George Henry Mackenzie
Encyclopedia
George Henry Mackenzie (March 24, 1837, Bellefield
, Ross-shire, Scotland – April 14, 1891, New York City
) was a Scottish–American chess
master.
He was educated mainly in Aberdeen
, at the Aberdeen Grammar School
and the Marischal College
, University of Aberdeen
; but he studied in Rouen
, France, and Stettin, Prussia, from 1853 to 1855. He was commissioned into the 60th Foot in 1856, when he was nineteen years old. Soon after, his regiment was sent to the Cape of Good Hope
, and thence to India
. He travelled to England in 1858, having been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
. In 1861 he sold his commission and retired from the army. In 1862, Mackenzie won a handicap tournament in London in which he defeated Adolf Anderssen
.
In 1863, during the middle of the American Civil War
, he moved to the United States. In 1865 he came to New York
, where he wrote on chess matters for Turf, Field, and Farm. He won the first prizes at the annual contests of the New York Chess Club in 1865, 1866, 1867, and 1868.
Mackenzie’s international successes came after a fifteen year period in the United States, from 1865 through 1880, when he amassed a record of thirteen straight first place finishes in tournaments, while winning six of seven matches, with only one drawn. His successes in the U.S. included first place at Cleveland 1871, Chicago 1874, and New York 1880, the second, third, and fifth American Chess Congresses, respectively.
Subsequently he played in many tournaments both at home and abroad. In 1878, he tied for 4-5th in Paris. In 1882, he tied for fourth in Vienna (Wilhelm Steinitz
and Szymon Winawer
won). In 1883, he tied for 5-7th in London (Johannes Zukertort
won). In 1885, he took 4th place in Hereford (Joseph Henry Blackburne
won), and took 7th in Hamburg 1885 (Isidor Gunsberg
won). In 1886, he tied for 7-8th in London.
Finally, Captain Mackenzie capped the climax of his chess achievements by winning the first prize, ahead of Blackburne
, Zukertort
, Englisch
, Weiss
, Bardeleben
, Tarrasch
, and Paulsen
,
in the 5th German Championship
at Frankfurt-on-the-Main 1887. He won the 5th Scottish Championship
at Glasgow
1888. He came 2nd at Bradford 1888, and tied for 3rd-4th at Manchester 1890. S. Lipschütz replaced him as the United States Chess Champion
in 1890.
, at his peak in October 1882 Mackenzie's play was equivalent to an Elo rating of 2712. At that time, and in nine other months between March 1881 and October 1882, Chessmetrics ranks him as the number three player in the world. His best single performance was at Frankfurt 1887, where he scored 8.5 of 12 possible points (71%) against 2621-rated opposition, for a performance rating of 2725. Judged by modern standards, Mackenzie would surely be a Grandmaster. Today FIDE, the World Chess Federation, often awards that title to players with Elo ratings of 2500 and above.
Bellefield
Bellefield, in West Derby, Liverpool, is Everton FC's former training ground.Bellefield had been Everton FC's training ground since 1946. It was purchased in 1965 from landowner Mr Tyson and Everton developed it so it was ready by summer of 1966...
, Ross-shire, Scotland – April 14, 1891, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) was a Scottish–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.
He was educated mainly in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, at the Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School, known to students as The Grammar is a state secondary school in the City of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is one of twelve secondary schools run by the Aberdeen City Council educational department...
and the Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
, University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
; but he studied in Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, France, and Stettin, Prussia, from 1853 to 1855. He was commissioned into the 60th Foot in 1856, when he was nineteen years old. Soon after, his regiment was sent to the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
, and thence to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He travelled to England in 1858, having been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. In 1861 he sold his commission and retired from the army. In 1862, Mackenzie won a handicap tournament in London in which he defeated 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...
.
In 1863, during the middle of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he moved to the United States. In 1865 he came to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he wrote on chess matters for Turf, Field, and Farm. He won the first prizes at the annual contests of the New York Chess Club in 1865, 1866, 1867, and 1868.
