chessgames.com

Staunton 
 
Howard Staunton
Number of games in database: 328
Years covered: 1840 to 1866
Overall record: +199 -83 =40 (68.0%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games
      Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
      6 exhibition games, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 King's Pawn Game (24) 
    C44 C40
 Giuoco Piano (20) 
    C53 C50 C54
 Evans Gambit (15) 
    C51 C52
 Bishop's Opening (11) 
    C23 C24
 King's Gambit Accepted (7) 
    C37 C38
 Ruy Lopez (7) 
    C77 C60 C65
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (42) 
    B20 B21 B40 B32 B33
 King's Pawn Game (26) 
    C44 C20 C40
 Giuoco Piano (24) 
    C53 C50 C54
 Bishop's Opening (13) 
    C23 C24
 Queen's Gambit Declined (11) 
    D30 D35 D37
 French Defense (11) 
    C00 C02 C01
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Staunton vs NN, 1855 1-0
   Cochrane vs Staunton, 1841 0-1
   Staunton vs Horwitz, 1851 1-0
   Saint Amant vs Staunton, 1843 0-1
   Staunton vs Anderssen, 1851 1-0
   Staunton vs Horwitz, 1846 1-0
   NN vs Staunton, 1841 0-1
   Cochrane vs Staunton, 1842 0-1
   Horwitz vs Staunton, 1846 0-1
   Staunton vs Saint Amant, 1843 1/2-1/2

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   WCC Index [Staunton-Saint Amant 1843] by suenteus po 147
   WCC Index [Staunton-Horwitz 1846] by suenteus po 147
   WCC Index [London 1851] by suenteus po 147
   Blunderchecked games I by nimh
   Selected 19th century games by atrifix
   pre-Steinitz Era1:1861 or before by Antiochus
   K-c by classicalwin
   Impact of Genius : 500 years of Grandmaster Ches by takking
   K-k by classicalwin
   joniefidelino's favorite games by joniefidelino

GAMES ANNOTATED BY STAUNTON: [what is this?]
   H Buckle vs H Kennedy, 1851

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Howard Staunton
Search Google® for Howard Staunton


HOWARD STAUNTON
(born 1810, died Jun-22-1874) United Kingdom

[what is this?]
Howard Staunton was born in 1810 in Westmorland, Northern England. Learning the game in 1830 he took it up seriously in 1836 and by 1840 was among the World's best players. In April 1843 after he lost a short but hard fought match to visiting Frenchman Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint Amant (+2, =1, -3) he issued a more formal challenge. This second match which took place in November-December 1843 was convincingly won by Staunton (+11, =4, -6) and broke the 100 year domination by French players. In the 1840's and 50's he did a great deal for chess. He founded and edited 'The Chess Player's Chronicle' (1841-1854), established the first International tournament - London 1851, made efforts to unify the laws of chess, wrote books and sponsored the design by Nathaniel Cook for chess pieces that has since become the standard pattern. The only blotch on this splendid record was the continual postponement of a match with visiting American master Paul Morphy in 1858. He passed away in London in 1874.

