Simpson’s and the First International Chess Tournament
On 12th July, ChessFest is staging a reenactment of “The Immortal Game” in Trafalgar Square, celebrating its 175th anniversary. The original event was borne of the first international chess tournament, which was held in 1851, and Simpson’s was a key venue. But the whole thing happened almost entirely by accident.
Howard Staunton and the Great Exhibition
Its organiser, Howard Staunton, was the leading player of his day, and he dreamed up this affair to occur alongside Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition of 1851, which drew six million visitors to London. (A massive number today, and simply staggering 175 years ago.)
Sixteen of the very best chess players in Europe were paired against each other in a knockout-style tournament. Adolf Anderssen, a mathematics teacher from Breslau, resoundingly defeated the English MP Marmaduke Wyvill in the final.
The Immortal Game at Simpson’s
Intriguingly enough, that is not the game that history remembers so fondly. Outside of the formal competition, Anderssen played a casual game against the French player Lionel Kieseritzky.
Anderssen’s radical strategy included the sacrifice of his rooks, bishop and even queen, leaving him with almost nothing to work with — and yet he delivered checkmate using minor pieces.
A Match That Still Inspires Chess Players Today
The German chess journalist Ernst Falkbeer eventually referred to it as ‘the Immortal Game,’ and all these years later, it continues to inspire studies (and aggressive attacks) in games all over the world.
Discover the remarkable history of Simpson’s in the Strand, from chess legends and grand dining rooms to one of London’s most storied restaurants.
