Biography of Marmaduke Wyvill

Marmaduke Wyvill (1815 – 1896) was a leading English chess master.

He made it through to the final of the first international chess tournament, held in London in 1851, but lost to Adolf Anderssen, 4.5-2.5.

Wyvill was elected Member of Parliament for Richmond, North Yorkshire in 1847.

In a chess game, Wyvill formation refers to a pawn formation in which White has no b pawn, a pawn at c3 and c4, and the d-pawn at d4 or d5 (Some authorities require a Black pawn to be at c5). White’s c4 pawn is a weakness because it cannot be supported by other pawns.