James Mortimer
Encyclopedia
James Mortimer was an American
chess
player, journalist, and playwright who spent the last 40 years of his life in Britain
.
, Mortimer graduated from the University of Virginia
. As an attaché
in the U.S. Diplomatic Service
he was stationed in Paris
from 1855 to 1860. Emperor Napoleon III
awarded him the Cross of the Legion of Honor
for his work. When American chess champion Paul Morphy
traveled to Paris in 1858, Mortimer met him and they became friends. Mortimer was one of the few who witnessed the famous 1858 Morphy match with Adolf Anderssen
.
His loyalty to the Southern Confederacy
led him to quit federal service in 1860. Mortimer remained in Paris working as a journalist. When Napoleon III was deposed in 1870, they both settled in England.
In London
, Mortimer founded The London Figaro
, the official newspaper of Napoleon's government in-exile
. Although Napoleon died in 1873, Figaro continued as a magazine. It was often controversial, and Mortimer made many enemies with his scathing theatre reviews. When caught up in a libel case, Mortimer unwisely chose to defend himself. Acting as his own counsel, he was unable to testify in his own defense. After he was convicted by the jury Mortimer was able to produce evidence to the judges that he had no personal knowledge of the libelous article, but it was too late. Rather than imposing the more common penalty of a fine, the court sentenced him to three months prison. Mortimer's public stature grew as a result as the punishment was widely felt to be unfair. Mortimer's imprisonment eventually caused him to sell Figaro, and with the sale came the end of its excellent chess column
which had been written by chess master Johann Löwenthal
from 1872 to 1876 and World Chess Champion
Wilhelm Steinitz
from 1876 to 1882. When Mortimer was released, he continued his career as a critic and a playwright. He wrote over 30 plays produced in London. Covering Spain's first international chess tournament, San Sebastián 1911
, he caught pneumonia
and died.
Although never successful in tournaments, Mortimer sometimes did play well in individual games against powerful opponents. In the London tournament of 1883, he beat Johannes Zukertort
and Mikhail Chigorin
, but finished tied for last in a field of 14 with a score of 3–23. At the BCA International Congress in London in 1886 he defeated Jean Taubenhaus
, James Mason
, William H.K. Pollock, and Emil Schallopp
, but finished with a score of 4–8 and in 11th place of 13. When he was 74 he played the 1907 Masters Tournament at Ostend
and defeated Savielly Tartakower
, Eugene Znosko-Borovsky
, and Joseph Henry Blackburne
, but finished last of 29 with a score of 5–23. He also won tournament games against Henry Bird and Jacques Mieses
, and drew with Wilhelm Steinitz
and George Henry Mackenzie
.
Mortimer wrote two best-selling chess books published in London. He is the eponym of the Mortimer Defence in the Ruy Lopez
and the related Mortimer Trap
, and the Mortimer-Frazier Attack in the Evans Gambit
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
player, journalist, and playwright who spent the last 40 years of his life in Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
.
Life
Born in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Mortimer graduated from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. As an attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
in the U.S. Diplomatic Service
United States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
he was stationed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from 1855 to 1860. Emperor Napoleon III
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
awarded him the Cross of the Legion of Honor
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
for his work. When American chess champion Paul Morphy
Paul Morphy
Paul Charles Morphy was an American chess player. He is considered to have been the greatest chess master of his era and an unofficial World Chess Champion. He was a chess prodigy...
traveled to Paris in 1858, Mortimer met him and they became friends. Mortimer was one of the few who witnessed the famous 1858 Morphy match with Adolf Anderssen
Adolf Anderssen
Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen was a German chess master. He is considered to have been the world's leading chess player in the 1850s and 1860s...
.
His loyalty to the Southern Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
led him to quit federal service in 1860. Mortimer remained in Paris working as a journalist. When Napoleon III was deposed in 1870, they both settled in England.
In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Mortimer founded The London Figaro
London Figaro
The London Figaro was a London periodical devoted to politics, literature, art, criticism and satire during the Victorian era. It was founded as a daily paper in 1870 with the backing of Napoleon III but after a year re-established itself as a general interest weekly magazine and is chiefly...
, the official newspaper of Napoleon's government in-exile
Government in exile
A government in exile is a political group that claims to be a country's legitimate government, but for various reasons is unable to exercise its legal power, and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile usually operate under the assumption that they will one day return to their...
