Chess in 1872
by Bill Wall
In 1872, Edith Price was born in London. She won the British women’s championship 5 times.
In 1872, the City of London Chess Club began a telegraph match with the Vienna Chess Club. The match lasted until 1874. London won, scoring 1˝- ˝.
In 1872, Lewis Carroll wrote THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE.
In 1872, the SCHACHZEITUNG DER BERLINER SCHACHGESELLSCHAFT (started in 1846) was renamed to DEUTSCH SCHACHZEITUNG.
In 1872, Wilhelm Steinitz defeated Johannes Zukertort in match. (+7-1=4)
In 1872, Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) wrote A Pair of Blue Eyes, which was serialized, then made into a novel in 1873. It was his first novel to bear his name on publication. The book describes the love triangle of Miss Elfride Swancourt, who plays chess, and her two suitors, Stephen Smith (who is just learning chess) and Henry Knight (who also plays chess and beats her).
In 1872, papers were presented to the Berlin Royal Academy of Science on chess history.
In 1872, the Canadian Chess Association was founded.
On Jan 15, 1872, Vincent Grimm died in Budapest.
On Jan 19, 1872, Adolf Karl Wilhelm Schliemann died. He was born in 1817. The variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 is named after him.
On Jan 27, 1872, Philip Sergeant was born. He was a British chess author.
On Mar 17, 1872, Karl Jaenisch died. He was a leading Russian theoretician and chess author.
On July 14, 1872, John Wisker (1846-1884) won the British Championship.
On July 22, 1872, Richard Griffith was born in London. He was British champion in 1912. He was the co-author of Modern Chess Openings.
On Aug 3, 1872, Captain William Davies Evans died in Ostend, Belgium. He was born in 1790. He invented the Evans Gambit.
On Aug 17, 1872, Iganzio Calvi died in Modena, Italy. He was an Italian chess player and chess composer.
On Aug 20, 1872, Henry Atkins was born in Leicester, England. He won the British championship 9 times.
On Oct 29, 1872, Pierre Saint-Amant died at Hydra, Algeria after being thrown from his carriage. He was 73.
On Dec 5, 1872, Harry Nelson Pillsbury was born in Somerville, Massachusetts. He was a leading chess player of his day.