Samuel Rosenthal: Difference between revisions

Samuel Rosenthal (7 September, 1837, Suwałki, Poland – 12 September, 1902, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France) was a Polish-born French chess master.

He became a law student and moved from Warsaw to Paris, during the Polish revolution in 1864, after the failure of the January Uprising. He settled in Paris as a chess professional and writer. In 1864, he lost a match to Ignatz von Kolisch (+1 –7 =0) in Paris. Rosenthal won the Café de la Régence championship in 1865, 1866, and 1867 in Paris, and became the strongest French chess player. In 1867, he took 9th in Paris (von Kolisch won), and lost a match to Gustav Neumann (+0 –5 =6) in Paris. In 1869, he lost two matches to Neumann (+1 –3 =1) and (+2 –4 =1). In July 1870, he tied for 8-9th in Baden-Baden. The event was won by Adolf Anderssen.

Because of the Franco Prussian War of 1870–71, Rosenthal went to London. In 1870/71, he won a match against John Wisker (+3 –2 =4).

In July–August 1873, Rosenthal took 4th, behind Wilhelm Steinitz, Joseph Henry Blackburne, and Anderssen, in Vienna. In 1878, he tied for 7-8th in Paris (Johannes Zukertort and Szymon Winawer won). In 1880, he won in Paris (ahead of Clerc and de Rivière). In 1880, he lost a match against Zukertort (+1 –7 =11) in London. In 1883, he took 8th in London (Zukertort won). In 1887, he tied for 5-7th in Frankfurt am Main (5th DSB–Congress, Hauptturnier, elim.).

His results were affected by his journalistic activities and bad health.

From 1885 to 1902, he edited a chess column for the La Monde Illustré, and also wrote for La Strategie, La Vie Moderne, and other French newspapers.

In 1898, he successfully sued one of his chess students, Prince Balaschoff, when his contract was terminated. The First Chamber of the Civil Tribunal (première chambre civile) at Paris awarded Rosenthal 15,000 francs. The Prince had been paying Rosenthal 500 francs a month, and 1,000 francs when Rosenthal accompanied the Prince in travel.

Notable chess games

• Cecil De Vere vs Samuel Rosenthal, Paris 1867, English Opening, King's English Variation, A20, 0-1
• Adolf Anderssen vs Samuel Rosenthal, Baden–Baden 1870, Italian Game, Evans Gambit, C51, 0-1
• Joseph Henry Blackburne vs Samuel Rosenthal, Queen's Gambit Accepted, Traditional System, Vienna 1873, D37, 0-1
• Samuel Rosenthal vs Henry Bird, Paris 1878, French Defense, C00, 1-0
• Wilhelm Steinitz vs Samuel Rosenthal, London 1883, Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, C65, 0-1
• Szymon Winawer vs Samuel Rosenthal, London 1883, Bishop's Opening, Boi Variation, C23, 0-1

References

• Rosenthal, Herman; Porter, A. (1901–1906), "Rosenthal, Samuel", in Singer, Isidore (ed.), Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 10, p. 481 {{citation}}: External link in |contribution= (help)

External links

• Samuel Rosenthal player profile and games at Chessgames.com