Nicolai Jasnogrodsky
Encyclopedia
Nicolai Jasnogrodsky was a Russia
n–born American chess
master.
Jasnogrodsky started to play competitive chess around 1885 in Vienna, and moved to England in the 1880s. He tied for 4-5th at Amsterdam 1889 (B tournament, Adolf Georg Olland
and F. van den Berg won), and in 1890 earned the title of chess master at Amsterdam.
Jasnogrodsky became part of the chess fraternity of the Simpson's-in-the-Strand
by 1891 and made a name for himself as a skilled simultaneous
and blindfold
player. In London tournaments he took 10th (Rudolf Loman
won) and tied for 4-5th (Henry Bird won) in 1891, and took
8th (Emanuel Lasker
won) in 1892. He drew a match with Bird (7.5 : 7.5) at London 1893.
In the summer of 1893 Jasnogrodsky came to the United States, attracted by the announcements of the Columbian Chess Congress. He arrived in New York
on an Arizona steamship on August 11. The Congress was not held due to the lack of sufficient funds, but Jasnogrodsky, like other masters, remained in the New World. He participated in the Impromptu International Tournament where he finished 12th (Emanuel Lasker won).
He won the New York State Championship in late 1896, and also tied for 10-11th at New York 1894 (Wilhelm Steinitz
won), lost a match to Eugene Delmar
(1.5 : 5.5) at New York 1895, won against Manuel Marquez Sterling (5 : 0) in 1895, lost to David Graham Baird (1 : 2) in 1895, and drew a match with Frank James Marshall (3.5 : 3.5) at New York 1898.
He developed the Jasnogrodsky Defense against the Rice Gambit
(1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd6 8.O-O Bxe5 9.Re1 Qe7 10.c3 Nh5).
Jasnogrodsky died at Montefiore Home, Hospital and Country Sanitarium for Chronic Diseases. He was buried in Union Field Cemetery, for members of the New York City's Jewish community.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n–born American 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...
master.
Jasnogrodsky started to play competitive chess around 1885 in Vienna, and moved to England in the 1880s. He tied for 4-5th at Amsterdam 1889 (B tournament, Adolf Georg Olland
Adolf Georg Olland
Adolf Georg Olland was the leading Dutch chess master in the time before Max Euwe. Born in Utrecht, he was a medical doctor....
and F. van den Berg won), and in 1890 earned the title of chess master at Amsterdam.
Jasnogrodsky became part of the chess fraternity of the Simpson's-in-the-Strand
Simpson's-in-the-Strand
Simpson'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....
by 1891 and made a name for himself as a skilled simultaneous
Simultaneous exhibition
A simultaneous exhibition or simultaneous display is a board game exhibition in which one player plays multiple games at a time with a number of other players. Such an exhibition is often referred to simply as a "simul".In a regular simul, no chess clocks are used...
and blindfold
Blindfold chess
Blindfold chess is a form of chess play wherein the players do not see the positions of the pieces or touch them. This forces players to maintain a mental model of the positions of the pieces...
player. In London tournaments he took 10th (Rudolf Loman
Rudolf Loman
Rudolf Loman was a Dutch chess master.Loman had been living in London for a number of years. He played chess for money against rich Englishmen, like his Dutch pupil Jacques Davidson, though he had another profession, organ player...
won) and tied for 4-5th (Henry Bird won) in 1891, and took
8th (Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years...
won) in 1892. He drew a match with Bird (7.5 : 7.5) at London 1893.
In the summer of 1893 Jasnogrodsky came to the United States, attracted by the announcements of the Columbian Chess Congress. He arrived in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on an Arizona steamship on August 11. The Congress was not held due to the lack of sufficient funds, but Jasnogrodsky, like other masters, remained in the New World. He participated in the Impromptu International Tournament where he finished 12th (Emanuel Lasker won).
He won the New York State Championship in late 1896, and also tied for 10-11th at New York 1894 (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...
won), lost a match to Eugene Delmar
Eugene Delmar
Eugene Delmar , was one of the leading US chess masters of 19th century and the four-time New York State champion in 1890, 1891, 1895 and 1897. He won a match against Robert Henry Barnes with only a single draw .-External links:...
(1.5 : 5.5) at New York 1895, won against Manuel Marquez Sterling (5 : 0) in 1895, lost to David Graham Baird (1 : 2) in 1895, and drew a match with Frank James Marshall (3.5 : 3.5) at New York 1898.
He developed the Jasnogrodsky Defense against the Rice Gambit
Rice Gambit
The 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...
(1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd6 8.O-O Bxe5 9.Re1 Qe7 10.c3 Nh5).
Jasnogrodsky died at Montefiore Home, Hospital and Country Sanitarium for Chronic Diseases. He was buried in Union Field Cemetery, for members of the New York City's Jewish community.