Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1901

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February 1901

Group Photo, Chess Tournament (Turniej szachowy w Monte Carlo) in Monte Carlo, February 1901. Published in the weekly Polish periodical, Sport. Left to Right: Georg Marco, Leopold Hoffer, Lucien Didier, Szymon Winawer, Joseph Henry Blackburne, Frank Marshall, Arturo Reggio, Semion Alapin, James Mason, Jacques Mieses, A. de Riviere, (judge-commissioner/sedzia-komisarz), Mikhail Chigorin.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1899

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May 30 1899

London (1899)
London, England; 30 May 1899—10 July 1899
Participants: Emanuel Lasker, David Janowski, Harry Nelson Pillsbury, Geza Maroczy, Carl Schlechter, Joseph Henry Blackburne, Mikhail Chigorin, Jackson Whipps Showalter, James Mason, Wilhelm Cohn, Wilhelm Steinitz, Francis Joseph Lee, Henry Bird, Samuel Tinsley, Richard Teichmann

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London Chess Tournament, 1899

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Edward Lasker, Mikhail Chigorin and Joseph Henry Blackburne from N.I. Grekov's 1952 monograph in Russian on Chigorin.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1971

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September 26 1971

El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas, Sunday, September 26, 1971

ENGLAND'S BEST
Joseph Henry Blackburne was definitely the strongest player England has ever produced. His successes earned him the nickname of “The Black Death.”
Born in Manchester in 1841, Blackburne learned to play chess when he was 19. By the time he was 26, he had decided to give up his business career and become a chess professional. He was admitted to the London International Tournament in 1872 and went on to play 53 major International events before his death in 1924. I met him when I participated in the London International, 1922. Blackburne was an honored guest then.
Here is a game from the Manchester Chess Club championship that he won in 1863.

Alexander Steinkuehler vs Joseph Henry Blackburne
Manchester (1863), Manchester ENG
Italian Game: Classical Variation. Greco Gambit Traditional Line (C54) 0-1

Blackburne's strength lay in attacking and end game play and he won many brilliancy prizes.
Here is a game from the Scotland International of 1867.

Gustav Neumann vs Joseph Henry Blackburne
Casual game (1867), Dundee SCO, Sep-??
King's Gambit: Accepted. Traditional Variation (C38) 0-1

a) With two pieces down, Blackburne offers a third. If 23. KxR, Q-R5ch; 24. K-N1, N-K7 mate. Thirty years later, Blackburne said: “I remember the game with Neumann very well. He had been beaming at the spectators after he had grabbed my pieces, but you should have seen his face when I made my 22nd move.”

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, Portraits

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Joseph Henry Blackburn, English chess champion, won first prize at the Berlin chess tournament.

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Joseph Henry Blackburn

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Joseph Henry Blackburn

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Joseph Henry Blackburn, Chess Champion, Early Years

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Joseph Henry Blackburn

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Depiction of Joseph Henry Blackburn by Frederick Orrett (1858-1939).

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Frontispiece of Ajedrez Contemporaneo by Andres Clemente Vazquez. Mr. Blackburne, En La Habana y El Cable-Match. Steinitz-Tchigorin, 1891.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne

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Joseph Henry Blackburne

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1896

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1896

Circa 1896, Joseph Henry Blackburne, renown chess player who toured throughout the European continent and America. Famous for his ability to make between 40 to 60 moves when blindfolded by sheer memory. Original b/w photo by Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/Sedgwick. For fair use, all credits must be kept intact. Color photo version created by the developer (me, yours truly) of https://best-in-chess.blogspot.com/p/joseph-henry-blackburne.html

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July 20 1896

Nuremberg (1896)
Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany; July 20 1896—August 10, 1896

Emanuel Lasker, Geza Maroczy, Harry Nelson Pillsbury, Siegbert Tarrasch, David Janowski, Wilhelm Steinitz, Carl Schlechter, Karl Walbrodt, Emmanuel Schiffers, Mikhail Chigorin, Joseph Henry Blackburne, Rezso Charousek, Georg Marco, Adolf Albin, Simon Winawer, Moritz Porges, Jackson Whipps Showalter, Emil Schallopp, Richard Teichmann

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1896 Nuremberg Chess Tournament, Group photo.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1872

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September 28 1872

The Bayonne Herald and Greenville Register, Bayonne, New Jersey, Saturday, September 28, 1872

Lady Players.—Among the antagonists at Mr. Blackburne's blindfold feat at the Crystal Palace were two lady players, Mrs. Down and Shedlock. Miss Thorold, daughter of E. Thorold, Esq., the distinguished winner of the first prize in the B. C. A.'s recent Handicap Tourney is a player of much force and spirit. The prowess of Mrs. Lellman, sister of Louis and Wilfried Paulsen, is well known. Herr Loewenthal had several lady antagonists among his twenty-five, simultaneously encountered. It need never be reiterated that ladies can not play chess; for from the days of Dilaram and Abbasiya until now, proof to the contrary has never been wanting.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1924