Mackenzie’s international successes came after a fifteen year period in the United States, from 1865 through 1880, when he amassed a record of thirteen straight first place finishes in tournaments, while winning six of seven matches, with only one drawn. His successes in the U.S. included first place at Cleveland 1871, Chicago 1874, and New York 1880, the second, third, and fifth American Chess Congresses, respectively.
Subsequently he played in many tournaments both at home and abroad. In 1878, he tied for 4-5th in Paris. In 1882, he tied for fourth in Vienna (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 Szymon Winawer
Szymon Winawer
Szymon Abramowicz Winawer , born in Warsaw, Poland, was a leading chess player who won the German Chess Championship in 1883...
won). In 1883, he tied for 5-7th in London (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...
won). In 1885, he took 4th place in Hereford (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...
won), and took 7th in Hamburg 1885 (Isidor Gunsberg
Isidor Gunsberg
Isidor Arthur Gunsberg began his career as the player operating the remote-controlled chess automaton Mephisto, but later became a chess professional....
won). In 1886, he tied for 7-8th in London.
Finally, Captain Mackenzie capped the climax of his chess achievements by winning the first prize, ahead of 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...
, 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...
, Englisch
Berthold Englisch
Berthold Englisch was a leading Austrian chess master.Englisch was born in Czech Silesia into a Jewish family. He earned his living as a stock-market agent....
, Weiss
Max Weiss
Miksa Weisz was an Austrian chess player born in the Kingdom of Hungary.Weiss was born in Sereď. Moving to Vienna, he studied mathematics and physics at the university, and later taught those subjects....
, Bardeleben
Curt von Bardeleben
Curt von Bardeleben was a Count and a German chess master who committed suicide by jumping out of a window in 1924. His life and death were the basis for that of the main character in the novel The Defense by Vladimir Nabokov, which was made into the movie The Luzhin Defence...
, Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch was one of the strongest chess players and most influential chess teachers of the late 19th century and early 20th century....
, and Paulsen
Louis Paulsen
Louis Paulsen was a German chess player.In 1860s and 1870s, he was among the top five players in the world. He was a younger brother of Wilfried Paulsen....
,
in the 5th German Championship
German Chess Championship
The German Chess Championship has been played since 1861, and determines the national champion.Prior to 1880 three different federations organized chess activities in Germany: the Westdeutscher Schachbund , the Norddeutscher Schachbund and the Mitteldeutscher Schachbund . Each one organized its...
at Frankfurt-on-the-Main 1887. He won the 5th Scottish Championship
Scottish Chess Championship
The Scottish Chess Championship is organised by Chess Scotland, formerly the Scottish Chess Association. It has been running since 1884, and nowadays takes the form of a nine round tournament played over two weekends and the week in between...
at Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
1888. He came 2nd at Bradford 1888, and tied for 3rd-4th at Manchester 1890. S. Lipschütz replaced him as the United States Chess Champion
U.S. Chess Championship
The U.S. Chess Championship is an invitational tournament held to determine the national chess champion of the United States. Since 1936, it has been held under the auspices of the U.S. Chess Federation. Until 1999, the event consisted of a round-robin tournament of varying size...
in 1890.
Chess strength
According to ChessmetricsChessmetrics
Chessmetrics is a system for rating chess players devised by Jeff Sonas. It is intended as an improvement over the Elo rating system.-Implementation:...
, at his peak in October 1882 Mackenzie's play was equivalent to an Elo rating of 2712. At that time, and in nine other months between March 1881 and October 1882, Chessmetrics ranks him as the number three player in the world. His best single performance was at Frankfurt 1887, where he scored 8.5 of 12 possible points (71%) against 2621-rated opposition, for a performance rating of 2725. Judged by modern standards, Mackenzie would surely be a Grandmaster. Today FIDE, the World Chess Federation, often awards that title to players with Elo ratings of 2500 and above.