Charles Henry Stanley


Charles Henry Stanley was the first chess champion of the United States. When the first U.S. championship match took place in 1845, Stanley defeated Eugène Rousseau of New Orleans, and claimed the title.

Chess career

Stanley was an Englishman who emigrated from London to New York in 1845 to work in the British Consulate, and his English ideas had a great influence on American chess.
One of his ideas was to have a regular newspaper column devoted to chess, which he started in 1845 in The Spirit of the Times. He also started the American Chess Magazine in 1846, but others copied the idea, and competition forced the magazine out of business.
In 1846 he published the first US book on a chess match, 31 Games of Chess and in 1855 organized the first World Problem Tournament.
Stanley is a little-known figure who has been eclipsed by the achievements of the world famous Paul Morphy. He had some matches against Benjamin Raphael, the results of which are unknown. He played Morphy in 1857, losing the title of U.S. Chess Champion to his far superior opponent.
He was married, and had a daughter, Pauline, who was named after Morphy.

Death and legacy

Stanley died in 1901. He was one of the participants in the 1st American Chess Congress played in 1857.