Joseph Blackburne

Joseph Henry Blackburne was born on December 10, 1841, in Manchester, England. He became the dominant British chess player for over three decades and one of the strongest players in the world during the 1870s and 1880s.

Blackburne learned chess relatively late, at age 18 or 19, after seeing Paul Morphy's games during Morphy's visit to England in 1858-59. Morphy's brilliancy inspired the young Blackburne to take up the game seriously.

He won the British Championship in 1868 (unofficial) and became Britain's leading player for the next 30 years. His tournament record was remarkable: he won or shared first prize in dozens of international tournaments, including Vienna 1873 (shared), Berlin 1881 (clear first), and London 1886 (clear first).

Blackburne was famous for his aggressive, attacking style, which earned him the nickname 'The Black Death.' He was particularly dangerous with the black pieces, which was unusual in an era when most strong players were cautious with Black.

He was also one of the first chess professionals, making his living entirely from chess through tournament prizes, match fees, simultaneous exhibitions, and chess journalism. His simultaneous exhibition tours took him across Britain, Europe, and even to Australia and New Zealand.

Blackburne continued playing at a high level into his 70s. He played in his last international tournament at age 72 and gave simultaneous exhibitions well into his 70s. He died on September 25, 1924, in London, aged 82.