. Although Napoleon died in 1873, Figaro continued as a magazine. It was often controversial, and Mortimer made many enemies with his scathing theatre reviews. When caught up in a libel case, Mortimer unwisely chose to defend himself. Acting as his own counsel, he was unable to testify in his own defense. After he was convicted by the jury Mortimer was able to produce evidence to the judges that he had no personal knowledge of the libelous article, but it was too late. Rather than imposing the more common penalty of a fine, the court sentenced him to three months prison. Mortimer's public stature grew as a result as the punishment was widely felt to be unfair. Mortimer's imprisonment eventually caused him to sell Figaro, and with the sale came the end of its excellent chess column
Chess columns in newspapers
The earliest known chess column appeared in the Lancet in 1823, but due to lack of popularity disappeared after less than a year.-Historical development:...
which had been written by chess master Johann Löwenthal
Johann Löwenthal
Johann Jacob Löwenthal was a professional chess master.Löwenthal was born in Budapest, the son of a Jewish merchant. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native city. In 1846, he won a match against Carl Hamppe in Vienna...
from 1872 to 1876 and World Chess Champion
World Chess Championship
The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Men and women of any age are eligible to contest this title....
Wilhelm Steinitz
Wilhelm Steinitz
Wilhelm Steinitz was an Austrian and then American chess player and the first undisputed world chess champion from 1886 to 1894. From the 1870s onwards, commentators have debated whether Steinitz was effectively the champion earlier...
from 1876 to 1882. When Mortimer was released, he continued his career as a critic and a playwright. He wrote over 30 plays produced in London. Covering Spain's first international chess tournament, San Sebastián 1911
San Sebastian chess tournament
-San Sebastian 1911:The tournament was held from February 20 to March 17, 1911. The event was organized by Jacques Mieses, who insisted that all of the expenses of the masters were paid....
, he caught pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and died.
Chess career
Mortimer had a very poor record in chess tournaments, nearly always finishing near the bottom of the field. At a London tournament in 1887, he finished last of ten players, losing all nine games he played. Despite his poor finishes, he was invited to many tournaments and seemed to be regarded more highly as a chess personality than a chess player.Although never successful in tournaments, Mortimer sometimes did play well in individual games against powerful opponents. In the London tournament of 1883, he beat Johannes Zukertort
Johannes Zukertort
Johannes Hermann Zukertort was a leading chess master of German-Polish-Jewish origin. He was one of the leading world players for most of the 1870s and 1880s, and lost to Wilhelm Steinitz in the World Chess Championship 1886, which is generally seen as the first World Chess Championship match, he...
and Mikhail Chigorin
Mikhail Chigorin
Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin also was a leading Russian chess player...
, but finished tied for last in a field of 14 with a score of 3–23. At the BCA International Congress in London in 1886 he defeated Jean Taubenhaus
Jean Taubenhaus
Jean Taubenhaus was a Polish–born French chess master.-Biography:Taubenhaus was a foremost Warsaw chess player in late 70s of 19th century. In 1880, he settled in Paris. In the 4th international Congress of the German Chess Association at Hamburg in July 1885, he took 14th place...
, James Mason
James Mason (chess player)
James Mason was a famous chess player and writer. He was born in Kilkenny in Ireland. His original name is unknown: he was adopted as a child and only took the name James Mason when he and his family moved to the United States in 1861...
, William H.K. Pollock, and Emil Schallopp
Emil Schallopp
Emil Schallopp was a German chess player and author. He became head of the shorthand department of the Reichstag. He wrote many books, including one on the Steinitz–Zukertort 1886 World Championship match...
, but finished with a score of 4–8 and in 11th place of 13. When he was 74 he played the 1907 Masters Tournament at Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
and defeated Savielly Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower
Ksawery Tartakower was a leading Polish and French chess Grandmaster. He was also a leading chess journalist of the 1920s and 30s...
, Eugene Znosko-Borovsky
Eugene Znosko-Borovsky
Eugene Alexandrovich Znosko-Borovsky was a Russian chess master, music and drama critic, teacher and author. Born in Saint Petersburg, he settled in Paris in 1920, and lived there for the rest of his life.-Biography:...
, and Joseph Henry Blackburne
Joseph Henry Blackburne
Joseph Henry Blackburne , nicknamed "The Black Death", dominated British chess during the latter part of the 19th century. He learned the game at the relatively late age of 18 but quickly became a strong player and went on to develop a professional chess career that spanned over 50 years...
, but finished last of 29 with a score of 5–23. He also won tournament games against Henry Bird and Jacques Mieses
Jacques Mieses
----Jacques Mieses was a German-born Jewish chess Grandmaster and writer. He became a naturalized British citizen after World War II.p258-Chess career:...
