Guest was the best of the British amateur players players of his day and at the time was well known because of his popular chess column in the Morning Post. He was also editor for a short time of the chess columns in several other publications.
In about 1876 he was receiving Rook odds from Isadore Gunsberg and J.H. Blackburne and Knight odds from master and chess journalist William Potter. However, it wasn’t long before he improved to the point that such odds were not necessary.
He gained his practice playing sped chess at local chess clubs where local businessmen met for lunch and a few quicjk games. Guest found it relaxation from business on the Stock Exchange where he was at one time a member.
His first attempt at serious play was an unsuccessful appearance in a handicap at the City of London Chess Club. Later he won two handicaps at a local club.
In 1884, receiving Pawn and move, he finished second behind James Mason in the handicap at the famous Simpson's Divan. In that even Blackburne was among the participants.
In 885, Guest played top board in the first match played in Paris between representatives of England and France. Guesst had a superior position, but let is slip. The game was unfinished and was eventually adjudicated as a draw.
The following year after he won the Amateur Championship, Guest started the Bohemian, a paper which dealt with all matters of current interest and, also, featured chess. He resigned as editor after about six months, and was succeeded by James Mortimer. The paper, although very popular among chess players, did not find support from the general public and was discontinued.
Over the years Guest took part in a number of competitions, both masters and amateurs. with varying success. He also composed several problems.
Guest was also an artist and some of his drawings appeared in various magazines. He wrote many articles for photography magazines and he published (or had his stories published) in many books including some children's books.
n the following game he defeats Wordsworth Donisthorpe (1847-1914, 66 years old). In addition to being a chess enthusiast, he was an English barrister, individualist anarchist, inventor, and pioneer of cinematography. In 1885, he co-founded both the British Chess Association and the British Chess Club. He died in Shottermill, England.
[Event "B.C.A Amateur Chp, Bradford"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1886.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Antony Guest"]
[Black "Wordsworth Donisthorpe"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B00"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 16"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "1886.??.??"]
[Source ""]
{B00: Owen's Defense} 1. e4 b6 {This is aka as the Queen's Fianchetto Defense,
today it has a dubious reputation. At the time, the strong British amateur Rev.
Joh n Owen (1827-1901) played it on a regular basis as his main defense for
mosty of his career.} 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3 {[%mdl 32]} e6 4. Be3 d5 (4... c5 5.
dxc5 bxc5 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. f4 Nf6 {equals. Petakov,U (2346)-Bokros,A
(2483) Novi Sad 2017}) (4... d6 5. Ne2 g6 6. c4 Bg7 7. Nbc3 Nc6 8. Bc2 Nf6 {
equals. Nukin,T (2093)-Isanzhulov,A (2305) Almaty KAZ 2019}) 5. e5 c5 (5... Ba6
6. Nf3 c5 7. c3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 Nc6 9. O-O Qd7 {equals. Rodrigo Yanguas,M (1999)
-Mestre Bellido,H (2284) Padrun 2008}) 6. c3 c4 {This move, releasing pressure
on white's center, is not a very good idea. Simply 6...Nc5 was OK.} 7. Bc2 $16
b5 8. Nf3 {One already suspects that trouble is brewing for black.} a5 9. O-O
Nc6 10. Ng5 h6 {This unfortunate little move loses outright.} (10... g6 {
is a must. White will get a string attack going, but at least it avoids the
immediate disaster that follows.} 11. Qf3 Qd7 12. a3 h6 13. Nh3 a4 14. Nd2
O-O-O 15. Rae1 Kb8 16. Nf4 {White is better, but he cannot lay claim to a huge
advantage.}) 11. Qh5 {Effectively ending the game. There is no defense to the
attack on f7.} g6 (11... Qd7 12. Nxf7 Qxf7 13. Bg6) (11... hxg5 12. Qxh8 Nh6 {
just loses a R with no compensation.}) 12. Bxg6 {[%mdl 512]} hxg5 (12... fxg6
13. Qxg6+ Kd7 14. Qxe6+ Kc7 15. Nf7 {and there is no reason for black to play
on.}) 13. Bxf7+ Kd7 14. Qxh8 Nh6 {Black could resign here, but nobody likes to
to victim of a miniature so he plays on.} 15. Bh5 (15. Bxe6+ {was also quite
good, but it requires a bit of calculation to arrive at} Kxe6 16. f4 Nf5 17.
fxg5 Bg7 18. Qh7 Nce7 19. Rxf5 Nxf5 20. Qg6+ Ke7 21. Qxf5) 15... Qe7 16. Qf6
Qxf6 17. exf6 Bd6 18. Bxg5 Nf5 19. Nd2 Rh8 20. g4 {[%mdl 32]} e5 21. Bg6 Nh4
22. Bxh4 Rxh4 23. Bf5+ Kc7 24. Nf3 Rh6 25. g5 Rh8 26. g6 e4 27. g7 {Black
finally resigned.} (27. g7 Rg8 28. Ng5 Bc8 29. Bh7 {etc.}) 1-0
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