page_title: Howard Staunton
section_title: Morphy
hierarchical_section_title: Howard Staunton / Life / Morphy
context_page_description: Howard Staunton was an English chess master. He was the world's strongest player from 1843 to 1851.ᵖ³⁹¹ This is based on his 1843 match victory over the strongest French player, Saint-Amant. Staunton was the main organizer of the first international chess tournament in London 1851. It was organised to help celebrate the 1851 Exhibition at Hyde Park. These events helped to make London the world's leading chess centre. The winner of the tournament, Anderssen, then became recognised as the world's strongest player.
  Staunton ran a chess column in the Illustrated London News from 1845 to his death in 1874. He edited the Chess Player's Chronicle, the first important chess magazine in English, ᵖ²⁹⁷ from 1841 to 1854. He won matches against all the top players of the 1840s.
  "He wrote valuable books, particularly the Chess-player's handbook of 1847 which... became the standard reference book for English club players down to the end of the century".
  In 1847 he entered a parallel career as a Shakespearean scholar. Ill health and his two writing careers led him to give up competitive chess after 1851. In 1858 attempts were made to organise a match between Staunton and Morphy, but they failed.
context_section_description: While Staunton was busy with the Shakespeare edition, he received a courteous letter from the New Orleans Chess Club, inviting him to that city to play Paul Morphy, who had won the first American Chess Congress. Staunton replied, thanking the Club and Morphy "for the honour implied in your selection of me as the opponent of such a champion". Staunton pointed out that he had not competed for several years and was working six days a week (on editing Shakespeare), and so he could not possibly travel across the Atlantic for a match. He also wrote in the Illustrated London News that he 
  "had been compelled, by laborious literary occupation, to abandon the practice of chess, beyond the indulgence of an occasional game... If Mr. Morphy – for whose skill we entertain the liveliest admiration – be desirous to win his spurs among the chess chivalry of Europe, he must take advantage of his purposed visit next year; he will then meet in this country, in France, in Germany and in Russia, many champions ... ready to test and do honor to his prowess".
  Chess historian H.J.R. Murray wrote that Staunton's letter and article should have been interpreted as a courteous refusal of the offer, but that Morphy interpreted them differently, and one of the main reasons for his visit to Europe in 1858 was the hope of playing a match with Staunton.ᵖ⁴¹⁵
  Upon arriving in England in June 1858, Morphy promptly challenged Staunton to a match. At first, Staunton declined Morphy's offer saying that the challenge came too late. Morphy did not give up negotiations and urging Staunton to play. In early July Staunton agreed provided he was given time to get back into practice, and provided that he could manage all this without breaking the publication contract for his Shakespearean work. In early August, Morphy wrote asking Staunton when the match could occur, and Staunton asked again for a delay of some weeks. Just before Staunton left London for Birmingham, his old enemy George Walker published an article accusing him of trying to delay the match indefinitely, and Staunton received another letter from Morphy pressing him to name a date for the match. Staunton and Morphy met socially in Birmingham and, after a tense discussion, Staunton agreed to play in early November. In September the Illustrated London News printed both a complimentary full-page article about Morphy and a complimentary mention of him in its chess column. On 6 October 1858, while in Paris  Morphy wrote Staunton an open letter which was also circulated to several publications, in which Morphy complained about Staunton's conduct. Staunton replied on 9 October, re-stating the difficulties he faced, but now giving them as reasons to cancel the match. On 23 October, Staunton published his entire reply along with a partial copy of Morphy's open letter. The main criticism against Staunton was never his failure to play Morphy. As Lord Lyttleton put it in a letter to Morphy:
  "In the general circumstances of the case, I conceive that Mr. Staunton was quite justified in declining the match... I cannot but think that... Mr. Staunton might have told you of this long before he did... It seems to me plain... that Mr. Staunton gave you every reason to suppose that he would be ready to play the match within no long time...."
caption: Paul Morphy
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