ANGLOPHILES UNITED
  • HOME
  • What is an Anglophile?
  • Anglophile Pastimes
    • British Books
    • British Movies
    • British Music
  • British Culture
    • British Homes
    • British Cars
    • British Car Photo Gallery
    • British Clothing
  • British Food and Drink
    • British Food
    • Glossary of British Foods
    • Recipes
    • British Drinks
    • British Tea Customs
    • Recipe for Traditional British Tea
  • British Mass Media
    • British Radio
    • Historical British Radio Broadcasts
    • British Television
    • British Newspapers
    • BBC News Feed
  • British Sports
  • The Royals
  • Britain in *YOUR* town
  • Visit Britain
    • Best Times to Visit Britain
    • When to Find Best Airfares
    • Maps
    • Visit England
  • Sweepstakes
  • About
    • Who I am
    • Disclosures
    • Adverting rates
  • CHAT FORUM
  • BRIT BLOG TODAY

THE GAME OF CHESS IN BRITAIN

1/2/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
The game of chess--or at least its earliest precursors, which were played in China and Persia--has existed for nearly 1500 years.  Not until Victorian times, however, did the game become organized--and a British gent, Howard Staunton, was greatly responsible for that.

In the early 1800s, no chess leagues or chess federations existed anywhere in the world.  In Britain, particularly in London, masters of the game enjoyed playing one another at various chess meeting rooms.  If the masters played amateurs, handicaps were employed.  But chess games were not organized, and certainly there were no organizations that helped young players develop their skills.  At this time, London and Paris were chess centers, and many skilled foreign players moved to these cities to partake of chess culture.   The great names that arose in London were Steinitz, Lowenthal, Gunsberg, Zukertort, and Staunton--Howard Staunton.  Indeed, it was Staunton, through publications and promotion, who helped London alone become the world chess center during the Victorian era.  

Picture
HOWARD STAUNTON Illustrated London News
Staunton organized and raised funds for the world's first international chess tournament, which took place in London in 1851.  (A few years later, he also helped write the international chess laws.)  Staunton arranged this international chess tournament in 1851 for the World Industrial Great Exhibition, which London was hosting that year--an event showcasing technology and culture from around the world.  The chess tournament was a great success, but Staunton failed to capture first-place prize; Adolf Anderssen did.  He also failed to capture the runner-up prize--losing that to a former pupil.  Despite the setback, Staunton remained the kingpin of the British chess scene due to his publications and personality.

Staunton was, apparently, quite a character--many accounts suggest he was an egotistical self-promoter...and a poor, vindictive loser.  His credentials include: chess master, chess newspaper columnist, chess book author, and Shakespearean scholar.  For many years, he wrote a chess column for Illustrated London News.  This column was considered the most influential chess column in the world.  He also wrote books--The Chess-Player's Handbook  (which remained in print until 1993!) and The Chess-Player's Companion. 

Many developments in chess were happening during Staunton's time.  The game, historically, had been a slow affair--with moves having no time limits.  If players pondered two hours about where to move a chess piece, that was fine.  (Little wonder chess was a gentleman's game.  What laborer could afford that amount of free time?)  Once tournaments were being organized, the slow-as-molasses moves were out, and time control was in.  Initially, hourglasses were used, and 24 moves were demanded within a 2-hour time frame.  Later, chess clocks became the norm.  

Another major change at this time--and one that Saunton was again involved with--was the design of chess pieces.  There was no "official" design for pieces, that is, the pieces had various looks that were not always recognized by players from different countries.  As you can imagine, such confusion hindered tournament players.  ("Which piece did you say is the rook?")  

A popular chess set during Saunton's day was called the St. George design.  The design of these chess pieces was quite curvy, resulting in all the pieces looking a tad similar.  (Other popular chess sets of the time included the English Barleycorn, the French Regence, and the central European Selenus.)  Around 1849, Nathaniel Cook designed a new chess set with pieces that looked more distinctive--and he named the set the "Staunton."  John Jaques, a famous sport and game manufacturer in London, produced the chess sets, and, of course, Staunton took charge of PR.  In fact, he wrote a pamphlet that was included with each set sold and received royalties from the sales.  The Staunton design quickly became the stand for tournaments, and it remains the standard today, around the world.


Picture
STAUNTON "MARSHALL" SET / Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Credits: Jud McCranie, Bubba73
Picture
ST. GEORGE SET / Wikimedia Commons

And now for some levity from the BBC.... A comedic video about British chess....  (Is definitely not your grandfather's "how to" chess video!)
LINKS:
ENGLISH CHESS FEDERATION
LONDON CHESS CLASSIC
INTERNET CHESS CLUB
INSTANT CHESS



Go to: BRITISH BOOKS
Go to: BRITISH NEWSPAPERS
Go to: BRITISH RADIO
Go to: HOMEPAGE

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Zella

    I am a writer, artist, and incurable Anglophile! Thank you for reading my blog, and please feel free to join my discussions about Britain.  I look forward to hearing your comments and stories!

