Howard Staunton

(1810-1874)

World Chess

Hall of Fame

Inducted 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howard Staunton was a latecomer to chess, only starting to play seriously at the age of 26. Despite this obstacle, he developed into one of the best players of the 1840s and eventually worked to standardize rules of chess across nations. Staunton popularized his ideas in The Chess-Player's Handbook (1847), The Chess-Player's Companion (1849), and Chess Praxis (1860) as well as in the Illustrated London News chess column he authored from 1845 until his death. Staunton also organized the first modern international tournament (London 1851) and wrote a book about its events. The now-standard tournament chess piece design, first produced by Jaques of London and which Staunton helped to popularize, bears his name.

Image courtesy of the John G. White Chess Collection at the Cleveland Public Library

 

Notable Games

Artist unknown
Great Chess Match between Mr. Staunton and M. Horowitz
February 7, 1846
Collection of the Wolrd Chess Hall of Fame
 
After photographs by Signor Aspa and Mr. Russell
Chess Celebrities at the Late Chess Meeting
July 14, 1855
Collection of the Wolrd Chess Hall of Fame