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September 01 1924

Joseph Henry Blackburne, Chess Champion, Grave Marker

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September 04 1924

Evening Despatch, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, Thursday, September 04, 1924

A Great Chess Master.
Some Reminiscences of J. H. Blackburne
By One Who Knew Him.
The passing of Joseph Henry Blackburne will be widely regretted, and will be noted as the closing of a historical period in the development of the most ancient mental game known to us.
Born in Manchester in 1841, he began with draughts, was attracted by the marvels of Morphy in the chess world, and especially with Morphy's blindfold play in Birmingham in August, 1858, a report of which he saw in the “Birmingham Gazette,” and having made a short study of chess moves and openings, discovered such surprising genius that in a few months he beat a Russian known as Pindar, who was reckoned the provincial champion of England.
At 20, that is to say 63 years ago, he became champion of the Manchester Club, and in 1862 played 10 concurrent games blindfold, winning five, drawing three, and losing two—a feat far surpassing anything of the kind ever before accomplished by an Englishman.

Birmingham Reminiscences.
For more than 50 years Blackburne came annually to Birmingham, usually playing eight blindfold games, always with great success, though the strongest players of the Birmingham Club were pitted against him, and also giving an evening to concurrent over-the-board play, generally engaging as many opponents as time would allow, invariably winning a large majority, and always arousing admiration by his brilliant surprises.
“How many concurrents would you care to play?” the writer once asked.
“What I would like,” he replied, “would be a few thousand players arranged in eight rows from the Town Hall to the Bull Ring, and to go round them on a bicycle.”
He was full of fun.
As a tourney player against the great masters of all countries Blackburne was less successful than his brilliant genius promised. he was no student, and the analytical, scholarly modern school wore him down.
He was second at Vienna in 1873, tieing with Steinitz, who won in the play-off; and was first at Berlin in 1881, followed by Zukertort, Tchigorin and Winawer; a splendid achievement with three games to spare.

As A Match Player.
As a match player he was moderately successful. Bird, Gunsberg, Golmayo, Vasquez and Lee were beaten; so was Zukertort, a more serious opponent. Three matches with Steinitz, 20 games in all, showed Steinitz 19, Blackburne one, and no draws; while in match with Lasker in 1892. Blackburne in three weeks' play, won no game, though he drew several, such was the result of the meeting of genius alone with the deeply-learned and persistently studious German school.
Blackburne played all over Europe, in America, Africa, and, as he used to say, “in the fifth quarter of the world, Australia.”

Greatest English Exponent.
On our last meeting he spoke of a German aeroplane bomb that exploded over his house, sending a shower of shrapnel down the chimney. He said “It was revenge for the drubbing I gave their champions at Berlin in 1873, when they called me the Black Death.”
Blackburne will be remembered as the great of all English chess players up to the present time. A selection of 400 of his games published in 1899 will continue to delight the chess players the world over as long as chess is played.

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September 13 1924

Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, Saturday, September 13, 1924

BLACKBURNE.
Joseph Henry Blackburne was born in Manchester on December 10, 1842. He was employed in a Manchester business as a lad, and, interested in the reports of Morphy's performances in England, he bought a second-hand chess handbook for 2d., and from it learnt the rudiments of the game with which his name was destined to be associated for centuries to come. But he never saw Morphy—who by the way, if still living would be but five years older than the age reached by Blackburne. The future British Champion joined the Manchester Chess Club in 1860, and won its championship within a year, apparently in a single match with the previous holder, a player named Pindar. In the following year he again won the championship as the result of a tourney, in which a then famous player, Horwitz—who had lost a match with Morphy—was second. And of course young Blackburne played in matches between Manchester and Liverpool, etc. He took part in the London international tourney of 1862, and though he did not win a prize he won his game with Steinitz—who was soon to be the world champion, remaining so for nearly thirty years. We do not know just when Blackburne became a professional chess player, but think it was in or soon after 1862. In that year he gave an exhibition of “blindfold” chess, ten games simultaneously, winning five, drawing three, losing two. During the fifty years following he played hundreds of blindfold games, and some thousands of ordinary “simultaneous”—a share of them with Cheltenham players. He took part in many international tournaments. and besides minor prizes he won five “firsts.” But he never wrested the world-championship from Steinitz, and was too old to try again after Steinitz lost it to Lasker.
Blackburne had been nearly all over the world, or the European-game part of it. He once, at least, beat Lasker in a tourney game—1899.
Though never “world-champion,” he was a stronger player than Staunton, who was considered world-champion for a few years, through his beating St. Amant, the French champion. In fact Blackburne was the strongest chessplayer, and also the best at “blindfold,” ever produced by the British race or by any part of the British Empire.
Here is one of his finest games, played v. Schwarz (who had Black) in the 1881 international at Berlin.

