He won the Hastings Challengers tournament in 1955/56 thereby qualifying for the prestigious Hastings Premier of 1956/57.
The story goes that is was Horseman who prevented Bobby Fischer from playing in the Premier that year. Frank Rhoden, the Hastings organizer, managed to get the 13-year old Fischer invited to the Premier at the last minute. Rhoden claimed Fischer was waiting at the airport, but there was a slight problem; one of the English players in the Premier (Peter Clarke, Horseman Jonathan Penrose and C.H.O'D. Alexander) had to yield their spot, so Rhoden requested Horseman do so and he refused. His refusal left Rhoden unhappy because the Fischer publicity value was lost.
It's hard to criticize Horseman because he had earned his spot. Besides that, Horseman did the best of the British players except for Clarke (+1 -1 =7) who tied for 5th with Laszlo Szabo. Horseman finished 8th with +2 -5 =2. Penrose (2.5 points) and Alexander (2 points) brought up the rear and neither of them won a single game.
In the process, Horseman drew with Szabo in a game featuring clever tactical blows by both players in a see-saw battle. In the end, Szabo had r a remarkable saving resource. Horseman defeated Penrose and Alexander. The Premier was won by Gligoric and Larsen (tied). His performance rating for the tournament is estimated to have been 2526.
Horseman competed in four British Championships 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1958 making a plus score in each of them.
Leonard Barden described Horseman as gentle, friendly and good humored. He was a sharp and inventive player with creative ideas and while at Oxford improved his game to around IM level.
Although he continued to play chess, Horseman pursued a career in education as a math lecturer, then an Education Adviser until he retired.
Until shortly before his death he coached juniors at the local chess club and a primary school.
Horseman's son wrote that his father, a deeply devout man, had taught his four grandchildren to play chess. His son added that his father had played
in Liverpool at the British championships in 2008 where he was the joint winner of the Under 175 (2000 Elo) section.
Horseman and his wife went on vacation in Spain in January, 2010, to escape the cold weather. While there he was suddenly taken ill with septicemia and was in hospital in the Costa del Sol until he was transferred by air ambulance to Southport where he died.
In the following game Horseman swings a mighty tactical hammer against a player who at the time was a world championship contender. Unfortunately for Horseman, his opponent found a lucky escape.
Laszlo Szabo - Derek Horseman
Result: 1/2-1/2
Site: Hastings Premier
Date: 1956
Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein Variation
[...] 1.c4 ♘f6 2.♘c3 e6 3.♘f3 ♗b4 The Nimzo-Indian is popular a choice of players looking to win. By pinning the N black prevents 4.e4 and seeks to inflict white with doubled Ps. Also, black's delay in committing to a P-structure makes the defense very flexible. White will attempt to create a P center and prepare for an attack. 4.e3 This is white's most common continuation. He completes his development before committing to a definite plan of action. 4...b6 The main line is 4..O-O. The text move was favored by Nimzovich because by fianchettoing black increases control over e4. 5.d4 ♗b7 6.♗d3 O-O 7.O-O c5 8.♘a4 cxd4 9.a3 ♗e7 10.exd4 ♕c7 11.b4 ♘g4
11...a5 12.b5 d6 13.♖e1 ♖e8 14.♗f4 ♘bd7 White is slightly better. Ibragimov,I (2575)-Wells,P (2495)/Ubeda 1996
12.g3 f5
12...d6 Too passive. 13.♗b2 ♘d7 14.♖c1 ♖ac8 15.♘c3 ♕b8 16.♖e1 ♕a8 17.♘d2 ♘gf6 Black has lost a ot of time and white stands well. Buhmann,R (2587) -Saduakassova,D (2470)/Caleta ENG 2018
13.♘c3 d6 Black's position is not very promising, but this turns out to be a mistakes that allows white to seize the initiative and develop a dangerous attack.
13...a6 served black well in Botvinnik,M-Bronstein,D/Moscow 1951, but mostly because of Botvinnik's poor play later. 14.♖e1 ♘c6 15.♗f1 ♘d8 16.♗f4 ♗d6 17.♗xd6 ♕xd6 18.♗g2 ♘f7 and white is better.
13...♗xf3 14.♕xf3 ♘c6 15.♘e2 ♖ac8 16.h3 ♘f6 17.♗e3 White is only slightly better, but this appears to be black's best line.
14.h3 ♘f6 15.♕e2 ♗xf3 16.♕xf3 ♘c6 17.♕e3 Why not 17.Be3? 17...♕d7 18.d5 exd5 19.cxd5 ♘e5 20.♗b5 ♕b7 21.♖d1 a6 22.♗f1 This tame retreat allows black to equalize with 22...b5 securing an outpost for his N on c4.
22.f4 is a solid punch. After 22...axb5 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.d6 ♗d8 25.♕xe5 white stands well.
22...♖fe8 23.♗b2
23.f4 ♘f7 24.♕d3 g6 25.a4 ♗f8 26.♗e3 ♗g7 27.♖ac1 White has a promising position.
