Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Saturday, September 09, 2000 - Page 21
A Chess Olympian
Although he was the dominant player of his era, England's Howard Staunton (1810-1874) remains relatively obscure to players of our generation. It was both his strength and poor fortune to have an unspectacular, albeit winning style in an era when brilliant sacrifices and attacks were the rage.
A deserved disrepute has fallen on Staunton for his evasive behavior when the American chess nonpareil Paul Morphy made his triumphant European tour in 1858 and 1859. Spectacularly crushing the continent's top players, the New Orleans prodigy tried repeatedly to arrange a match with Staunton.
Expressing willingness to play Morphy on the one hand, Staunton offered only excuses and delaying tactics on the other. The match of course never took place. In his chess column and magazine, Staunton unfairly and unconvincingly tried to shift the blame to Morphy for the failure of the much wanted event to materialize.
A century and a few years later, Bobby Fischer wrote that Staunton was one of “the 10 greatest masters in history.” The choice was a surprise to most of his readers and testimony to the 19-year-old future world champion's deep grasp of the game's past.
“Staunton was,” said Fischer ”the most profound opening analyst of all time. He was more theorist than player, but he was nevertheless the strongest player of his day. Playing over his games, I discover that they are completely modern.
“Staunton appears to have been afraid to meet Morphy and I think his fears were well-founded. Morphy would have beaten him. It would have been a great struggle.”
Below is a loss by Staunton from an 1842 match with Pierre St. Amant, the leading French player of the time. Although he lost this game, Staunton decisively won the match 13-8 to end French supremacy in chess.