 page 1 of 14; games 1-25 of 328  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. Staunton vs Popert 1-039 1840 LondonC23 Bishop's Opening
2. Popert vs Staunton 0-133 1840 LondonB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
3. Staunton vs NN 1-021 1840 ?C52 Evans Gambit
4. Popert vs Staunton 1-038 1840 LondonB33 Sicilian
5. Staunton vs Popert 0-138 1840 LondonC02 French, Advance
6. NN vs Staunton  0-129 1840 LondonC53 Giuoco Piano
7. Staunton vs Popert 0-127 1840 London mC00 French Defense
8. Staunton vs Popert 1-019 1840 LondonC44 King's Pawn Game
9. Popert vs Staunton  ½-½56 1840 London mC45 Scotch Game
10. Cochrane vs Staunton  0-136 1841 London m1C44 King's Pawn Game
11. Zytogorski vs Staunton 0-112 1841 London m (f7 &A40 Queen's Pawn Game
12. Staunton vs Popert 1-025 1841 LondonC53 Giuoco Piano
13. Staunton vs NN 1-038 1841 London simC44 King's Pawn Game
14. Cochrane vs Staunton 0-121 1841 London m1C44 King's Pawn Game
15. Staunton vs Cochrane 1-039 1841 London m1C23 Bishop's Opening
16. Staunton vs Cochrane  1-030 1841 London (England)C51 Evans Gambit
17. NN vs Staunton  0-133 1841 London 5C30 King's Gambit Declined
18. Staunton vs Popert 1-032 1841 LondonC53 Giuoco Piano
19. Cochrane vs Staunton ½-½35 1841 London m1C53 Giuoco Piano
20. Staunton vs NN  1-034 1841 London simC44 King's Pawn Game
21. Cochrane vs Staunton 0-135 1841 London m1C53 Giuoco Piano
22. Staunton vs Cochrane 1-031 1841 London m1C23 Bishop's Opening
23. Zytogorski vs Staunton 1-026 1841 London m (f7 &A40 Queen's Pawn Game
24. Staunton vs Cochrane  1-025 1841 London (England)C51 Evans Gambit
25. NN vs Staunton 0-117 1841 LondonC33 King's Gambit Accepted
 page 1 of 14; games 1-25 of 328  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Staunton wins | Staunton loses  
 

from the House of Staunton

The World's Finest Chess Sets & Boards

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 11 OF 11 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Aug-03-07   elLocoEvans: Not sure if it was posted before, but "The Chess Tournament. A collection of the games played at this assemblage, illustrated by copious diagrams, and notes. critical and explanatory." By H. Staunton, Esq. is already available for download at gbooks! http://www.google.com.mx/books?id=_...
Sep-15-07   Amulet: Is the `English Chess Opening' the idea of this player?
Sep-20-07   FHBradley: <Amulet:> Yes, The English Opening is so-called, because Staunton played it on occasion. His original idea, I believe, was to play the Sicilian with reversed colours. Many of Staunton's ideas were reinvented in the 1920s by Réti (I don't know if Réti knew about Staunton). The moves 1. c4, 2. Nc3, 3. g3, 4. Bg2, 5. e3 plus Nge2 could be called the Staunton system, as in Staunton vs Horwitz, 1851, a more modern example of this strategy would be Botvinnik vs Simagin, 1952, or Taimanov vs Simagin, 1956. The Staunton system can also be played with black pieces, as in the following game by Bobby Fischer: Smyslov vs Fischer, 1970.

Mar-11-08   candide1500: The notion that Staunton was a "master" of closed position is one that i have always found odd. Other than his win over Horwitz (annotated by Keene) I really don't see any other games which substantiate this. This isn't meant to bash mr. staunton...but i'm genuinely curious, has this idea just been repeated so often that people simply accept if at face value??
Mar-11-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <candide1500> Here is one I like:

Staunton vs Bristol, 1841

The games of his match with St. Amant in 1843 are also worth a look. I like this one:

Staunton vs Saint Amant, 1843

See this game and <sneaky pete>'s comment:

Staunton vs Owen / Barnes, 1858

You should also bear in mind that the closed game hardly existed before Staunton, so he was helping create things we take for granted now -- Fischer credited him with the positional use of the fianchetto, although I am not sure Fischer was right. I suspect the Horwitz game was a real revelation to chessplayers in 1851 (though Horwitz really did play badly).

You might also want to pose your question on the Ray Keene page.

Mar-11-08   candide1500: wow thanks for the timely reply <keypusher>

Ur right, considering the time the Bristol game is another fine example. However, its worth noting that his opposition played fairly poorly (again not a knock on staunton...especially considering most of my own "knowledge" of closed positions usually comes from whatever GM's book i just finished reading) Its just seems to me that in an era of ultra-romantics staunton often won just by being more patient. But as you say GM keene is probably most qualified to answer such questions.

Mar-12-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  brankat: Re: Howard Staunton, Here are some contemporary quotes, which, I think, shed additional light on the man:

"The deceased often acted, not only with signal lack of generosity, but also with gross unfairness towards those whom he disliked, or from whom he had suffered defeat, or whom he imagined likely to stand between him and the sun.