23...♗f8 24.♘e2 ♔h8 Horseman's passive play is resulting in his getting into trouble.
24...♘c4 was correct. 25.♕b3 ♘xb2 26.♕xb2 ♘e4 keeps white's advantage at a minimum.
25.♕b3 a5 26.♘d4 a4 27.♕c2 f4 Sacrificing a P for some play, but it's not quite enough. 28.gxf4 ♘g6
28...♖ac8 is best met by 29.♕f5 ♘g6 30.♖ac1 but here, too, white has an excellent position.
29.♘e6 ♘h4 30.♗xf6
30.♕c7 Was even better as after 30...♖e7 31.♕xb7 ♖xb7 32.♖ac1 black is reduced to just waiting.
30...gxf6 31.♕e2 Again, 31.Qc7 was better. 31...♗h6 32.♕h5 The point of his last move is revealed...black's N and B are forked. However, Horseman has a brilliant saving move.
32.♖ac1 keeps the win in hand. 32...♘g6 33.♕h5 ♖xe6 34.♕xh6 ♖g8 35.♔h1 ♖e4 36.♗d3 ♖d4 37.♗xg6 ♖xd1+ 38.♖xd1 ♖xg6 39.♕f8+ ♖g8 40.♕xf6+
32...♖xe6 Surprise! This move puts black back on an equal footing with his illustrious opponent. 33.♕xh6 (33.♕xh4 ♖g8+ 34.♔h1 ♕g7) 33...♖g8+ 34.♔h1 f5 After this black is a goner...if Szabo finds the correct move.
34...♘f5 This is the only way to stay alive. After 35.♕h5 ♖e4 36.♕xf5 ♕g7 37.♕g4 ♕h6 38.♕f3 ♖xf4 39.♕e3 ♕g6 40.♕g3 ♕f5 41.♕d3 ♕g5 White has to take the draw by repetition because if he doesn't he gets mated on either g1 or g2
35.♕xe6 White wins a R, but allows his opponent to draw.
35.♕xh4 and the rest is a matter of technique. 35...♕g7 36.♕g3 ♕xg3 37.fxg3 ♖e3 38.♖d3 ♖gxg3 39.♖xe3 ♖xe3 40.♔g2 with a won ending.
35...♕g7 White's next move is forced to avoid getting mated on g1 or g2. 36.♕xg8+ ♔xg8 37.♖dc1 As usual...wrong R! (37.♖ac1 ♕b2 38.♖e1 ♕xf2 39.♖e6 ♕f3+ draws) 37...♕b2 38.♖c8+ This looks good, but it should have lost!
38.♔g1 ♕g7+ 39.♔h1 ♕d4 40.♔g1 ♘f3+ (40...♕xd5 41.♗c4) 41.♔g2 ♘h4+ 42.♔g3 ♘g6 This ending is extremely difficult. In Shootouts black won two with 3 draws, but one of the wins (at 17 plies) lasted nearly 100 moves.
38...♔g7 39.♖c7+ ♔h6 40.♖e1 ♕xf2 41.♖e6+ ♘g6 42.♗g2 ♕xf4 43.♖c6 ♕f2
43...♕g3 was better. 44.♖cxd6 f4 45.♖c6 f3 46.♖c2 (46.♗xf3 ♕xf3+ 47.♔h2 ♕f2+ 48.♔h1 ♕f3+ 49.♔g1 ♕xa3) 46...fxg2+ 47.♖xg2 ♕xa3 is winning for black. If 48.♖xb6 ♕c1+ 49.♖g1 ♕e3 The threat of ...Qxh3 mate is too strong to be met.
44.♖exd6 f4 45.♖f6 ♔g5 46.♖f7 ♘h4 This threatens mate, but it allows Szabo to give him the slip.
46...♕e1+ 47.♔h2 ♕g3+ 48.♔g1 ♕xa3 Keeps the win in hand. It's similar to the note above, but white's best try is 49.d6 ♕e3+ 50.♔h2 ♕g3+ 51.♔g1 ♕e1+ 52.♔h2 ♘e5 53.♖g7+ ♔f5 54.d7 ♕d2 55.♖c3 (55.♖c8 ♘f3+ 56.♔h1 ♕e1+ mates) 55...♘xd7 56.♖f3 ♘e5 with a routine win.
47.♖g7+ ♔f5 Black has to accept a draw.
47...♘g6 is met by 48.♖xh7 f3 49.h4+ ♘xh4 50.♖g7+ ♔f5 51.♗h3+ ♔e4 52.♖c8 Black has to take a draw here or else his K gets chased from pillar to post. 52...♔xd5 53.♖d7+ ♔e5 54.♖e8+ ♔f6 55.♖e6+ ♔g5 56.♖g7+ ♔f4 57.♖g4+ ♔f5 58.♖g2+ wins
48.♖f7+ ♔g5 Draw (48...♔e5 49.♖e6+ ♔d4 50.♖xf4+ ♕xf4 51.♖e4+ wins) Powered by Aquarium
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