Joseph Henry Blackburne vs Jacques Schwarz
2nd DSB Congress, Berlin (1881), Berlin GER, rd 16, Sep-16
French Defense: Exchange Variation (C01) 1-0

(a)—B-Q3 is usual now.
(b)—The N on B3.
(c)—Schwartz proposed a draw at this point, but Blackburne, though secure of the first prize, declined.
(d)—If PxB, Black draws by perpetual check.
(e)—This game affords an excellent example of Blackburne's grand power of Chess conception. —Bird, “Modern Chess”

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September 14 1924

The Standard Union, Brooklyn, New York, Sunday, September 14, 1924

Joseph Henry Blackburne.
The cable announces the death in London of Joseph Henry Blackburne, greatest native British chess master since the days of Howard Staunton. He was born in Manchester in 1842 and at the age of 20 took first prize in the handicap tournament held in connection with the Second London International Chess Congress in '62, receiving the odds of pawn and move from the big matadors. A few years afterward he beat Steinitz for the City of London Chess Championship; in the Vienna tournament of 1873 he tied for first and second prizes with Steinitz, being beaten in the play-off, and in Berlin in 1881 he carried off first honors.
For the next thirty years he was a regular prize winner in all national or international events he participated in, and he rarely missed a competition. For the last twenty years he devoted himself chiefly to simultaneous and blindfold performances.
From the very outset he displayed remarkable faculties for blindfold playing and it was he who first established a record of sixteen simultaneous games without sight of board or men.
Blackburne was a brilliant player when offered the opportunity. “A little bit of Morphy” was his comment on what others called “a Blackburne gem.” His greatest strength, however, laid in his faultless conduct of end games. All told, he was a most resourceful player, a die-hard.

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October 13 1924

The Age, Melbourne, Victoria, Victoria, Australia, Monday, October 13, 1924

Chess.
Death of Blackburne.
The death is announced of Joseph Henry Blackburne, the “Grand Old Man” of British chess, who died on 1st September in his 83rd year. There have been many very strong British chess players, but as a real chess genius Blackburne stood unique. He was essentially a combinative player and viewed with dislike the modern school. He preferred always, to use his own words, “a little bit of Morphy” to the surer methods of the “accumulation of small advantages” of the modern school.
Blackburne's record in international tournaments was very fine. He was first prize winner at Wiesbaden, 1880; Berlin, 1881; Hereford, 1885, and London, 1886. He also carried off the second prize on seven occasions. On the few occasions when he did not figure in the prize list he generally made the best score against the prize winners. The respect the German players had for his prowess is shown by the name they gave him—“der schwarz Tod” (the Black Death).
His skill as a blindfold player was unique. Although his record (16) for the number of blindfold games played at a sitting has been surpassed by later experts, yet it is very doubtful whether the quality of his blindfold play has ever been equalled.
Mr. Blackburne was the first international chess master to visit Australia, which he did over 30 years ago. During his tour he gave exhibitions of simultaneous play, blindfold and otherwise. He had a most successful tour and made himself very popular with the chess public.
A great player and a fine sportsman, his death will be regretted by chess players all over the world.

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November 23 1924

The Pittsburgh Post, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Sunday, November 23, 1924

Joseph Henry Blackburne.
Early in September Joseph Henry Blackburne, one of the grandmasters of the past and known as England's “grand old man” of chesa, passed away in his 82d year leaving a vacancy that cannot be filled.
The deceased veteran was a product of the romantic school and as such made the ideal tournament player. The furore over Morphy in England started him on his way and in time he became one of the most dreaded opponents in the international arena. He visited this country in 1889, when he participated in the Sixth American Chess Congress, winning the fourth prize in field of 20 which contested a double-round tournament.
Blackburne is seen at his best in the following game which was won by him in the Ostend tournament:

Dr. Julius Perlis vs Joseph Henry Blackburne
Ostend-B (1907), Ostend BEL, rd 22, Jun-14
Danish Gambit: Declined. Sorensen Defense (C21) 0-1