His attacks upon Anderssen, Williams, Harrwitz, Lowenthal and Steinitz must ever be considered as a sad misuse of his vigorous intellect, especially as they were often conducted in a manner not at all consistent with a truthful spirit; nor were his innuendos concerning Morphy otherwise than an utterly unworthy means of getting out of an engagement, which he could have either declined with a good grace at first, or afterwards have honorably asked to be released from.

Nevertheless, all said and done, Staunton was, as we have often heard a distinguished enemy of his say, emphatically a MAN. There was nothing weak about him, and he had a backbone that never curved with fear of any one.

Of him may be averred, what was said of the renowned Duke of Bedford by Louis the Eleventh, when the courtiers of the latter were venting their deprecatory scoffs over the tomb of the great Englishman, "There lies one, before whom, if he were still alive, the boldest amongst us would tremble."

– William Norwood Potter

Mar-12-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  brankat: "His only excuse, I think, lay in his great irritability of temper, undoubtedly the result of physical sufferings. The fact is that for many years he had been subject to a disease of the heart; this does not appear to be universally known, but to me it seems the clue to some of his peculiarities and several hitherto unexplained incidents."

– Baron Tassilo von Heyderbrand und der Lasa (on Staunton)

Mar-12-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  brankat: "As an author, Staunton's influence upon Chess play in this country has been immense, and it is no exaggeration to say that his literary labors are the basis upon which English Chess Society, as at present constituted, stands. Had it not been for the educating influence of his many and important Chess works, the practice of the game would have been far from attaining to the high order of excellence by which it is now characterized amongst English Chess players as a body. On the contrary, the prevailing type of play here would, in all probability, be miserably unscientific and barbarous."

– William Norwood Potter

Mar-12-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  brankat: "From his performance in the Birmingham tournament where, after defeating a weak player named Hughes in the first round, Staunton succumbed to Lowenthal in the second, we can justly assume that in 1858 he was so far below his best form that an encounter with Morphy would have been a massacre."

– David Levy

Mar-12-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  brankat: H.Staunton on the proposed match against P.Morphy:

"The experience, however, of some weeks, during which I have labored unceasingly, to the serious injury of my health, shows that not only is it impracticable for me to save time (to play a match), but that by no means short of giving up a great work on which I am engaged, subjecting the publishers to the loss of thousands, and myself to an action for breach of contract, could I obtain time even for the match itself. Such a sacrifice is, of course, out of all question."

– Howard Staunton (on the proposed match with Morphy)

Mar-12-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  brankat: And, finally, Bobby Fischer:

"Staunton was the most profound opening analyst of all time. He was more theorist than player, but nonetheless he was the strongest player of his day.

Playing over his games, I discover that they are completely modern; where Morphy and Steinitz rejected the fianchetto, Staunton embraced it. In addition, he understood all of the positional concepts which modern players hold so dear, and thus - with Steinitz - must be considered the first modern player."

– Bobby Fischer

Apr-12-08   stupidiot21: staunton started chess very late didn't he?
Apr-16-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Karpova: Staunton and Shakespeare:

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/....

Modern reference books don't seem to mention him too often.

Apr-25-08   Cibator: I've often wondered whether the Staunton Gambit (1.d4 f5 2.e4) was actually invented or played by Howard S. It's so at odds with what one thinks of as his highly conservative style.
Apr-25-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Karpova: <Cibator>
Staunton vs Horwitz, 1846
Apr-29-08   Cibator: Thanks <Karpova>.
May-16-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Knight13: Chessmetrics Player Profile: Howard Staunton

Born: 1810-Jan

Died: 1874-Jun

Best World Rank: #1 (76 different months between the May 1843 rating list and the August 1849 rating list )

Highest Rating: 2706 on the November 1846 rating list, #1 in world, age 36y10m

Best Individual Performance: 2751 in Cochrane-Staunton Match (London), 1843, scoring 14/18 (78%) vs 2571-rated opposition

