Nobody had challenged Morphy in his lifetime, but after Morphy died, the first and probably best successor was Scottish-born George H. Mackenzie (1837-1891), a rough-and-tumble chess professional who made a living playing chess.
Mackenzie, like Morphy, was one of the most popular players of his day. He was born near Aberdeen in 1837, the same year as Morphy, into what was described as a "high class" family. When he turned 19 he joined the Queen's Army and began a lifelong fascination with combat. After five years, much of it in India, Mackenzie resigned his commission as lieutenant and turned to chess in London.
While Morphy hid himself in Europe during the Civil War, at the age of 26 in 1863 Mackenzie came to the United States serve in the Federal Army as a private. By the end of the war, he was a captain in charge of a unit of Northern blacks, he retired with numerous war wounds and a heart condition. After the war he embarked on a chess career.
In Britain Mackenzie had been considered one of the most talented young players, first earning a reputation in Irish clubs and later in London where he won the first tournament he entered; it was a handicap event in 1862 in which he defeated Adolf Anderssen, in the final round, having received odds of pawn and move. Shortly before leaving Europe Mackenzie defeated one of the strongest British amateurs, Reverend G.A. MacDonnell, in a match +6 -3 =2.
After arriving in the U.S. he discovered that he was considered just about the best player in the country. In fact, he won the Second, Third and Fifth American Chess Congresses. He did not play in the Fourth Congress, which was won by James Mason, an Irishman who professed no interest in becoming a U.S. citizen. Thus, at the time Mason was never considered the American champion. During this era there was little question of Mackenzie's primacy and in 1891 Steinitz's International Chess Magazine stated Mackenzie "won the chief prize in every tournament he entered in America." He won eight New York events, three national congresses and four matches (Gustavus Reichhelm - twice, Max Judd, Solomon Lipschutz and D.M. Martinez).
The Second Congress began in Cleveland, Ohio in December 1871 and was double-round-robin event. It only drew nine players, possibly because it was so soon after the Civil War and the fact that first prize was only $100, a paltry sum even in those days. That equates to about $1,900 today.
In 1871 a good work horse cost $150 and a good saddle horse $200. A saddle was $60. Oddly, the cost for a good horse and saddle were more than a two seat road wagon (carriage) which cost $28.50 (canopy top with rubber side and back curtains, $8 extra). Beef rump steak was 29 cents a pound and milk was 8 cents a quart. You could buy a 32 foot by 40 foot house with four rooms for about $700.
The fact that it was held in December probably didn't help either. It gets cold in Cleveland in December although according to weather records, early December was actually quite decent, the temperatures mostly being in the mid-30s.
Mackenzie, then living in New York, finished a full two points ahead of the obscure Henry Hosmer and four points ahead of Max Judd, who eventually became the U.S. consul in Vienna.
The other players:
Preston Ware. He is best known for advocating and playing unusual openings and achieved some infamy when he came forward at the end of the 5th American Chess Congress in 1880 to claim that James Grundy had reneged on an agreement to play for a draw in the last round. The charges could not be proven to the committee's satisfaction and no action was taken at the time. Page 89 of the Chess Players Chronicle gives all the sordid details HERE.
Frederick H Elder. Only two important tournaments in which Elder played are known: Cleveland 1871 and Chicago 1874.
Henry Hosmer. Likewise, only two important tournaments in which Hosmer played are known: Cleveland 1871 and Chicago 1874. He was considered on of the strongest player outside of the New York area and he once won a casual 3-game match against Max Judd.
Max Judd. He was born in Cracow and moved to the U.S. at the age of 11 and lived in various areas of the midwest before settling in St. Louis. Later in life he became a successful businessman and served for a time as Consul General to Austria. He was also a chess patron, contributing to and helping organize various events. He won matches against Albert Hodges and Jackson W. Showalter and lost matches to Mackenzie, Showalter and Harry Nelson Pillsbury.
Harsen Smith. He was from New York and settled as an attorney in Michigan in the 1860's. He played two matches against Judd in 1870 while Judd lived in Michigan, drawing one and losing the other.
Henry Harding. Cleveland 1871 is the only known important tournament for Harding. He was from East Saginaw, Michigan.
A. Johnston. Cleveland 1871 is the only known important tournament for Johnston, who was listed as being from Cincinnati, Ohio
William Haughton. Almost nothing is known about him sxcept that he was from Chicago. There is even some discrepancy over the spelling of his name, with Houghton used in the crosstable and in the list of competitors while Haughton was used in all the game scores in the tournament book.
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