(a) It would not do to play 7. N-B3, on account of 7.…BxN; 8. NxQ BxQ; 9. NxPch (if 9. KxB, black castles winning a pawn), K-Q; 10. NxR, B-N5, etc.
(b) Black was threatening BxN, followed by QxPch.
(c) This is Blackburne at his best. The move initiates a deep combination, which eventually leads to a win for Black.
(d) Delay in capturing would not improve the outlook for white to any extent, except that he might first deploy his bishop at K3.
(e) Threatening mate in two moves by means of Q-R8ch, followed by N-R7mate.
(f) Not 16. NxR, on account of NxN, leaving white without a loophole for escape at K2.
(g) Holding the N firmly at K5. White is now two pieces ahead, but must surrender one of them at once.
(h) Clearly, he cannot play P-B4, for again checkmate would follow in two moves.
(i) Slightly better would have been K-Q2. After 22. … RxB; 23. NxR, QxN, black would have three pawns in return for the “exchange,” which would likewise win for him.
(j) Evidently white had been under the hallucination that this move might save the piece, but he is promptly shown his mistake.
(k) Neat play, for white cannot play RxP, on account of N-B5ch, etc.
(l) If 32. NxP, RxN; 33. RxR N-B5ch, with a piece to the good.
(m) Right into the jaws of death. He reckons without his host, as will be seen presently.
(n) For if 35. RxR, P-B7; 36. R-B7, N-B3.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1898

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January 01 1898

Telephone Match—City of London C. C. v. Yorkshire C.A., City Club Team.
Mr. Tietjen, Mr. Hoffer (Umpire), Mr. Cole, Mr. Physick, Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Russell (Hon. Sec.), Mr. Ward, Dr. Smith, Mr. Kaizer, Mr. Trenchard, Mr. Blackburne (Referee)

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The Nottinghamshire Guardian, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, Saturday, January 01, 1898

CHESS NOTES.
MATCH BY TELEPHONE.
A match on eight boards, by telephone, was played between the City of London Chess Club and the Yorkshire County Chess Club on Saturday. The place of play in London was at 19 Nicholas-lane, E.C, while the Yorkshiremen were located at the Grand Cafe, Boar-lane, Leeds. The “Daily News” says that only a single wire machine was placed in each room, but it sufficed for all practical purposes particularly as owing to the comparative quiet prevailing in the City on Saturday afternoons, and partly owing to the heaviness of the fog-charged atmosphere, there was almost an enure absence of the usual vibrating noises, and the communication over the intervening distance of over 180 miles between the two rooms was as perfect as could be wished. One incident testifying to this caused much amusement. Some of the usual Saturday night revellers were passing by in the street vigorously playing their concertinas. Instantantly the Leeds people sent a message: “Will you please stop that band?” In the same manner remarks addressed to persons in the room were sometimes partly heard at Leeds.
Proceedings began at three o'clock by tossing for the move. “Call to us,” said London. “Heads,” replied Leeds. But tails it was. “Are you sure?” queried Leeds. “Yes,” replied London, “your umpire was watching.” London, therefore, got the move on board No. 1 and odd numbers, whereas Yorkshire had the move on the even numbered boards. The-players and the results of their games were as follows:—

CITY OF LONDON                      YORKSHIRE C.C.
Dr. S. F. Smith ......... ½         J. Rayner (Leeds) ........... ½
Herbert Jacobs .......... ½         W. Atkinson (Hull) .......... ½
T. Physick .............. 1         J. E. Hall (Bradford)........ 0
H. W. Trenchard ......... ½         F. P. Wildman (Leeds) ....... ½
H. H. Cole .............. 1         F. R. Clifford (Huddersfeld). 0
W. Ward ................. 1         H. Gray (Hull) .............. 0
M. Kaizer ............... ½         J. A. Woollard (Bradford).... ½
A. E. Tietjen ........... ½         S. Ward, jun. (Dewsbury)..... ½
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                          5½                                     2½

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1998

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July 10 1998

Stirling Observer, Stirling, Central Region, Scotland, Friday, July 10, 1998

Set by Stirling Chess Club's George A. Clarke
THIS week's teaser is from a game played in Brighton in 1882 between Blackburne and Smith. In the Stirling Chess Club archives there is a letter from Blackburne dated October 1, 1904. Joseph Henry Blackburne was a distinguished blindfold player, a skill requiring a phenomenal memory and total concentration when you consider there are 318,979,654,000 ways to play the first four moves in a game of chess! Your task is simpler. White to mate in two.

