Pierce, William




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1881  252  2163 (76) 8
1882  261  2157 (64) 15
1883  328  2119 (60) 2
1884  420  2083 (55) 10
1885  456  2066 (55) 18
1886  467  2055 (69) 0
1887  489  2044 (80) 0
1888  508  2033 (89) 0
1889  519  2022 (96) 0
1890  557  2011 (103) 0
1891  584  2000 (108) 0
1892  639  1989 (113) 0
1893  685  1978 (118) 0
1894  722  1967 (122) 0
1895  744  1956 (126) 0
1896  758  1945 (129) 0
1897  770  1933 (132) 0
1898  799  1922 (135) 0
1899  844  1911 (137) 0
1900  890  1900 (140) 0
1901  902  1889 (142) 0
1902  915  1878 (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