the title "Fairy Chess Review" the first two volumes (August 1930 to June 1936) in fact bore the title "The Problemist Fairy Chess Supplement". These were published by the British Chess Problem Society
as an offshoot of their magazine The Problemist
which began in 1926. The first two volumes were supported financially by the Falmouth businessman Charles Masson Fox
who was also a problemist, but he died in 1936.
From volume 3 onwards the FCR was independent of the BCPS, though most of its contributors were members. The editor from 1930 until August 1951 was Thomas Rayner Dawson
who died in November that year. An "In Memoriam" issue was edited by C. E. Kemp in February 1952, and the magazine then continued under the editorship of Dennison Nixon from (April 1952 to April 1956) and C. E. Kemp (June 1956 to April 1958).
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
that was devoted principally to fairy chess
Fairy chess
Fairy chess comprises chess problems that differ from classical chess problems in that they are not direct mates. The term was introduced before the First World War. While selfmate dates from the Middle Age, helpmate was invented by Max Lange in the late 19th century. Thomas Dawson , pioneer of...
problems but also included extensive original results on related questions in mathematical recreations such as knight's tours
Knight's tour
The knight's tour is a mathematical problem involving a knight on a chessboard. The knight is placed on the empty board and, moving according to the rules of chess, must visit each square exactly once. A knight's tour is called a closed tour if the knight ends on a square attacking the square from...
and polyomino
Polyomino
A polyomino is a plane geometric figure formed by joining one or more equal squares edge to edge. It is a polyform whose cells are squares. It may be regarded as a finite subset of the regular square tiling with a connected interior....
s (under the title of "dissections") as well as much else, such as chess-related word puzzles. It appeared six times per year and nine volumes were published, from 1930 to 1958.
Although they are often referred to under the title "Fairy Chess Review" the first two volumes (August 1930 to June 1936) in fact bore the title "The Problemist Fairy Chess Supplement". These were published by the British Chess Problem Society
British Chess Problem Society
The British Chess Problem Society is the oldest chess problem society in the world.The inaugural meeting of the British Chess Problem Society took place on 10 August 1918 at St George's Restaurant, 37 Martin's Lane London WC at 3pm. The meeting was chaired by the mathematical puzzle expert Henry...
as an offshoot of their magazine The Problemist
The Problemist
The Problemist is a chess problem magazine which has been in publication since January 1926. It originally had the subtitle "Proceedings of the British Chess Problem Society" but the words "Proceedings of" were dropped in January 1985....
which began in 1926. The first two volumes were supported financially by the Falmouth businessman Charles Masson Fox
Charles Masson Fox
Charles Masson Fox was a Cornish businessman who achieved international prominence in the world of chess problems and a place in the gay history of Edwardian England....
who was also a problemist, but he died in 1936.
From volume 3 onwards the FCR was independent of the BCPS, though most of its contributors were members. The editor from 1930 until August 1951 was Thomas Rayner Dawson
Thomas Rayner Dawson
Thomas Rayner Dawson was a British chess problemist. He invented many fairy pieces and new conditions. He introduced the popular fairy pieces grasshopper, nightrider, and many other fairy chess ideas.-Career:...
who died in November that year. An "In Memoriam" issue was edited by C. E. Kemp in February 1952, and the magazine then continued under the editorship of Dennison Nixon from (April 1952 to April 1956) and C. E. Kemp (June 1956 to April 1958).