, and drew with Wilhelm Steinitz
Wilhelm Steinitz
Wilhelm Steinitz was an Austrian and then American chess player and the first undisputed world chess champion from 1886 to 1894. From the 1870s onwards, commentators have debated whether Steinitz was effectively the champion earlier...
and George Henry Mackenzie
George Henry Mackenzie
George Henry Mackenzie was a Scottish–American chess master....
.
Mortimer wrote two best-selling chess books published in London. He is the eponym of the Mortimer Defence in the Ruy Lopez
Ruy Lopez
The Ruy Lopez, also called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game, is a chess opening characterised by the moves:-History:The opening is named after the 16th century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura, who made a systematic study of this and other openings in the 150-page book on chess Libro del...
and the related Mortimer Trap
Mortimer Trap
The Mortimer Trap is a chess opening trap in the Ruy Lopez named after James Mortimer. The Mortimer Trap is a true trap in the sense that Black deliberately plays an inferior move hoping to trick White into making a mistake....
, and the Mortimer-Frazier Attack in the Evans Gambit
Evans Gambit
The Evans Gambit is a chess opening characterised by the moves:The gambit is named after the Welsh sea Captain William Davies Evans, the first player known to have employed it. The first game with the opening is considered to be Evans - McDonnell, London 1827, although in that game a slightly...
.
Results in tournaments
- London 1883London 1883 chess tournamentThe London 1883 chess tournament was a strong chess tournament among most of the leading players of the day. It was won convincingly by Johannes Zukertort ahead of Wilhelm Steinitz . Remarkably, Zukertort was already assured of victory with three rounds to go, having scored an astonishing 22/23...
: 3-23, =13-14th out of 14 players - London 1885: 6-9, =10-11th of 12
- London 1886: 4-8, 11th of 13
- London 1887: 0-9, last of 10
- Bradford 1888: 5½-10½, 13th of 17
- London 1889: 3-7, 10th of 11
- Manchester 1890: 8½-10½, 14th of 20
- London 1891 (Simpson’s DivanSimpson's-in-the-StrandSimpson's-in-the-Strand is one of London's oldest traditional English restaurants. Situated in the Strand, it is part of the Savoy Buildings, which also contain one of the world's most famous hotels, the Savoy....
summer tourney): 5½-3½, 4th of 10 - London 1891 (Simpson’s Divan winter tourney): 4-5, =6-9th of 10
- London 1892 (7th BCA tourney): 3½-7½, 10th of 12
- London 1896: 4-7, =8-11th of 12
- London 1900 (Simpson’s Divan): ½-3½, last of 5
- Paris 1900Paris 1900 chess tournamentThe Paris 1900 chess tournament was an event held in conjunction with the Exposition Universelle , one of the world's most notable fairs or exhibitions held during the second half of the nineteenth century and designated a "World Exposition" by the Bureau of International Expositions...
: 2-14, 15th of 17 - Folkstone 1901: 2-3, =3rd-5th out of 6
- Monte Carlo 1902Monte Carlo chess tournamentThe Monte Carlo chess tournament was established in 1901. There were a series of very strong tournaments held in Monte Carlo, from 1901 to 1904, and again after a long break from 1967 to 1969.-1901:...
: 1-18, last of 20 - Norwich 1902: 2½-8½, =10-11th of 12
- Tunbridge Wells 1902: 4-5, 7th of 10
- Canterbury 1903: 4-4, 5th of 9
- Plymouth 1903 (section II): 4½-3½, =3rd-4th of 9
- Brighton 1904: 5-3, 4th of 9
- London 1904: 4-12, last of 17
- London 1904 Rice GambitRice GambitThe Rice Gambit is a chess opening that arises from the King's Gambit Accepted. An offshoot of the Kieseritzky Gambit, it is characterized by the moves 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. O-O...
: 2½-13½, last of 9 - Ostend 1907 (master tourney)Ostend 1907 chess tournamentThe tournament was divided into two sections: the Championship Tournament and the Masters' Tournament. The first section was for players who had previously won an international tournament. The Championship Tournament took place in the Casino of Ostend from 16 May to 14 June 1907...
: 5-23, last of 29 - London 1907-8 (City of London Ch): 10-9, =8-10th of 20
- London 1909-10 (City of London Ch): 6-11, 15th of 18
- Paris 1910: 2½-13½, 16th of 17
- London 1910-11 (City of London Ch): 2½-13½, 16th of 17