James Mason in America : The Early Chess Career, 1867-1878

James Mason in America : The Early Chess Career, 1867-1878

By Joost van Winsen

McFarland & Company, October 2010

ISBN: 9780786448920

In his day James Mason was a formidable player and prominent writer on the game.

This book covers the early part of his career, as he made his way in the chess world following Morphy’s retirement from play and in a country still suffering from the ravages of the American Civil War (1861-1865). He arrived in America in 1860 as a boy of 11, part of a large Irish family, and he left for England in 1878, which is where he lived until his death in 1905.

The American years were where Mason first made his mark, coming to international attention from the mid-1870s onwards. In 1875-1876 he convincingly defeated Henry E. Bird (he of Bird’s Opening fame) in a long match (winning 11, losing 4 and with 4 games drawn) and, also in 1876, he won two strong tournaments, one of them the Fourth American Chess Congress, which took place in Philadelphia. At the end, he was rapidly running out of serious competition in the New World; hence, perhaps, the decision to journey to Europe.

You get a real flavour of the chess scene in America in the nineteenth century from Joost van Winsen’s excellent book. There is a map of New York with the chess hangouts highlighted; and note that this was a New York before the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, which was completed later in 1883, so travel between Brooklyn and New York proper depended on ferries. Unless you went by dirigible, I guess. There are illustrations of many of the prominent American and foreign players of the day, with more than a few sporting extravagant, steampunk-style moustaches.

As well as an historical narrative, Mason’s tournament and match record for the years 1867-1878 is given, along with all his known games from the period, and a selection of his chess journalism.

Among contemporaries, he was second only to Steinitz in his skill at annotating a chess game.

For anyone with an interest in chess history, and especially the landscape of the chess world as it looked in Steinitz’s heyday, this will be an invaluable volume.

The publisher’s description of James Mason in America : The Early Chess Career, 1867-1878 is here.

James Mason in America : The Early Chess Career, 1867-1878

James Mason in America : The Early Chess Career, 1867-1878

By Joost van Winsen

McFarland & Company, October 2010

ISBN: 9780786448920

In his day James Mason was a formidable player and prominent writer on the game.

This book covers the early part of his career, as he made his way in the chess world following Morphy’s retirement from play and in a country still suffering from the ravages of the American Civil War (1861-1865). He arrived in America in 1860 as a boy of 11, part of a large Irish family, and he left for England in 1878, which is where he lived until his death in 1905.

The American years were where Mason first made his mark, coming to international attention from the mid-1870s onwards. In 1875-1876 he convincingly defeated Henry E. Bird (he of Bird’s Opening fame) in a long match (winning 11, losing 4 and with 4 games drawn) and, also in 1876, he won two strong tournaments, one of them the Fourth American Chess Congress, which took place in Philadelphia. At the end, he was rapidly running out of serious competition in the New World; hence, perhaps, the decision to journey to Europe.

You get a real flavour of the chess scene in America in the nineteenth century from Joost van Winsen’s excellent book. There is a map of New York with the chess hangouts highlighted; and note that this was a New York before the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, which was completed later in 1883, so travel between Brooklyn and New York proper depended on ferries. Unless you went by dirigible, I guess. There are illustrations of many of the prominent American and foreign players of the day, with more than a few sporting extravagant, steampunk-style moustaches.

As well as an historical narrative, Mason’s tournament and match record for the years 1867-1878 is given, along with all his known games from the period, and a selection of his chess journalism.

Among contemporaries, he was second only to Steinitz in his skill at annotating a chess game.

For anyone with an interest in chess history, and especially the landscape of the chess world as it looked in Steinitz’s heyday, this will be an invaluable volume.

The publisher’s description of James Mason in America : The Early Chess Career, 1867-1878 is here.