Celso Golmayo

 

Golmayo

`Celso Golmayo y Zúpide (April 24,1820 - April 1, 1898) was a Spanish born Cu;am player and was the first Cuban player to participate in European tournaments. 

    He was the de facto Cuban champion since his 1862 match defeat of Felix Sicre (1817-1871) who became the first Cuban champion in 1860 and lost the title yo Golmayo in 1862. Sicre lost all games to Paul Morphy, during his two visits in Havana in October 1862 and February 1864. 

    Golmayo participated in the infamous Paris 1867 tournament where he tied for 7th-8th. In matches, he defeated Paul Morphy 3-2 in Havana 1864...Morphy was playing blindfolded gave odds of a Knight. 

    He lost matches to Gustav Neumann (0-3 in Paris in 1867), twice to Wilhelm Steinitz (2-9 in1883 and 0-5 in 1888). 

    In 1887 he defeated Andrés Clemente Vázquez 7-0 and again in 1890 by a score of 7-4. He lost three matches George Mackenzie (3-6 and 0.5-5.5, both in 1887 and 4.5-7.5 in 1888). 

    He lost to J.H. Blackburne (4-6 in 1891 and to Emanuel Lasker (0.5-2.5 in 1893). All these too place in Havana. 

    He is also known as Capablanca’s teacher and his two sons, Celso Golmayo y de la Torriente and Manuel Golmayo y de la Torriente were Spanish Masters.

    Golmayo’s opponent in the following game was Eugen Rousseau (1805-1877), who was born in Saint Denis, France and died in Paris. Rousseau came to the United States in 1841, settling in New Orleans. 

    He played a match against Charles H. Stanley at the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans for a stake of $1,000, winner-take-all. It was the first organized chess event in the United States and the first chess event held for the purpose of recognizing the best player in the Unites States. 

    The term US Champion did not exist at the time and the match was to be won by the first to win 15 games, draws not counting. There was no time. Rousseau lost the match (+8-15=8). Eight year old Paul Morphy attended the match and as a result he became interested in chess. 

    The tournament in Paris in 1867 was held during the World Fair. Thirteen participants played in a double round-robin tournament. Draws did not count and the time control was ten moves an hour. There were no rounds and players simply agreed to play each other when it was convenient, alternating colors. 

    Golmayo's opponent was Martin From (1828-1895) of Denmark. He is most famous for the From’s Gambit (1.f4 e5) which he first played in 1852. 

    From was an inspector of the penitentiary of Christianshavn, Denmark. He was born at Nakskov in SW Denmark and was saod to have been gifted with a rare intelligence and he made rapid progress in his studies. However, his strongly independent nature resulted in a dispute with his teachers,\ and he left school without passing his University exams. 

    Soon after, of the out break of a war with Germany for the possession of Schleswig, the northernmost state in Germany, he entered the army as a volunteer and saw action in combat. 

From

    At the end of the war he settled at Copenhagen, where he was employed in the Statistical Bureau and eventuall he was emplyed in prison management. From the year 1890 he was inspector of the penitentiary of Christianshavn. 

 While in the Statistical Office From made the acquaintance with the strongest chess player of Copenhagen who taught him the game. It was soon apparent that From possessed considerable talent. 

    Both players have estimated rating by Chess metrics. Golmayos’ highest rating is estimated to have been 2612 in 1894 ranking him #26 in the world. From’s highest ever rating 2427 un 1870 ranking him #18 in the world. 

[Event "Paris"] [Site ""] [Date "1867.06.09"] [Round "?"] [White "Celso Golmayo"] [Black "Martin From"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C45"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "1867.06.04"] {C45: Scotch Game} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 {[%cal Bg1f3,Bf3d4,Bd4b5,Bb5c7,Bc7a8][%mdl 32]} Nc6 3. d4 {This ancient opening dates back to the mid-1700s. By 1900 it had lost favour among top players because it was thought to release the central tension too early and allow Black to equalise without difficulty.} exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 {Normal are either 4...Bc5 or 4...Nf6. The eare text move has a surprising success rate! It was an idea of Steinitz. It wins a P but at the cost of allowing white a lead in development and attacking chances.} 5. Nb5 Qxe4+ 6. Be2 {[%mdl 32] Trading Qs with 6.Qe2 would be in black's favor. White must play aggressively. Black is already facing a question...how to best continue in view of the threat Nxc7+} Qe5 {This is also a poor move.} (6... Qxg2 7. Nxc7+ Kd8 8. Bf3 Qh3 9. Nxa8 {is obviously unsatisfactory.}) (6... Kd8 7. N1c3 Bb4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. Nxc3 Qd4 10. Bd3 Nf6 11. Bg5 {White is better. Vyskocil,N (2318)-Paldus,P (2077) Liberec CZE 2005}) (6... Bb4+ {keeps the damage to a minimum.} 7. N1c3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 {White must accept the doubled Ps or accept equality after 8.Nxc3 Qxg2 which is now safe to play.} (8. Nxc3 Qxg2 9. Qd5 (9. Bf3 Qg6) 9... Qxd5 10. Nxd5 Kd8 11. Rg1 g6 12. b3 h6 13. Bb2 Rh7 14. O-O-O d6 15. c4 {An interesting position. Black has a two P advantage, but he is badly cramped. The chances are about even. In Shootouts white scored +1 -0 =4})) 7. f4 Qe4 (7... Bb4+ $16 8. c3 Qc5 9. Nxc7+ Kd8 10. Nxa8 b6 11. cxb4 Qxb4+ 12. Bd2 Qxb2 13. Bc3 {Black resigned. Kaula,I-Van Steenwinckel,I Szeged 1994}) 8. Nxc7+ Kd8 9. Nxa8 {Curously the N remains here for the rest of the game as black has no time to capture it.} Qxg2 (9... b6 10. Nc3 Qxg2 11. Bf3 Qg6 12. Be3 Bb7 13. Nxb6 axb6 14. Bxb6+ {Blacm is the exchange and a P down.}) 10. Bf3 Qg6 11. Be3 Qe6 12. Qe2 Nf6 13. a3 Bd6 14. Bxc6 {Completing his development with 14. Nc3 was also good.} Re8 (14... bxc6 15. Bxa7 Qxe2+ 16. Kxe2 Ba6+ 17. Kd1 Bxf4 18. Bb6+ {and black is a R down.}) 15. Bf3 Qxe3 16. Qxe3 Rxe3+ 17. Kf2 Bc5 (17... Bxf4 {was worth a try.} 18. Nc3 Re5 19. Rhd1 Rf5 20. Nd5 Be5 21. Kg2 Rg5+ 22. Kh1 Rf5 23. Nxf6 Rxf6 24. Rd3 {Black simply does not have enough compensation for his material deficit, but who knows?}) 18. Kg2 d5 19. h3 Bf5 20. Nc3 {Getting his pieces into play is more important than the P. Golmayo finishe off his opponent in a very efficient mnner.} Bxc2 21. Rac1 Be4 22. Nxe4 dxe4 23. Rhd1+ Ke7 24. Rxc5 {Black resigned. Playing on is futile.} ( 24. Rxc5 exf3+ 25. Kf2 Ne4+ 26. Kxe3 Nxc5 27. Nc7 {Finally! White is a clear R ahead.}) 1-0