Joseph Henry Blackburne vs Arthur Smith
Simul, 20b (1882) (exhibition), Brighton ENG, Apr-22
Italian Game: Evans Gambit. Morphy Attack (C51) 1-0

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1871

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November 21 1871

Birmingham Daily Post, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, Tuesday, November 21, 1871

BLINDFOLD CHESS.
To the Editor of the Daily Post.
Sir,—In your notice of the Blindfold Chess, played by Mr. Blackburne, at the Great Western Hotel, on Thursday last, contained in your paper of yesterday, you mention that in his game with No. 10, “Mr. Blackburne, after losing a piece, announces mate in six moves, and in six moves the mate was accomplished.”
Without in any way attempting to detract from the glory of Mr. Blackburne's wonderful achievement, but in justice to myself, will you allow me to add that the move at No. 10, just previous to this announcement, was a clear and palpable slip, and but for this slip, Mr. Blackburne-as he himself said—could not have done more than draw the game. In conclusion, I must testify, as one of the players, to the grand skill and marvelous memory of Mr. Blackburne, and to his uniformly courteous and gentlemanly manner to his opponents.
I am, sir, yours faithfully,
Tuesday, November 21, 1871. No. 10.

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November 22 1871

Western Daily Press, Bristol, Avon, England, Wednesday, November 22, 1871

Chess Tournament.—This day the Celebrated Player, Mr. Blackburen, will play Consulation and Tournament Games, at the Athenæum Chess Club, commencing at 6.30. Admission, 1s.

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November 25 1871

The Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, Saturday, November 25, 1871

Blindfold Chess.—In Birmingham, last week, a man who may almost be set down among the wonders of creation, showed his extraordinary gift of chess-playing at a public seance, and it was looked upon as so great a success that some two or three score of spectators—perhaps all chess-players themselves—were attracted to the exhibition. This gentleman was Mr. Blackburne, a chessplayer who is not only a perfect master of the deepest mysteries of the art, but who possesses the marvelous faculty of being able to conduct ten games at once against strong opponents, at a sitting extending over as many hours as there are games, without seeing either of the boards.
Let the reader consider what an amazing strength of memory and power of combination must be here displayed. On each of the ten boards there are thirty-two pieces, ranging over sixty-four squares, with positions constantly changing, and the relations between them continually becoming more intricate, complex, and puzzling. Mr. Blackburne must, therefore have carried in his mind, during the whole of the ten hours, the movement of three hundred and twenty pieces, on six hundred and forty squares, and must have kept his attention unrelaxed all that time on the ten different set of movements which were going on.
If the games lasted on an average to thirty moves on each side, he would have had to remember six hundred moves and never to have lost mental sight of a single move all the while. Anyone one who can realise what this signifies must be satisfied that scarcely any similar example can be found, out of the field of chess-playing, of tenacious memory, and faculty of following and directing a long succession of complicated movements.
The most astonishing feature of Mr. Blackburne's blindfold play is the ease with which his stupendous work is performed. At Birmingham last week he adjourned to the coffee-room of the Great Western Hotel to tea with the rest of the party in the middle of the play, and chatted away as if he had nothing particular “on his mind.” Anyone might suppose that such a diversion would either put all the games out of his head or would cause them to become confused with one another. But no such effect ensued. He returned to the play with the games as much at his fingers' ends as each of them was with the player who sat down at his own board with the pieces all under his eyes. He also conducted the play without the least appearance of effort, not withstanding the mental exertion that he must have made. When all the games except two were concluded, and the time was half an hour after midnight, he walked about the room—though carefully abstaining from looking at the boards—and cracked jokes as he announced the moves by which his adversaries were being circumvented.
In one instance when the position was extremely complicated nearly all the pieces remaining on the board his opponent played a rook on his queen, Mr. Blackburne with scarcely a moment's play, said “Now I will play a bit of Morphy, I will make you a present of the queen and will take your knight with rook.” The consequence was that, after several forced exchanges, he won a clear piece and this he did in an off-hand manner, after keeping the game, and nine others, like maps on his brain, for nine hours and a half, though it would have taken an ordinary player long consideration, with the pieces before his eyes to have analysed the one position, so as to be confident of the result.
In another case, a Birmingham player had won a piece of him, and had an apparent prospect of winning the game easily, but suddenly Mr. Blackburne exclaimed, “In game number ten”—that was the only way in which he recognised the games—“I think I can announce mate in six moves,” and in six moves the mate was accomplished. The result of all the play was that, against ten of the strongest players which the Birmingham Club could produce, Mr. Blackburne won seven, drew one, lost one, and left one unfinished for want of time, he having the disadvantage in that of losing a pawn, though the game, if played out, would probably have ended in a second draw.
When the play was over he did not seem in the slightest degree distressed or fatigued. In fact, he appeared to have passed what people who go out to tea-fights describe to their hosts as a “very pleasant evening.” He lighted the one cigar at which he had taken a puff or two now and then throughout the sitting, and walked to his hotel gossiping with his companions, at one o'clock in the morning, like any ordinary night bird.—Birmingham Post.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1922