Jun-06-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Karpova: C.N. 5603 is quite a long Chess note on Staunton as a Shakespearan scholar: http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...
Jun-15-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Karpova: Edward Winter's new feature article "Attacks on Howard Staunton":

http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

Excerpts:

<How he, with the commonest perception of what is decent or becoming in society, or with the smallest possible grain of modesty in his composition, can suffer things to be printed in his own magazine that he does, has long been the astonishment of the sober-minded portion of the chess world.’> From: "A Review of “The Chess Tournament,” by H. Staunton, Esq." by ‘A member of the London Chess Club’ (London, 1852), page 19

Wilhelm Steinitz: <‘… judging from the effect which the first shots from these journalistic batteries had on myself, I have always suspected, that Morphy’s subsequent apathy and hatred for chess, which was, I believe, not alone the first symptom but also the cause of decay of his powerful genius, must have originated from the treatment which he received from that Mr Staunton …’> From: "International Chess Magazine", July 1888, pages 210-213

Aug-06-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  ray keene: the staunton memorial starts tomorrow-games will appear the day after play on the website www.howardstaunton.com players include adams short timman speelman wade van wely sokolov-DR ERIC SCHILLER IS THE ARBITER
Aug-06-08   Voltaic: that's good news, Mr. Keene, and a great line-up. i'll root for Speelman and Short in this tournament.
Aug-11-08   jaydes: About the Staunton memorial, there was this drawing of lots in a rather unconventional manner to say the least - driving toy cars through an image of Kasparov. I suppose there's a joke somewhere, but I don't get it.
Sep-22-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Karpova: C.N. 5769 - The first Ladies' Chess Club

Howard Staunton in "Illustrated London News":

<

“‘Margaret J.’, Kensington. – The establishment of a Ladies’ Chess Club, is, indeed, an event in the history of the game, and one of the most pleasing evidences of the progress this fine intellectual discipline is making in society. Let us hope the example set by the ladies in Kensington will be followed by our countrywomen in other directions. The game played between Miss E. and Miss M. is excellent in style, and calculated to afford a very high notion of the capabilities of the fair combatants. Can it be possible they have attained such knowledge of the game in three months’ practice only?” (27 November 1847, page 346.)

“‘R.T.C.’–‘V.’–‘Amazon’. – The Ladies’ Chess Club, to which we alluded in our last, is established at Kennington, not Kensington; and is to be called ‘The Penelope Club’. We presume it will be composed exclusively of female members; but, possibly, as an incentive to excellence, an exception to this rule will be admitted in the case of the leading player of the time, who might without impropriety be entitled to the privileges of an ‘Honorary Member’.” (4 December 1847, page 371.)>

Apparently, the game he refers to in the first part was given on pages 63-64 of "A Chess Omnibus" (C.N. 2447) - it's a game between "Miss C." and "Miss M.".

Source: http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

Does anyone have access to the source I gave for the game and could submit it?

Sep-22-08   GrahamClayton: Was Staunton the first chess player to endorse a chess product by adding his name to the pieces designed by Nathaniel Cook?
Jump directly to page #   (enter number from 1 to 11)
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 11 OF 11 ·  Later Kibitzing >
NOTE: You need to pick a username and password to post a reply. Getting your account takes less than a minute, totally anonymous, and 100% free--plus, it entitles you to features otherwise unavailable. Pick your username now and join the chessgames community!
If you already have an account, you should login now.
Please observe our posting guidelines:
  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, or duplicating posts.
  3. No personal attacks against other users.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
Blow the Whistle See something which violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform an administrator.


NOTE: Keep all discussion on the topic of this page. This forum is for this specific player and nothing else. If you want to discuss chess in general, or this site, you might try the Kibitzer's Café.
Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us keep the database squeaky clean!


home | about | login | logout | F.A.Q. | your profile | preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | new kibitzing | chessforums | new games | Player Directory | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Little ChessPartner | privacy notice | contact us
Copyright 2001-2008, Chessgames.com
Web design & database development by 20/20 Technologies