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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