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February 04 1922

The Pioneer, Bemidji, Minnesota, Saturday, February 04, 1922

In The Day's News.
Romance centers round the life of Joseph Henry Blackburne, the veteran English chess player, who just celebrated his 80th birthday. In his youth he was employed in a hosiery store in his native Manchester, but got his discharge because he overstayed his leave while chess-playing in London. He then devoted himself to his favorite game, and when he toured the country his brilliance soon found reward, for he was hailed as a chess genius. In course of time he won the British champi6nship and for many years successfully defended it against all challengers. As the representative of Great Britain he participated in numerous international chess tournaments, meeting such wizards of the board as Capablanca, Lasker and Paulsen. That he still retains his skill despite his four-score years was evidenced in London the other day when he played 20 games simultaneously, winning nine, drawing 10 and being beaten in one by a woman.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1865

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January 01 1865

The Era, London, Greater London, England, Sunday, January 01, 1865

Mr. Blackburne has exhibited his remarkable powers of blindfold play by conducting eight games simultaneously at the Philidorian Rooms at Rathbone-place. Seven games out of the eight were gained by Mr. Blackburne.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1873

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July 21 1873

Vienna (1873)
Vienna, Austria; 21 July 1873—29 August 1873

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Vienna Chess Tournament Participants: Wilhelm Steinitz, Joseph Henry Blackburne, Adolf Anderssen, Samuel Rosenthal, Henry Bird, Louis Paulsen, Josef Heral, Maximilian Fleissig, Adolf Schwarz, Oscar Gelbfuhs, Philipp Meitner, Karl Pitschel

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1869

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April 10 1869

Jackson's Oxford Journal, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, Saturday, April 10, 1869

Grand Match at Chess.—Mr. de Vero, the late holder of the Challenge Cup of the British Chess Association, and consequently of the English Chess Championship, is, it appears, determined, if possible, to regain the laurels which he lost in the recent tournament by Mr. Blackburne's victory over him. He cannot, of course, fight again so soon for the Association's Cup; but he has sent a challenge to Mr. Blackburne to contend again with him over the chessboard—this time for 200l.—i.e. 100l, a-side, the winner of the first seven games to be the victor. Mr. Blackburne, nothing loth, has accepted the challenge, and the match is to be played at the St. George's, the London, and the Westminster Chess Clubs, to commence on Monday, April 12, at the London Chess Club.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1909

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1909

Veterans of an ancient game.
Our picture shows on the left Mr. James Mortimer, aged seventy-six, while on the right is seen Mr. Joseph Henry Blackburne, the British chess champion, who is now in his sixty-seventh year, and has been a leading light of the game during the last forty-five years.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1993

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August 07 1993

The Bangor Daily News, Bangor, Maine, Saturday, August 07, 1993

Blackburne's Mate: White moves and mates in three.
By George Cunningham and Gerry Dullea
Solution: Our Mating Pattern Series will show the essentials of various mating positions where other pawns and pieces may obscure the mating ideal. In Blackburne's Mate, the solution is: 1. Qh1!! h7-h5, 2. Qxh5 g6xh5, 3. Bh8checkmate.
This pattern was first used by Joseph Henry Blackburne (1841-1924), England's all-time strongest chess player. He was born in Manchester and played in 53 major tournaments, winning against the world's strongest players. He beat world chess champion Lasker in 1899 in London but in match lay lost three to world champion Steinitz and one to Lasker. He played in many simultaneous exhibitions where his informal banter and humor contrasted with the formal style of earlier master exhibitions. His play was so strong, opponents called him The Black Death.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1868

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December 05 1868

The Hampshire Advertiser, Southampton, Hampshire, England, Saturday, December 05, 1868

British Chess Association.—This association, which annually holds its meeting alternately in London and in the provinces, commenced its London season this year at the St. George's Chess club, King-street, St. James's, on the 23rd Nov., with a general meeting, under the presidency of Lord Lyttelton, at which a special vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr. Lowenthal for having again undertaken the general business arrangements. The contests for the various prizes were begun the next day at the principal London Chess-clubs. They comprise the grand challenge cup won by Mr. De Vere in a previous contest, and to become his property if won by him a second time; a handicap tournament, open to all comers, with prizes amounting to more than £40 the Mongredien prize of 20 guineas, in which a displacement of the pieces takes place before the commencement of the game; and other prizes varying in value from £5 to £20. Blindfold play, in which Messrs. Blackburne and Steinitz will play against amateurs and each other, are also arranged for; as well as a telegraph match with the Bristol Chess-club and 20 games to be played simultaneously by Mr. Lowenthal.

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1881

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August 29 1881

Joseph Henry Blackburn, English chess champion, won first prize at the Berlin chess tournament.

