Christopher Barclay Heath

1877, London - 10 May 1961, London

• Associated with Dundee Chess Club
• Scottish Champion 1924

Heath joined Dundee CC in 1899, and was active in club and national chess events until taking up an appointment in London in 1925, returning to his city of birth.

He played in the Scottish Championships of 1914, 1915 and 1923, before winning the event in 1924, held in his then home town of Dundee.

Heath's name occurs in various tournament reports during the 1920's, including events in England. He also took part in correspondence chess, playing first board for Scotland against Ireland in a 1924 match, when he defeated J.J. O'Hanlon.

Heath also contributed some interesting ideas in the openings. The British Chess Magazine of 1922 (pp 425 and 458) published his analysis of a variation of an old line in the King's Gambit Declined: 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. b4, showing variations after 4...Bxb4 and 4...Bb6. Heath also had a favourite line, as Black, against the Queen's Gambit: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 b6.

Sources: The Story of Dundee Chess Club, by Peter W. Walsh (1984); BCM 1922.

Alan McGowan
Historian, Chess Scotland