Joseph Henry Blackburne

Joseph Henry Blackburne
Joseph Henry Blackburne, the "Black Death"
Full name	Joseph Henry Blackburne
Country	England
Born	(1841-12-10)10 December 1841 Manchester, England
Died	1 September 1924(1924-09-01) (aged 82) London, England

Joseph Henry Blackburne (10 December 1841 – 1 September 1924), nicknamed "The Black Death", dominated British chess during the latter part of the 19th century. He learned the game at the relatively late age of 18 but quickly became a strong player and went on to develop a professional chess career that spanned over 50 years. At one point he was the world's second most successful player, with a string of tournament victories behind him, and popularised chess by giving simultaneous and blindfold displays around the country. Blackburne also published a collection of his own games.

Joseph Henry Blackburne was born in Manchester in December 1841. He learned how to play draughts as a child but it was not until he heard about Paul Morphy's exploits around Europe that he switched to playing chess at the age of 18–19:

I learnt the game in, say, 1859

Blackburne joined the Manchester Chess Club in 1861. In July 1861 he lost 5-0 in a match with Manchester's strongest player, Eduard Pindar (and champion of the Provinces), but in August/September Blackburne defeated Pindar (five wins, two draws, one loss). Next year he became champion of the city club, ahead of Bernhard Horwitz (who taught him endgame theory).

Blackburne's introduction to blindfold chess was a little later: in November 1861 Louis Paulsen give a simultaneous blindfold exhibition in Manchester, beating Blackburne among others; Blackburne was soon playing chess blindfolded with three players simultaneously.

Less than three years after learning the moves, Blackburne entered the 1862 London International Tournament (the world's first chess round-robin or all-play-all tournament) and defeated Wilhelm Steinitz in their individual game, although Blackburne finished in 9th place. Up to that point time-keeping was measured with hourglasses, and it was Blackburne who suggested chess clocks. This trip cost Blackburne his job back in Manchester (accounts vary about what it was), and he became a professional chess player.