Charles Blake (chess player)

Charles Blake (12 June 1880 – 18 May 1961) was an Anglo-Canadian chess player and prominent lawyer in Canada.^[1] He won the U.S. Open Chess Championship in 1911, was the chess champion of Western Canada between 1907 and 1910, and was Winnipeg Chess Club Champion, between 1907 and 1910.^[2][3]

Charles Blake
Born	(1880-06-12)12 June 1880 London, England
Died	18 May 1961(1961-05-18) (aged 80) Canada
Education	Bedford Modern School

Early life

Charles Blake was born in London on 12 June 1880.^[1] He was educated at Bedford Modern School.^[1][4]

Legal career

Blake immigrated to Canada in 1903, read law in Winnipeg, Canada, and was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1909.^[1] He practised with Rothwell & Johnson in Winnipeg, between 1909 and 1911, before setting up his own practice in Brandon, Manitoba, in 1912.^[1] He moved to Ontario in 1925 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1929 and the British Columbia Bar in 1949.^[2]

Chess career

Blake was the chess champion of Western Canada between 1907 and 1910, and was Winnipeg Chess Club Champion, also from 1907 to 1910.^[2][3] Blake won the U.S. Open Chess Championship in 1911.^[2][3] He was said to be one of the few players who could effectively compete with Magnus Smith, the three-time Canadian Chess Champion.^[5] Blake was runner up in the Canadian Chess Championship in 1909 and 1913.^[5] In the 1920s, he won two Northwest Competitions in Canada.^[5]

World War I

At the outset of World War I, Blake joined the 99th Manitoba Rangers.^[1] He was with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France, 8th Battalion, 1st Canadian Division, from August 1914, where he was a lieutenant, later promoted to captain in October 1915.^[1] He was further promoted to the rank of major in September 1916.^[1]

Death

Blake's wife predeceased him. He died, without issue, on 18 May 1961.^[2]