John Owen (chess player)
Encyclopedia
John Owen was an English
vicar
and strong amateur chess
player.
In 1858 he won a game against Paul Morphy
, which led to a match between the two. Despite being given odds of pawn and the move
(meaning he started the game with an extra pawn and always moved first), Owen lost the match 6–1, never winning a game.
His performance in the 1862 London tournament
, the first international round-robin event (in which each participant plays every other) was more impressive - he finished third, ahead of future world champion Wilhelm Steinitz
, and was the only player to win against the eventual tournament winner, Adolf Anderssen
.
Owen is the eponym of Owen's Defence, a chess opening
he often played (including in his victory over Morphy) characterised by the moves 1.e4 b6.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
and strong amateur 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.
In 1858 he won a game against 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...
, which led to a match between the two. Despite being given odds of pawn and the move
Chess handicap
A handicap in chess is a way to enable a weaker player to have a chance of winning against a stronger one. There are many kinds of such handicaps, such as material odds, extra moves A handicap (or "odds") in chess is a way to enable a weaker player to have a chance of winning against a stronger...
(meaning he started the game with an extra pawn and always moved first), Owen lost the match 6–1, never winning a game.
His performance in the 1862 London tournament
London 1862 chess tournament
An international chess tournament was held in London, during the second British world exhibition, in 1862. Fourteen players participated in the main chess event from 16 June to 28 June 1862. They played at the St. George's Club, St. James's Club and Divan. All-play-all and time controls were...
, the first international round-robin event (in which each participant plays every other) was more impressive - he finished third, ahead of future world champion 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 was the only player to win against the eventual tournament winner, 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...
.
Owen is the eponym of Owen's Defence, a chess opening
Chess opening
A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...
he often played (including in his victory over Morphy) characterised by the moves 1.e4 b6.