Sultan Khan of the Punjab

[spacious_mind]

Here is another fascinating story. I have taken excerpts about his story from an interesting book called Mir Sultan Khan by R. N. Coles.

Mir Sultan Khan was born in 1905 in the village of Mittha Tawana in the Sarguda district of the Punjab, in what is now part of Pakistan. His father was a religious leader and a chess player of considerable ability in the Indian style. He taught the young Sultan when the boy was nine years old. For twelve years Sultan knew only the Indian game and attained such proficiency at it that before the age of 21 he was admitted to be the best player of that game in the Punjab.

In 1926 he came to the notice of Sir Umar Hayat Khan, a wealthy patron. Umar was so struck with the young man’s ability that he took him into his household with a view to teaching him the Western game and ultimately, if as he expected Sultan was able to show a similar mastery of the new variety, to introducing him to the master chess of Europe.

For two years Sultan learned to adapt his style to the new game and the Sir Umar considered that he was ready to try his wings. He arranged for an All-India Championship to be held once again in 1928 in Dehli and entered his protégé for the event. His judgement was once more vindicated when the newcomer swept the board, dropping only half a point in nine games.
In the spring of 1929 Sir Umar had the occasion to visit England and saw to it that Sultan Khan was among the members of his entourage. In London Sultan joined the Imperial Chess Club, of which he remained a member until his final return to India in 1933.

British Championships (he played in 4)

1929 Ramsgate – 1st - 8/11 – 72.7%
1931 Worcester – 2nd ½ point behind F.D. Yates – 7.5/11 – 68.2%
1932 London – 1st - 8.5/11 – 77.3%
1933 Hastings – 1st – 9.5/11 – 86.4%

Some notable Tournaments

Hastings 1930-31

01 M. Euwe – 7.0
02 J. R. Capablanca – 6.5
03 Sultan Khan – 6
04 R. P. Mitchell – 5
05. F.D. Yates – 4.5
06 Sir G. Thomas – 4
07 W. Winter – 3.5
08 Miss V. Menchuk – 3.5
09 T. H. Tyler – 3
10 E. Colle – 2.5

In this tournament he beat Capablanca.

London 1932

01 A. Alekhine – 9
02 S. Flohr – 8
03 Sultan Khan – 7.5
04 I. Kashdan – 7.5
05 G. Maroczy – 6
06 S. Tartakover – 6
07 G. Koltanowski – 5
08 Miss V. Menchik – 4.5
09 P.S. Milner-Barry – 3.5
10 Sir G. Thomas – 3.5
11 V. Buerger – 3
12 W. Winter – 2.5

Berne 1932

01 A. Alekhine – 12.5
02 M. Euwe – 11.5
03 S. Flohr – 11.5
04 Sultan Khan – 11
05 O.S. Bernstein – 10
06 E. D. Bogoljubov – 10
07 H. Johner – 7
08 P. Johner – 7
09 H. Grob – 6
10 W. Henneberger – 6
11 O. Naegeli – 6
12 W. Rivier – 6
13 B. Colin – 5.5
14 E. Voellmy – 4.5
15 F. Gygli – 3.5
16 A. Stahelin – 2

In 1931 he had a small match against Tartakover – W4 D5 L3
In 1932 he had a small match against Salo Flohr – W1 D3 L2

Throughout his time in England he suffered badly from the climate and was often sick. At the end of 1933 Sir Umar and his entourage returned to India and that was the last time the western chess world saw Sultan Khan.

When his patron died, he received a small property which he happily farmed for the rest of his life. Tuberculosis, perhaps a legacy of his visit to Europe, finally defeated Sultan on 25th April 1966 he died in the same Sarguna district that had seen his arrival in the world.

Wow not bad for a quasi-slave who knew nothing about Western Chess until about 2 or 3 years before playing against the best in the world.

Apparently since he knew nothing about openings he gave his opponents fits in this area because of his unorthodoxy. This was also the weakest element of his play. He was amongst the world’s best in the middle game and he had no peers in the end game.

What a fascinating person. I wonder how good he would have become had he stuck around for 20 years instead of just 3.

Best regards

[Fernando]

Well, looks like Mr Khan was a victim of the racist attitude of British folk to Indians, specially prevalent in those times and not forgotten today.
That a man with tinted skin, a turbant in his head and awful English - if at all- could be better player was simply anathema.
Gentlemen in those days were used to call people like Khan to serve them a whiskey in the terrace....


Fern

[Cyberchess]

Well, looks like Mr Khan was a victim of the racist attitude of British folk to Indians, specially prevalent in those times and not forgotten today.
That a man with tinted skin, a turbant in his head and awful English - if at all- could be better player was simply anathema.
Gentlemen in those days were used to call people like Khan to serve them a whiskey in the terrace....


Fern

Ah yes, the British occupation of India.

Brings to mind the 1977 film, "The Chess Players".

Mahatma Gandhi Regards,
John

[spacious_mind]

Well, looks like Mr Khan was a victim of the racist attitude of British folk to Indians, specially prevalent in those times and not forgotten today.
That a man with tinted skin, a turbant in his head and awful English - if at all- could be better player was simply anathema.
Gentlemen in those days were used to call people like Khan to serve them a whiskey in the terrace....


Fern

It makes you wonder if he even enjoyed playing Western Chess or was it something that was forced on him and he had to do it eat and live. Can you imagine him being pranced around like collectible and forced to be a spectacle at dinner engagements and events.

He probably didn't enjoy a single game that he played.

That must have felt very humiliating.

Best regards