Howard Staunton
Chess was intended to be the recreation of men of genius.
— Howard Staunton
Howard Staunton was more than a chess player: he was the driving force of 19th-century chess culture and a figure who bridged the intellectual life of his age. In the 1840s, he was widely regarded as the world’s strongest player, defeating rivals in London and Paris. In 1851, he organised the first international chess tournament at the Great Exhibition, establishing a model still followed today. His name became immortalised with the Staunton chess set, registered in 1849 and still the standard used in tournament play worldwide.
Yet Staunton’s reach extended far beyond the board. He was a pioneering columnist for the Illustrated London News, shaping public understanding of chess for over twenty years. He authored landmark works such as The Chess-Player’s Handbook, which guided generations of enthusiasts, and was instrumental in codifying opening theory and competitive standards. His influence also touched culture more broadly: Staunton edited a respected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, gaining recognition as a literary scholar.
For all his achievements, Staunton’s later years were marked by declining health and controversy, and he died in relative obscurity. The Howard Staunton Society exists to ensure that his contributions — to chess, to literature, and to Victorian intellectual life — are not only remembered, but actively studied and celebrated.
