Chess in 1865

by Bill Wall

 

In 1865, James Alexander Porterfield Rynd (1846-1917) won the first Irish Championship in Dublin.

 

In 1865, it was reported that Paul Morphy had settled in Illinois and that his avocation was the collection of claims in the United States and States courts.  (source: Richmond Dispatch, Feb 11, 1865)

 

In 1865, the Counties' Chess Association (CCA) was founded.

 

In 1865, Charles Hooper, a cabinet maker, built a copy of The Turk and named it Ajeeb.

 

In 1865, Adolf Anderssen got an honorary doctorate at Breslau University for his chess.

 

In 1865, F.K. Kelling was born in New Zealand.  He was the grand old man of New Zealand chess.

 

On February 27, 1865,  Jacques Mieses was born in Leipzig.  He was a chess Grandmaster and chess writer.

 

In March 1865, the first issue of THE CHESS WORLD monthly magazine was published, edited by Howard Staunton.

 

On April 3, 1865, the Richmond, Virginia Chess Club burned down.  It has been visited by Paul Morphy, General Edward Johnson, General John Pegram, and General Micah Jenkins.  (source: Richmond Dispatch, Dec 15, 1865)

 

In August 1865, Thomas Bill pleaded guilty to stealing two pairs of boots at the New York Hotel that belonged to Paul Morphy, who had just arrived in New York.  Bill was sent to prison.  (source: New York Times, July 26, 1865)

 

On August 29, 1865, the German Congress, held in Berlin, was won by Gustav Neumann (34/34).  It was the first 100% score in an international event.

 

On September 15, 1865, the first Counties Chess Association, Redcar, was won by Skipworth.

 

On September 26, 1865, Wilhelm Steinitz won at Dublin.

 

On October 30, 1865, Judge Alexander Beaufort Meek (born in 1814) died in Columbus, Mississippi at the age of 51.  He was a noted chess player and was president of the 1st American Chess Congress in 1857. (source: New York Times, Nov 7, 1865)

 

 

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