Biography of Ed Foy
Tom LaBue
1995.06.01
Ed Foy was best noted as the Chess columnist for the Charleston Gazette and the Charleston Daily Mail for nearly sixty years. It was estimated that he penned some 2,784 columns (a conservative estimate).
Ed served in the Navy during World War II. He survived a typhoon and was shipwrecked on the island of Iwo Jima. It was during the war, that he first met his wife, Mary, who was a Navy officer. Here is a letter that Ed wrote back to WV dated May 14, 1944:
Just a brief note. The two $1 bills inclosed are for Anthony's and my 1944-45 memberships... Hope the 1944 meet is a big success. Was in Charleston from May 4 to 11. Anthony got home on the 7th and he is still there on furlough. We had not been both at home together previously for 35 months. We visited the chess meeting on May 8... I had a nice leave, even though the time was not long and passed so swiftly. It is always nice to get home-- at least, I like it... Best wishes for yourself and the state organization and the '44 tourney.
Ed worked as an accountant, employed at the Charleston Transit Company and later for St. Francis Hospital. He retired in 1974.
Ed helped found the Charleston Chess Club, which today is one of the strongest and most active in the state. He shared the West Virginia State title twice, in 1949 with Dr. Siegfried Werthammer and again in 1951, a four-way tie with Dr. Werthammer, John Hurt, Jr., and Al DuVall. Ed also won the Charleston City Championship in 1967.
Here are a few representative games from the career of Ed Foy. The first dates back to a match from 1947, Charleston Chess Club vs. Carbide Chess Club. Reprinted from the WVCA Yearbook 1945-1947.
Eddie Foy said he couldn't decide on his "best" game, but he thinks this one is interesting and well played, not only by himself, but by fellow Charlestonian Dick Grimm. The game certainly exhibits original features and a beautiful finish -- it is like a composed study. It characterizes fairly well Ed's style in chess which is somewhat on the conservative side plus a great ability to recover from inferior positions.
Dick Grimm (Carbide) - Ed Foy
Queen's Gambit Declined
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e4 This gives Black an easier game than 5. e3. 5...dxe4 6. Nxe4 6. f3, offering a true gambit leads to a sharp game with many chances for White. 6...Bb4+ 7. Ke2? Original, odd and inviting some
trouble. The reason for this move is apparently to maintain pressure as after 7. Nf3 c5, Black has an excellent game. 7...Be7 8. Nxf6+ Nxf6? 8. Bxf6 is far superior. If 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 and Black's advantage is evident. If 9. Bf4 g5! followed by g4, or 9. Be3 e5 and e4, and White K-wing is paralyzed. After the text Black cannot take advantage of White's K position. White will be able to develop without difficulty. 9. Nf3 O-O 10. g3 b6 11. Bg2 Bb7 12. Re1 h6 13. Be3 Rc8? Too slow. 13...Ng4, then c5 was the last chance to obtain a strong initiative as long as the KN was pinned. 14. Kf1 c5 14...Ng4 was
still better. 15. b3 White's game is now preferable. He has open center files and the majority of the P's on the Q-side (an endgame advantage). 15...cxd4 16. Qxd4 Qc7 17. Bf4 Qc5 18. Rad1! Qa3 Queen exchange would give White a favorable endgame. 19. Qa1 Rfd8 20. Nd4 20. Bc1 Qa5 21. Bb2 Qh5 22. Nh4 is also good. 20...Bxg2+ 21. Kxg2 Qc5 22. Re5? This move looks strong. but leads to nothing. 22. Be5! is correct with a dangerous attack; 22. Be5 Ng4 23. Bxg7! Kxg7?? 24. Nxe6+ and wins ; or 22. Be5 Be6 23. Bxf6 gxf6 24. Nxe6!! Qc6+ 25. f3 fxe6 26. Qxe6+ with a winning attack. 22...Qc7! White's possible discovered Q-checks are harmless. 23. Re2 Qb7+ 24. f3 Nh5 25. Bc1 Bf6! 26. Bb2 e5!? After White's 22nd move, Black has equalized the game with great skill. He now takes the initiative with an interesting positional sacrifice of a P. If White plays with great care, he should get the better of it. 27. Nf5 e4!? 28. Rxd8+ Rxd8 29. fxe4 Bxb2 30. Qxb2 Nf6 31. Qc2? Inexact. Nxh6+!! would have won at least a second P. If 31..gxh6 32. Qxf6; if 31...Kf8 32. Qa3+!; if 31...Kh8 or Kh7 32. Nf5. 31...Rd7? g6! would have regained the P: 32. Nxh6+? Kh7; or 32. Nh4 Re8 33. Kf3 Nxe4! 34. Rxe4 f5 ; or 32. Ne3 Nxe4 32. h3 Kh7 33. g4 g6 34. Ng3 Re7 35. Kf3? Black threatened Nxe4! followed by f5, but Kf2 would be better. 35...Nd7! 36. b4? All the White pieces are tied to the KP, so the attempt to get a passed P must fail. 36. Kf2 was still good. In the final phase, Black plays excellently. 36...Ne5+ 37. Ke3 Rc7! 38. c5 bxc5 39. bxc5 Qb5! 40. Kd4 Qb4+ 41. Kd5 Permits a beautiful, problem-like mate in 3 moves. 41...Rd7+!! 42. Kxe5 Qb8+ 43. Kf6 Qh8++
Here is a game from 1966. One of Ed Foy's famous defensive games. Reprinted from WVCA Bulletin, 5/66.
Alex Darbes - Ed Foy
1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 g6 6. Bc4 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qe1 Nbd7 9. Qh4 b6 10. Bh6 a5 11. Ng5 Ba6 12. Bxa6 Rxa6 13. Nd5 b5 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Nxf6 h6 16. Nxd7 hxg5 17. Qg4 f5 18. Qxg5 Qxd7 19. Rf4 Rh8 20. Re1 Re6 21. Ref1 Rh5 22. Qg3 Rf6 23. Qa3 Qd6 24. Qxd6 If 24. Qxa5 g5 24...exd6 25. d5 Rh8 26. g4 Rhf8 27. g5 R6f7 28. Re1 Rc8 29. Re6 Rh8 30. Kg2 Rh5 31. h4 Rh8 32. Kg3 Rc8 33. a3 Rd8 34. b4 axb4 35. Rxb4 Ra8 36. Rb3 Ra4 37. Rxb5 Rxa3+ 38. Rb3 Ra4 39. Rd3 Rg4+ 40. Kh3 Rc4 41. c3 Rc5 42. Ree3 Kf8 43. Rd4 Kg7 44. c4 Ra5 45. Rdd3 Ra1 46. Kg2 Ra2+ 47. Kf3 Rh2 48. Rd4 Rh3+ 49. Ke2 Rh2+ 50. Kd3 Draw -
Here is a game from a simul played in Charleston in 1971
GM Svetozar Gligoric - Ed Foy
Sicilian Defense
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Nc6 9. Nb3 a6 10. Be3 b5 11. Bf3 e5 12. Nd5 exf4 13. Bxf4 Ne5 14. Bxe5 dxe5 15. Nxf6+ Qxf6 16. Kh1 Qb6 17. a4 Be6 18. Qe2 Bc4 19. Qf2 Qxf2 20. Rxf2 bxa4 21. Rxa4 Rfc8 22. Ra1 Bh6 23. Re1 Bf8 24. g3 Rab8 25. Kg2 Bxb3 26. cxb3 Rxb3 27. Ra1 Rcb8 28. Rxa6 Rxb2 Drawn
Ed Foy died May 2, 1995 at the Arthur B. Hodges Center after a long illness. He was 86 years old.
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