Adolf Anderssen in 1851 ("Photo was a  reproduction of postcard sent by Marshall to his wife" -- original note from Paul Little's chess scrapbook.)

Anderssen's life bridges the chasm from the isolated, localized chess activity of the early 19th century to modern international tournament play. When he began, there were no tournaments, no clocks, virtually no chess magazines,  not even clearly established rules; when he died, master chess, though still relatively young, had already begun its march forward to the place it occupies in modern society.

From the age of nine, when his father taught him the moves, chess was Anderssen's major interest. Breslau, where he was born on July 6, 1818, was one of the most flourishing centers in Germany, the most vital chess stimulant of the last century. The local worthies were no great masters, but they were tough competitive.  And visiting celebrities -- Bledow, von der Lasa, Mayet, Loewenthal, among others -- were frequent. 

Anderssen first became prominent as a problem composer. In 1842, a collection of his problems was published, although he was scarcely known as a player at that time. Those were the days before international tournaments, and reputations were not easy to establish. Anderssen rose to fame by challenging and beating everybody and anybody he could lay hands on. By 1846, when chess magazines were first issued in Germany, he was a contributing editor to the Deutsche Schachzeitung and one of the leading masters in the country; by 1851, he was recognized as the best. Since the days of Philidor, French and English players had dominated the chess world. Then came London 1851, the beginning of modern chess. An international chess congress in conjunction with the exposition was held in London that year. Anderssen won first prize in splendid style and he was universally acclaimed as the world's leading master. Though the title was not in use, he undoubtedly was the first world champion in modern times. 

From 1851 to his death on March 13, 1878, Anderssen played chess whenever and wherever he could get a chance.  Though he lost to his two great rivals, Morphy (in 1858) and Steinitz (in 1866), to the end of his days, Anderssen remained one of the two or three best in the world.

Cf. Chess Review, December 1944, from the Clippings in Paul Little's Chess Scrapbooks, (Box I, v.2.)

Marshall (left) playing Tarrasch at Nuremberg

("Photo was a  reproduction of postcard sent by Marshall to his wife" -- original note from

Paul Little's chess scrapbook.)

Frank James Marshall was born at 8th Avenue and 50th Street, New York, on August 10, 1877. His father, Alfred Marshall, was born in England and his mother was of Scotch-Irish descent. When Frank was eight years old, the Marshall family moved to Montreal, where they lived for 11 years. At the age of 10, he began to play chess with his father, who was a fairly strong amateur. The father introduced his son to the players at the Hope Coffee House, but in a few months the youngster was able to beat all the coffeehouse players with ease. 

Frank then joined the Montreal Chess Club and quickly established a reputation among the leading players of Montreal. The members of the club were astonished by his deep insight into the game and his ability to find powerful, attacking moves. From the very first, Frank Marshall was an extremely aggressive player. In 1895, he won the champion- ship of the club. In 1896, he and his family returned to New York.

Marshall immediately joined the Manhattan and Brooklyn Chess Clubs and soon became one of the leading players in metropolitan chess circles. In 1897, he won the junior championship of New York Chess Association -- a considerable feat for a lad of 19. Finally, in 1899, he won the championship of the Brooklyn Chess Club.
Marshall's international career began soon after he won the Brooklyn Club title. In the 1900 International Masters Tournament, he met the leading masters of the world for the first time. He did not win the tournament, but he tied with Maroczy for 3rd and 4th prizes and defeated both Lasker and Pillsbury in his individual games with these titans of chess. In 1904, Marshall divided first prize with Zwiderski at Monte Carlo. Then he won first prize without the loss of a single game in the international tournament at Cambridge Springs, Pa. A tournament was arranged at St. Louis, Mo., and when Pillsbury (who died in 1906) decided that he was too ill to compete, the tournament committee announced that the winner would be recognized as U. S. Chess Champion. Marshall won the event and was presented with a medal inscribed "Frank J. Marshall, champion." But Marshall did not officially accept the title until 1909, when he won a match with Jackson W. Showalter, the champion before Pillsbury. He died in Jersey City, New Jersey, on November 9, 1944.

Cf. Chess Review, December, 1944, from the Clippings in Paul Little's Chess Scrapbooks (Box I, v.2.)