    Archives

    June 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Britain In Nyc
    British Books
    British Cars
    British Clothing
    British Culture
    British Drinks
    British Food
    British History
    British Holidays
    British Homes
    British Humor
    British Language
    British Movies
    British Music
    British Radio
    British Schooling
    British Sports
    British Tea Customs
    British Television
    Contests
    Current Events
    Homepage
    The Royals
    Visit Britain
    Visit England
    Visit London
    What Is An Anglophile

BE SURE TO BOOKMARK THIS WEBSITE!
Copyright © 2012 Anglophiles United
Photos used under Creative Commons from Elsie esq., Gulltaggen, GabboT, tahnok42, idleformat, steve p2008, Visit Greenwich, kamshots, Ruth and Dave, ☺ Lee J Haywood, hartingale, Elsie esq., Monica Arellano-Ongpin, jeffwilcox, ヨシキ, christine zenino, Dominic's pics, Thomas Depenbusch, idleformat, idleformat, andreadg, heatheronhertravels, humbert15, Tilemahos_E, Samuel Mann, David Holt London, WorldIslandInfo.com, dogfrog, Rochelle, just rochelle, christine zenino, idleformat, das_sabrinchen, Tilemahos_E, Dominic's pics, DVS1mn, christine zenino, The McGee, Mr MPD, Dave Hamster, simononly, terencechisholm, Timitrius, -Bert23-, adactio, @davestone, miss_rogue, The James Kendall, alexgoodey, ahisgett, scalleja, Elsie esq., Jean-David & Anne-Laure, GabboT, thepatrick, avlxyz, Timitrius, terryballard, lizzybeans11, Linda Cronin, sisaphus, premus, Ben Sutherland, The McGee, yoppy, jeffwilcox, >littleyiye<, slgckgc, Martin Lopatka, cwasteson, Martin Pettitt, heatheronhertravels, Pam loves pie, francisco_osorio, jeffk, EEPaul, The McGee, WordRidden, Elsie esq., bkabak, Jon's pics, jeffwilcox, Deanster1983, celesteh, garryknight, yoppy, The McGee, GriffinStar7, LaBellaVida, The McGee, seymoursimages, David Holt London, Cap'n Jo, Karen Roe, Whistling in the Dark, oneillsdc5, fesek, Ronnie Macdonald, mikelachance816, net_efekt, Hitesh Shah, Justin and Elise, allisonkpark, ChairWomanMay, marksteelenz, AdrianPatrickArtist, craigemorsels, CircaSassy, DaveBleasdale, UK in Italy, garryknight, Matt McGee, cervus, quinet, conner395, See-ming Lee 李思明 SML, Lauriittaaaa, Moto@Club4AG, s.yume, aimeeorleans, johnwilson1969, Train Chartering & Private Rail Cars, Abigail Silvester, Dave Catchpole, Siebbi, Nina Yasmine, Charlie Phillips, psd, artorusrex, Wonderlane, garryknight, Sarah G..., HerryLawford, Thiago Avancini, premii, TheBusyBrain, The Ancient Brit., crdotx, Ben Sutherland, StartAgain, koiart71, Luigi Crespo Photography, Keith Laverack, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, Jim, the Photographer, seattlegeekly, dnisbet, teddyb, ☺ Lee J Haywood, Charlie Phillips, InSapphoWeTrust, carolynwakefield, Leonard Bentley, Taylor Burnes, SteveR-, Logan Brumm Photography and Design, johanoomen, The Moonstone Archive, sfmission.com, scalleja, David Jones, vagueonthehow, Deanster1983, Ankur's, amandabhslater, Tomi Tapio, LunaMoth116, Erik Charlton, Looking Glass, KJGarbutt, ginnerobot, lilivanili, sankarshan, jans canon, Daniel Kruczynski, The Integer Club, Ronnie Macdonald, Mathematical Association of America, Nina Matthews Photography, Martin Pettitt, Comrade Foot, Upsilon Andromedae, CousinJacob, Bernt Rostad, riptheskull, Visentico / Sento, Gruenemann, NYSartorialist (Michael Cress Photography), ozz314, jimmyharris, bobgo29, jdeeringdavis, loop_oh, asw909, Andy G, dboy, joey.parsons, Mick E. Talbot, Ben Sutherland, LoopZilla, shizhao, SmithGreg, grahamc99, whatleydude, Valerie Everett, UK in France, Adair733, specialoperations, avlxyz, Ben Sutherland, timparkinson, adactio, lorentey, naz66, jamieanne, Ben Sutherland, neiljs, B. W. Townsend, lisby1, London OE, Lana_aka_BADGRL, Ben Sutherland, richard winchell, MoBikeFed, cuatrok77, Matthew Fang, P - A - S - T, plusgood, conner395, The hills are alive (Taking time off....), Comrade Foot, El Bibliomata, stev.ie, ironix, Bernt Rostad, mbevis, Aine D, Dave_B_, psd, roberthuffstutter, GriffinStar7, D H Wright, Bert Kaufmann, jack_spellingbacon, wlcutler, photographerglen, oskarlin, hlkljgk, GriffinStar7, Berenice Decados, tsaiproject, State Records NSW, david_shankbone, Aero Icarus, Ben Sutherland, Charlie Brewer, Rev Stan, .Martin., Steve & Jemma Copley, jeffwilcox, Luz Adriana Villa A., Digiart2001 | jason.kuffer, Miia Ranta, KonradLindenberg, Yogendra174, Idhren, bulliver, deflam, philwirks