Staunton Beats a Saint
Submitted by
billwall on Thu, 08/16/2007 at 10:35pm.
In March-April 1843, Howard Staunton, the best player in England, decided to play Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint Amant, the best player in France. It was a casual match, held in London, of six games and the prize money was one guinea. Saint Amant won the match with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses. Saint Amant returned to France, claiming it was a formal match, and that he proved he was better than Staunton. Staunton claimed it was a casual match and that he wanted a re-match and a formal match where the winner would be the first one to win 11 games, draws not counting. The return match was held in Paris in November-December, 1843, and Staunton won with 11 wins, 6 losses, and 4 draws. The very first game of the London match featured an interesting and complicated rook and pawn endgame. Saint Amant lost it, but should have drawn the endgame. Staunton won it, but missed better moves that could have won it more easily. Both sides had chances to win, lose, or draw this endgame.
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