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2nd DSB Congress, Berlin (1881)
Berlin, Germany; 29 August 1881—17 September 1881

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1975

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September 04 1975

Fitchburg Sentinel, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Thursday, September 04, 1975

Three WCC Members Capture Round Robin
Leominster—The Blackburne Memorial, a multi-sectional round robin chess tournament held last week at Ronnies Cafe, ended in victory for three members of the Wachusett Chess Club of the Fitchburg YMCA.
Stephan Gerzadowicz of East Templeton, playing in a section with a master and two nationally-rated class A players, tied for first with former state champion John Curdo of Lawrence with a score of 2½-½. Gerzadowicz, however, went on to beat the master in a 5-minute playoff game and was declared winner of the section.
George Mirijanian of Fitchburg, playing in two sections simultaneously, finished first in both with perfect scores of 3-0. Richard McMaster, also of Fitchburg, emerged victorious in his section, which was conducted as a six-player three-round Swiss system event.
The tournament was held in honor of Joseph Henry Blackburne (1841-1924), one of the strongest players England has ever produced. Blackburne learned to play chess when he was 19 and by the time he was 26 had decided to give up his business career and become a chess professional.
Blackburn brought something new and breezy to English chess. It was customary in his day for a player giving a simultaneous exhibition to appear at such a display faultlessly dressed, wearing a top hat and morning clothes. In addition, the display was conducted with great solemnity. Blackburne broke with this convention and turned up wearing old clothes and mowed down the opposition to an accompaniment of banter and badinage. However, the most remarkable aspect of Blackburne's chess playing was his unrivalled capacity for alcohol, which modern masters would never dare indulge in during the course of play without seriously impairing their playing ability. Blackburne, on the other hand, never made a secret of his passion for drinking and in an interview given at the turn of the century he complacently said: “I find that whisky is a most useful stimulus to mental activity, especially when one is engaged in a stiff and prolonged struggle. All chess players indulge moderately in wines or spirits. Speaking for myself, alcohol clears the brain and I always have a glass or two when playing.”
It was not entirely by coincidence that this interview appeared in the publication Licensing World, and one can only hope that as a result of it Blackburne received a lifetime pass to every pub in England. The statement created a storm. The Temperance League was up in arms. Some of Blackburne's colleagues tuttutted and much was made of it.
Because Blackburne's liking for whiskey was well-known, some players took advantage of it. On one occasion, when Blackburne was visiting Cambridge University to give a simultaneous exhibition, in order to speed up the proceedings, the undergraduates hit upon the scheme of leaving a bottle of whiskey and a glass at each end of the room. The plan worked and Blackburne finished the display in record time.

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December 12 1975

Western Daily Press, Bristol, Avon, England, Friday, December 12, 1975

134 years ago, this week, Joseph Henry Blackburne was born and is regarded as the strongest player that England has ever produced. Such was his prowess at the game and the fear that he managed to put into his opponents that he was nicknamed the Black Death. He only took up the game at 19, but by the time he was 26, he had decided he was competent enough to give up a business career and turn professional! Throughout his life, as well as being in the fore-front of international chess, he maintained a great interest in blindfold and simultaneous games spending a great deal of this time traveling the country playing at local clubs. It is said that his rate of play at these displays was directly related to his consumption of whisky. A hundred years ago, in 1875, he was invited by the Bristol & Clifton Club for a week's visit. Obviously, in those days the club wasn't short of a golden guinea or two. Nothing is recorded in the minute books of his score in haufs, drams, bottles or the like but some of his scores are there of the ten games he played blindfold against the club's strongest players. However this appropriately Scotch Gambit he played against a Dr. Ballard in London in 1871 is regarded as the finest blindfold game of his career.

Joseph Henry Blackburne vs William Ballard
Blindfold simul, 10b (1872) (blindfold), London ENG, Mar-20
Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit. Saratt Variation (C44) 1-0

Quite remarkable considering that he was playing ten blindfold games simultaneously at the time!

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1895

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August 05 1895

Hastings (1895)
Hastings, England; 5 August 1895—2 September 1895
Harry Nelson Pillsbury, Mikhail Chigorin, Emanuel Lasker, Siegbert Tarrasch, Wilhelm Steinitz, Emmanuel Schiffers, Curt von Bardeleben, Richard Teichmann, Carl Schlechter, Joseph Henry Blackburne, Karl Walbrodt, Amos Burn, David Janowski, James Mason, Henry Bird, Isidor Gunsberg, Adolf Albin, Georg Marco, William Pollock, Jacques Mieses, Samuel Tinsley, Beniamino Vergani

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1895 Hastings Chess Congress

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1889

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April 07 1889

The Philadelphia Times, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sunday, April 07, 1889

