Janowski David Markyelovich (25.05.1869 – 15.01.1927)

A Polish-born player who settled in Paris around 1890.

Best results: Vienna 1898, 3rd; London 1899, 2nd; Monte Carlo 1901, 1st; Monte Carlo 1902, 3rd; Hanover 1902, 1st; Cambridge Springs 1904, 2nd; Ostende 1905, 2nd;; Barmen 1905, 5th; Atlantic city 1921, 1st.

In matches, he played few times the World Champion Emanuel Lasker: he drew  2-2 in 1909, then lost 8-2 and finally for the title of World Champion in 1910 he lost 9.5-1.5. Those matches were sponsored by his patron Pierre Leo Nardus, a Dutch painter who supported him in chess for many years.

Janowski was an inveterate gambler and a big loser. He died of tuberculosis and a fund was raised to meet his funeral expenses, for he had no means of any kind.

Janowsky was one of the rare chess players who managed to defeat World Champions E. Lasker, W. Steinitz, A. Alekhine, and JR. Capablanca.