Captain William Davies Evans (27 January 1790 – 3 August 1872) was a seafarer and inventor, though he is best known today for the Evans Gambit, a chess opening.
Biography
Early life
Evans was born at St Dogwells, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is almost certain that young Evans went to Haverfordwest Grammar School, the only school of any antiquity in Pembrokeshire. About the beginning of the century the family moved to Castle Pill, the name of an inlet of Milford Haven on the north side, just east of Milford town.
Early career
Evans served at sea in the navy from 1804, when he was 14, until the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815.
He was then transferred to the postal department. By 1819, he had reached the title of Captain of the sailing packet.
Inventions
Evans is known for inventing tri-coloured lighting on naval vessels designed to prevent collisions at night. For this invention he was awarded £1500 by the British government and a gold chronometer and £200 from the Tsar of Russia.
Chess player
Chess opening
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moves | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECO | C51–C52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By 1818, he had learned the moves of chess.
Around 1825–1826, on shore leave in London, Evans played Alexander McDonnell, beating the latter with what is now regarded in chess circles as the first Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4). According to GM Andrew Soltis, Evans was "the first player to be widely honored for an opening we know he played".
Death
He is buried at the Belgian port of Ostend.
Gallery
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Captain Evans, circa 1850s
References
- The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) p. 274. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6, OCLC 1023231768
- Tim Harding, ‘Evans, William Davies (1790–1872)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, May 2012
- Soltis, Andy (February 2022). "Chess to Enjoy". Chess Life: 10.
External links
- William Davies Evans player profile and games at Chessgames.com
- Welsh Chess Union: William Davies Evans Ceremony 19th October 2019
- Captain Evans and his gambit in 19th century
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