Pierce, William




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1881  253  2160 (76) 8
1882  261  2154 (64) 15
1883  326  2116 (60) 2
1884  418  2079 (55) 10
1885  456  2063 (55) 18
1886  460  2052 (69) 0
1887  486  2041 (80) 0
1888  500  2030 (89) 0
1889  508  2019 (96) 0
1890  553  2008 (103) 0
1891  578  1997 (108) 0
1892  638  1986 (113) 0
1893  677  1975 (118) 0
1894  715  1964 (122) 0
1895  741  1953 (126) 0
1896  755  1942 (129) 0
1897  764  1931 (132) 0
1898  792  1919 (135) 0
1899  835  1908 (137) 0
1900  881  1897 (139) 0
1901  893  1886 (142) 0
1902  906  1875 (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