Nancy Elder

     Unless one is from Scotland, the name Nancy Elder MBE (awarded in 1973) is probably unknown. An MBE is the third highest ranking Order of the British Empire and it is given for awarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations and public service outside the civil service.

     Nancy Conchar Gordon was born on May 25th 1915 in Kirmabreck, Scotland. In the 1939 she was living in Manchester, England with a married couple. Her occupation was given as a music and physical training teacher. In the mid-1940s she relocated from Manchester to Dundee, Scotland where she continued teaching at Dundee High School as a music teacher. 

     She and her brother started playing chess during their school days and the two of them were self taught. During her time in Dundee she became a member of Dundee Chess Club. 

     In 1950 she was married and she eventually had a daughter, Christine, who also played as a junior and won a few prizes. 

     While a member of the Dundee club she took lessons from one of the club's players well into the 1950s. During her time there she coached students and some of the girls went on to success. 

     One of her students, Sandy Davie won the Scottish Ladies' Championship three times and Margaret Forwell, Rosie Giulian and Lynne Morrison also won the Scottish Ladies' Championship. 

     She was also involved in organization and promotional endeavors wit the club. It was under her organization that the school's chess leagues were formed and on 1967 she assisted in organizing the Dundee International Centenary Tournament.

     She represented Scotland five times in the Olympiads: Yugoslavia in 1963 and 1973, Israel in 1976, Buenos Aires in 1978 and Malta in 1980. She turned down the chance to take part on three other occasions. 

     She retired from the music department of Dundee High School in 1980 where she taught the oboe, but continued to give private lessons. 

     Mrs. Elder set off for a long holiday in which she planned to spend with relatives and friends when she suffered a heart attack on a plane from Singapore and ended up in intensive care in Perth, Australia. She passed away in Perth at the age of 65 on March 4, 1981.

[Event "Olympiad, Valetta"] [Site "?"] [Date "1980.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Carlos Salazar"] [Black "Nancy Elder"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B50"] [Annotator "Stockfish 14.1"] [PlyCount "66"] [EventDate "1980.??.??"] {Sicilian Defense} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 {The Delayed Alapin (2.c3). It's interesting to note that these days engines have demonstrated that just about all openings are playable if you work out the ideas and best lines.} g6 { With this seldom seen move black sets up a Dragon formation.} 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 {This unusual recapture has not worked out very well for white.} (5. cxd4 {This is almost always played.} d5 6. e5 Bg4 7. Be2 Nc6 8. O-O Bg7 9. Be3 { Ascic,P (2387)-Saric,A (2489)/Zadar 2006}) (5. Qxd4 {Statistically this rare move gives white good results. Black should now play 5...Nf6. In the following gme there was an immediate double blunder.} e5 6. Qd1 {A surprising mistake for a 2300 rated player!} (6. Nxe5 {gives white an excellent position.} Bg7 ( 6... dxe5 7. Qxe5+ {picks up the R.}) 7. Qa4+ Bd7 8. Nxd7 Nxd7 9. Bf4) 6... Nf6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Qb6 10. Qc2 Be6 {Equal. Tovio,I (2303)-Turizo Correa,E (2034)/Cartagena 2014}) 5... Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nd2 O-O 8. Be2 a6 9. a4 Nc6 10. O-O Qc7 11. f4 Bd7 12. f5 {Premature. Solid was 12.Bf3} Ne5 (12... d5 { was more vigorous.} 13. fxg6 hxg6 14. Bf3 Ne5 {and black stands well.}) 13. Qb3 Rac8 14. Bg5 Qc5 15. Rf4 Nc6 $15 16. Qc4 Nxd4 17. cxd4 (17. Qxd4 {is much worse as after} Qxd4+ 18. cxd4 Rc2 {black has a practically winning position.}) 17... Qb6 18. Qd3 h6 {Taking the b-Pawn was a perfectly good alternative.} 19. Nc4 Qa7 {Not bad, but 19...Rc4 leads to a huge advantage.} (19... Rxc4 20. Bxf6 Rxa4 21. Rxa4 Bxf6 22. Ra2 g5 23. Rf1 Bb5 24. Qc2 (24. Qd2 Qxd4+ 25. Qxd4 Bxd4+ 26. Kh1 Bxe2) 24... Qxd4+ {with an excellent game.}) 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. e5 { This loses the game. White has overlooked that the d-Pawn is pinned and can't recapture. Best was 21.Rd1 but black would have the more active position.} (21. Rd1 g5 22. Rg4 Bxa4 23. b3 Rxc4 24. Qxc4 Bb5 25. Qc2 Bxd4+ 26. Kh1 Be5 { with an unclear position in which black has the better chances.}) 21... dxe5 22. Rg4 Kg7 (22... h5 23. Rg3 e4 24. Qxe4 Qxd4+ 25. Qxd4 Bxd4+ 26. Kh1 Bxf5 { and white's position is hopeless.}) 23. Rf1 g5 24. h4 (24. Ne3 {White is no better off after this.} exd4 25. Nd5 Bxa4 26. Nxf6 exf6 27. Qxd4 Qxd4+ 28. Rxd4 Bc6) 24... exd4 25. hxg5 hxg5 26. Rf3 Rg8 27. a5 {The N reaching b6 hoping to block the Q is too little, too late.} Qc5 (27... Rxc4 {An even harder blow than 27... Qc5} 28. Qxc4 d3+ 29. Rf2 Bb5 30. Qb4 dxe2 31. Qd2 (31. Qe1 Rd8) 31... Rh8 32. Re4 Rh1+ 33. Kxh1 Qxf2) 28. b3 Bb5 29. Kf2 Bxc4 30. bxc4 Qxa5 31. Qa3 Qxa3 32. Rxa3 Rc5 33. Bd3 Rgc8 (33... Rgc8 34. Rg3 b5 35. cxb5 axb5 36. Ra5 b4 37. Rxc5 Rxc5 {with an easily won ending.}) 1-0