John Wisker

     John Wisker (May 30, 1846 - January 18, 1884) was an English player and journalist. In his youih Wisker received little schooling, but by his own efforts educated himself and by the time he was 19 he was contributing articles to the Fortnightly Review. 

     In 1866, he moved to London to report for the City Press and was introduced to London chess circles by Howard Staunton. His play rapidly improved, and by 1870 he was one of the top ten players in the world and in England only Joseph H. Blackburne was better. 

     In 1870 Wisker won the British Championship ahead of Blackburne (the previous title holder) after a play-off against Amos Burn. He repeated as champion in 1872 after a play-off against Cecil De Vere. By winning twice in succession Wisker retained the trophy and the championships ceased until 1904 when William E. Napier won. 

     Wisker played a total of six matches against two contemporaries: Bird in 1873 (+6 -6 =1) and (+4 -7 =3) and 1874 (+10 -8 =3) and (+3 -5 =1) for a total result of +23 -26 =8 MacDonnell in 1873 ( +0 -3 = 1) and 1875 ( +7 -4 =4) for a total; result of +7 -7 =5. 

     He edited chess columns in The Sporting Times and Land and Water, and was co-editor of the Chess Player’s Chronicle from 1872 to 1876. In the either 1875 or 1876 (reports vary), Wisker was diagnosed with consumption (tuberculosis), a disease caused by bacteria that usually attacks the lungs. At the end of the 1800s it was the leading cause of death in the United States. Upon the advice of doctors, Wisker emigrated to Australia hoping to improve his health. 

     In Australia he edited a chess column in the Australasian, a position which he held at the time of his death. 

     In the following game he crushes John Owen (1827-1901), an English vicar, who was one of the best players in the world in the 1860s and from the 1850s to the 1890s was one of England's top players. 

 

[Event "Counties Chess Association"] [Site "Redcar ENG"] [Date "1866.08.06"] [Round "?"] [White "John Wisker"] [Black "John Owen"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C39"] [Annotator "Stockfish 15"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "1866.??.??"] {King's Gambit Accepted} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 {This practically forces 4...g4 which undermines any attempt by black to set up a stable P-chaine with ...h6 and ...Bg7.} g4 5. Ne5 {This, the Kieseritzky Gambit, is considered best. It was popularized by Lionel Kieseritzky in the 1840s and used successfully by Wilhelm Steinitz} (5. Ng5 {This is the Allgaier Gambit which intends to sacrifice the N on f7 and is considered unsound.} h6 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 {and white can play either 7.d4 or 7.Bc4+}) 5... h5 {The main line is 5... Nf6} (5... Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 {White often plays 8.O-O, but it is inferior to 8.d4/ In either case, black is considered to be better.}) 6. Bc4 Rh7 7. d4 d6 8. Nd3 (8. Nxf7 {This is quite playable.} Rxf7 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Bxf4 {and white has a bit of an advantage.}) 8... f3 {Best} (8... Be7 9. Bxf4 Bxh4+ 10. g3 Bg5 11. Nc3 c6 12. Qd2 Bxf4 13. Nxf4 Qg5 14. O-O-O {White went on to win in Zoellner,R (1884)-Albinus,G (2093) Berlin 2006}) 9. gxf3 gxf3 10. Qxf3 Bg4 (10... Nc6 11. Be3 Bg4 12. Qf2 {Now black should play 12...Qf6} Bh6 13. Nc3 Nce7 14. Kd2 c6 15. Raf1 Bxe3+ 16. Qxe3 {White is better. Susnik,M (2224)-Crepan,M (2289) Kranj SLO 1999}) 11. Qf2 c6 {After this white gains the upper hand. Preferable was 11...Nc6} 12. Bg5 Qd7 13. Nc3 {[%mdl 2048]} b5 14. Bb3 a5 15. a3 Nh6 16. Nf4 Na6 17. Rf1 Nc7 18. Kd2 {Rae1 is the strong threat.} Bg7 19. Nd3 Ne6 20. Bxe6 Bxe6 21. Rae1 {Also good was 21.d5} Rc8 {[%mdl 8192] After this black is in serious trouble.} (21... Ng4 {offered tougher resistance.} 22. Qg1 f6 23. Bf4 Bc4) 22. d5 {Decisive.} Bh3 23. e5 cxd5 (23... Bxf1 {loses to} 24. exd6+ Kf8 25. Be7+ Kg8 26. Nc5 Qf5 27. Qxf1 Qxf1 28. Rxf1 cxd5 29. d7) 24. exd6+ Kf8 25. Be7+ {Not the most precise, but good enough.} ( 25. Ne5 Bxe5 26. Rxe5 Qxd6 27. Be7+ {winning easily.}) 25... Kg8 26. Rg1 { The remainder of the game is a mopping up exercise.} Ng4 27. Qf3 Kh8 28. Qxh3 d4 29. Ne4 Qc6 30. Nec5 Bh6+ 31. Kd1 f5 32. Qg2 {Black resigned in this hopelessly lost position. A solid performance by Wisker.} 1-0