Bird Henry Edward (14.07.1908 – 11.04.1908)

British player and accountant who was strong enough to be invited at the Great London Tournament of 1851.

He didn’t participate too many tournaments but played few  matches against top players without too much success: Wilhelm Steinitz in 1867 (+6-7=6), Joseph Henry Blackburne in 1884 (+1-4=0), Emanuel Lasker in 1890 (+2-7=3) and again in 1892 (+0-5=0).

In 1874, Bird proposed a new chess variant, which could be played on 8×10 board and contained two new pieces, Guard (Rook+Knight) and Equerry (Bishop+Knight).

The author of : Chess Masterpieces (1875), The Chess Openings, Considered Critically and Practically (1877), Chess Practice (London 1882), Chess History and Reminiscences (1893), Chess Novelties and Their Latest Developments (1895)

His historical ELO is estimated at 2440.

Bird received the first brilliancy prize ever awarded, for his game against James Mason.