THE CHESS TOURNEY
The Congress' Progress—Blackburne's Gallery Game With, Showalter.
The interest of the World's Chess Congress, now going on in New York, is growing at the approach of the thick of the fight and the mettle of the hardiest veterans will be severely tried. From present indications it looks as if the race for first place was practically limited to Blackburne, Burn, Gunsberg, Lipschuetz, Tschigorin, Weiss and, perhaps, Graham Baird, Delmar and Judd. Our opinion is that first will be achieved by either Weiss, Gunsberg, Tschigorin or Blackburne.
Weiss has the reputation of being able to draw whenever he wants to, and so far this is borne out in the tourney. Gunsberg is of a very sweet disposition. On being complimented on one of his games being “nice,” he replied: “Well, do you know, all my games are nice.” Tschigorin infringed on Voigt's patent by rushing out of the tournament, but he improved on it by rushing in again, “Tschi,” you know, is Rush-ian. Gossip from time to time unbottles his enthusiasm. Delmar threw a game to McLeod on purpose, Delly is always generous when he loses. Constant Ferdinand Burille is the great exponent of the lightning analysis style of “If he goes here you go there,” etc., which has been made so popular at the Mercantile Library by Mr. Weil. Mason is rather an unsteady player, especially at the finish of a game, to which he does not give much sober thought. Dear old Birdie, no longer straight and stalwart as we knew him of yore, is still the lightning hitter. Among the Philadelphia visitors to the tourney have been notably Messrs. Robinson, Frost, Young, J. P. Morgan, Dr. Persifor Fraser, W. Penn Shipley and others.
The following is the score after ten days' play:

AMERICANS.     Won   FOREIGNERS.   Won.
Lipschuetz .... 7    Weiss......... 7
Mason ......... 5    Gunsberg ..... 7½
Judd .......... 6    Tschigorin ... 6½
Delmar ........ 5    Blackburne ... 7½
D. Baird ...... 5    Burn ......... 5½
J. W. Baird ... 3½   Taubenhaus ... 5½
Burille ....... 3½   Bird ......... 5½
Martinez ......  ½   Pollock ...... 3½
Showalter ..... 3½   Gossip ....... 3½
Hanham ........ 3    McLeod ....... 2
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Total ........ 42    Total ....... 54

For later scores, see telegram.
Considering that the Americans are battling against the combined mastership of Great Britain, France, Austria, Russia and Australia, the figures above show well, especially when we consider that neither Steinitz nor Mackenzie are in the fight.
The sum of $500 will be taken from the gate money to be divided among the non-winners as consolation prizes.
Our esteemed correspondent “Priofae,” writes us from the tourney:
Steinitz is on hand, taking the kind of interest in the proceedings that Jupiter might be supposed to take in the Olympian sports. He says he is an old man now and will not play the winner even if challenged. No one else has won steadily all matches for twenty years and that is enough. Blackburne expressed himself as quite willing to come on to Philadelphia after the tournament and give an exhibition of blindfold chess and Bird will be delighted to come on and play on any terms. He likes to meet his friends and play chess and we hope that a party can be arranged for him. Tschigorin has recovered his calm and is on the upward flight in spite of his game forfeited to Mason. The arrangements for seeing the games are very bad. The room is small and the tables crowded. Shipley beat the automaton at the Dime Museum amid the plaudits of a hundred spectators.
The following are a few of the “gems” of the tourney.

Joseph Henry Blackburne vs Jackson Whipps Showalter
6th American Chess Congress, New York (1889), New York, NY USA, rd 9, Apr-03
Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch. Primitive Pillsbury Variation (D50) 1-0

Henry Bird vs Amos Burn
6th American Chess Congress, New York (1889), New York, NY USA, rd 3, Mar-27
Spanish Game: Berlin Defense (C65) 0-1

Jackson Whipps Showalter vs Isidor Gunsberg
6th American Chess Congress, New York (1889), New York, NY USA, rd 10, Apr-04
Spanish Game: Berlin Defense. Cordel Variation (C67) 0-1

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Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1894

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1894

Henry Edward Bird, Isidor Gunsberg and Joseph Henry Blackburne, Early 1894.

Featured in Eminent Victorian Chess Players, by Tim Harding and Hastings 1895 by Colin Crouch and Kean Haines. Original b/w photographer, unknown. For fair use, all credits must be kept intact. Color photo version created by the developer (me, yours truly) of https://best-in-chess.blogspot.com/p/joseph-henry-blackburne.html

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Henry Edward Bird, Isidor Gunsberg and Joseph Henry Blackburne, Early 1894.

Featured in Eminent Victorian Chess Players, by Tim Harding and Hastings 1895 by Colin Crouch and Kean Haines. Original b/w photographer, unknown. For fair use, all credits must be kept intact. Color photo version created by the developer (me, yours truly) of https://best-in-chess.blogspot.com/p/joseph-henry-blackburne.html

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