Pierce, William




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1881  251  2157 (76) 8
1882  258  2150 (64) 15
1883  322  2112 (60) 2
1884  413  2075 (55) 10
1885  451  2059 (55) 18
1886  460  2048 (69) 0
1887  486  2037 (80) 0
1888  500  2026 (89) 0
1889  509  2015 (96) 0
1890  554  2004 (103) 0
1891  581  1993 (108) 0
1892  640  1982 (113) 0
1893  677  1971 (118) 0
1894  704  1960 (122) 0
1895  728  1949 (126) 0
1896  752  1938 (129) 0
1897  761  1927 (132) 0
1898  790  1916 (135) 0
1899  834  1905 (137) 0
1900  880  1894 (139) 0
1901  888  1883 (142) 0
1902  899  1872 (143) 1

Rating table notes

Biographical data
Name: Pierce, William Timbrell  
Born: 30 Mar. 1839
Died: May 1922
 
Notes:
The Apr. 1873 issue of the Chess Player's Chronicle (p.238) has 'W.J. Pierce'.
 
References
Books
   Forster, Amos Burn, page 967
   Gaige, Chess Personalia, page 329
   Hooper and Whyld, Oxford Companion (1st ed.), page 253
   Renette and Zavatarelli, Neumann, Hirschfeld and Suhle, page 374
   Sergeant, Century of British Chess, page 169, 179, 206
   Winter, Chess Facts and Fables, page 378
Periodicals
   [ArCM], vol. 1, no. 4, Sep. 1872, page 48
   [BCM], vol. 3, no. 4, Apr. 1883, page 145
   [CPC], vol. 2, no. 21, Sep. 1860, page 265
   [CPC], vol. 3, no. 27, Mar. 1861, page 87
   [CPC], vol. 3, no. 8, Apr. 1873, page 238
   [CPM], vol. 3, no. 7, 1 July 1867, page 203
   [CPQC], vol. 2, no. 1, Feb. 1870, page 16
   [CPQC], vol. 2, no. 7, Feb. 1871, page 217
   [ILN], vol. 49, no. 1396, 27 Oct. 1866, page 419
   [ILN], vol. 63, no. 1788, 6 Dec. 1873, page 547
   [ILN], vol. 66, no. 1851, 30 Jan. 1875, page 115
   [ILN], vol. 69, no. 1927, 1 July 1876, page 23
   [LW], 24 Mar. 1883, page 230
   [OSZ], vol. 2, no. 31, July 1873, page 216
Web
   Harding, Tim.  [Early Games of Chess by Telephone], page 8
   Harding, Tim.  [Introduction to the Pierce Gambit], page 1
   Harding, Tim.  [The Pierce Brothers and the English Mechanic], page 5
   Harding, Tim.  [Sir George Thomas: The Early Years], page 9
Match data  (f=formal; c=casual; s=soft)

Edmonds, F. - Pierce, W.T. 1881         (f)     5   -   3
Edmonds, F. - Pierce, W.T. 1882         (f)     4   -   0
Pierce, W.T. - Bowley, A.A. 1882         (f)     5.5   -   3.5
Mead, W. - Pierce, W.T. 1885         (f)     5   -   4

Tournament data

Chichester 1882     Brighton Club - Chichester Club Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Downer, G.R.     1.5 - 0.5    
Brighton 1883     Brighton - Rest of Sussex Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Cheshire, H.F.S.     1 - 1    
London, England 1884 (1)     Surrey - Sussex County Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Beardsell, T.J.     1 - 1    
Brighton 1884 (1)     Brighton - Rest of Sussex Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Downer, G.R.     0.5 - 1.5    
London, England 1884 (6)     Universities - Brighton Club Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Morley, F.     1.5 - 0.5    
Brighton 1884 (2)     Surrey - Sussex County Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Beardsell, T.J.     0 - 2    
Havant 1884     Brighton - Southampton Club Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Blake, J.H.     0 - 2    
London, England 1885 (1)     Surrey - Sussex County Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Mills, D.Y.     0 - 2    
Brighton 1885 (1)     Brighton - Rest of Sussex Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Downer, G.R.     0 - 2    
London, England 1885 (6)     Universities - Brighton Club Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Locock, C.D.     0.5 - 1.5    
Brighton 1885 (2)     Surrey - Sussex County Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Mills, D.Y.     1 - 1    
Sussex 1885     Brighton - Rest of Sussex Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Downer, G.R.     0.5 - 0.5    
London, England 1902 (2)     British Chess Club - Universities Match    
  Pierce, W.T. - Snowden, H.J.     0 - 1    

Player information updated: 17 Jul. 2025