Chess Personalities

National French Master and one of the most famous artists of our time. Duchamp was the father of Dadaism and a pioneer of Surrealism.  Art and chess were his two passion in life. As the Times critic wrote in 1966: “Duchamp’s passion for chess may be thought an expression of his dislike for the trappings

Russian chess amateur, journalist and famous chess photographer. As a child, he became fond of chess and took lessons at the Pioneer Palace of Moscvoreck, where Vassily Smyslov used to play. A participant in the Moscow youth championships. Received the 1st category rank. Champion of the town of Zvenigorod, Moscow region (1957) where his family

Canadian Master, Professor of Mathematics (PHD at 24), historian and musician. President of CFC in 1954. Best results: In 1946 and 1952, he won the Manitoba championship. In 1959, he tied 1st-4th in the Manitoba open. He was 3rd in the Canadian Championship of 1945 and represented Canada as Captain in the Olympiads of Amsterdam 1954

Count Cozio was the author of a 2 volume chess book dated of 1766 Il Giuoco delgi Scacchi. Murray writes that Cozio’s work was the last piece of chess literature to appear in Italy before the center of European chess shifted to France and England. But in fact this book was written before those of

Scottish barrister of the Middle Temple and a leading London player of the early 19th century. His sacrificial style did not serve him well when he visited France in 1821. He lost a match to La Bourdonnais and at odds of pawn and two moves, he lost a match to Deschapelles. In 1824 he run

Dominican monk from north-west Italy who wrote the most famous and successful “chess morality’:Liber de moribus Hominum et officiis Nobilum, sometime between 1275 and 1300. The appearance of Chessolis’s name is about 30 forms has led to assertions that he was French, Spanish or Greek, but most likely he came from Chessole near Asti, Italy

Eminent historian and leading mid-nineteenth-century British amateur. Hampered from childhood by persistent ill-health, he nevertheless became a distinguished scholar who spoke seven and read twelve languages. Buckle won what was perhaps the first of all chess tournaments-the Divan tourney of 1849 defeating Elijah Williams (+2) in the second round. In match play he defeated Lionel

French/Canadian International Arbiter (1989), FIDE Master (1993), ICCF IM (2009). He studied Philosophy and Mathematics at the University of Toronto and also studied printing. He worked as a typographer during the 1980-90’s. He started directing tournaments at the age 16 during the Fischer boom and was on the staff of ‘Chess Canada’. An active organizer

American player which gained reputation following his original analysis like 1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. f3. Armand was a very good violinist and pianist, a chess expert, and a charter member of the Chess, Checkers and Whist Club of New Orleans. In 1882, in the July issue of Brentanos Chess Monthly, he introduced

English player. He was one of the top six players in the world for more than 20 years. He learned to play chess in 1860 being inspired by Paul Morphy’s experience. In 1862 he entered the London International Tournament- first round-robin tournament in chess history and defeated Wilhelm Steinitz in their individual game. Blackburne finished