Cecil Valentine De Vere

Cecil De Vere ( born February 14, 1845 in Montrose as Cecil Valentine Brown, † February 9, 1875 in Torquay ) was a British chess master.

He was probably born in 1845 as an illegitimate child in Montrose in the county of Angus in Scotland, but possibly also in Stirling. A birth certificate was never found, his father is unknown. Since he changed his name after reaching the age of majority in Cecil De Vere, has been speculated that this was the family name of his father. At a young age he came to London and learned at age twelve under the guidance of Francis Burden play chess. As a result, he regularly visited the Chess Cafe Simpson's Divan in London. Here he became friends with the chess master and chess writer George Alcock MacDonnell (1830-1899), with whose help he was able to increase his skill level.

He caused a sensation in December 1865 gained a duel against Wilhelm Steinitz (7:3 with two drawn games ). However, Steinitz had underestimated the young champion and set a pawn and a train in every game. Steinitz compared his talent then with the young Paul Morphy. A competition scratch in June 1866 but won Steinitz 2-0 at two drawn games.

In the same year the first English Championship was held in London. De Vere won it in convincing style (twelve wins, no loss game ) before Macdonnell and so was the first official British champion. In 1867 he played his first international tournament in Paris and was doing fifth.

His living he earned as a clerk at Lloyd's. The end of 1867 De Vere learned that he was terminally ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. A year earlier, his mother had died. This not coped with De Vere. He became depressed and got addicted to alcohol. He announced at Lloyd's and went to live by the maternal heritage and gain rewards from the game of chess.

Twice he won the British Championship nor shared first rank: 1868/1869 with Joseph Henry Blackburne, 1872 with John Wisker ( 1846-1884 ), but he lost both tie-breaks.

In 1870 he succeeded in the tournament in Baden -Baden for some spectacular wins, he finished second in the strong tournament on the 6th - 7th Place.

For the London newspaper The Field, he oversaw a chess column, but had to abandon it in 1872 for health reasons. His successor in this position was Steinitz. In February 1874, he played in the City of London Chess Club still a competition with Johannes Hermann Zukertort, which he lost 1-2.

In a recuperative break in Torquay, he died in 1875 and received a pauper's funeral.

Since De Vere not penetrated because of his tragic life course up to the best in the world, he came to posterity almost forgotten.

Pictures of Cecil Valentine De Vere

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