Gustav Neumann

Gustav Richard Ludwig Neumann ( * December 15, 1838 in Gliwice, † February 16, 1881 in Allenberg, Circle Wehlau / East Prussia ) was a German chess player.

Life and career as a chess player

Neumann came in Silesia Gliwice as the son of a printer in 1838 to the world. His family allowed him to study physics and chemistry in Berlin, but he devoted himself, hardly arrived in Berlin, almost exclusively to the game of chess. Gustav Neumann, today almost a forgotten figure in his day was one of the strongest and most famous chess champion. In his Berlin period, the 1860s, he measured himself against the best German players. Adolf Anderssen accepted him during his annual visits to Berlin like as an opponent. In 1865, he won the tournament of the Berlin Chess Club with the result of 34, -0, = 0 In the same year he won the West German Chess Congress in Elberfeld with the same result: He also won all the games.

His first international tournament played Neumann in Paris in 1867 ( 4th place) and was since then as one of the best players in Europe. That same year, Neumann won the Scottish city of Dundee (second was Wilhelm Steinitz ). Neumann took over in Berlin in 1864, the editors of the New Berlin chess newspaper and participated actively in journalistic field. His published in the following years, chess books were extremely popular and were translated into many languages.

In 1869 he decided to move to Paris, there to complete his studies. But for this it should not come. Neumann suffered a nervous breakdown in December 1869 and was admitted to a Paris mental hospital. In March 1870 he succeeded, thanks to the help of friends who return to Germany, but remained the nerve disease, and until the end of his life he still stood before a lot of pain and hospital stays. But he continued to take, as far as his illness allowed him this, at chess tournaments: In 1870, he was in Baden -Baden third parties ( he defeated Adolf Anderssen 2-0). His last tournament he played in 1872 in Altona, where he won the second prize. The disease has now been overpowering, and he had to give up playing chess. He died only 42 years old, 1881 in Allenberg.

Gustav Neumann's historical highest Elo rating was 2742nd This he reached in October 1867. From December 1868 to May 1870 he was ranked one of the subsequently calculated world rankings.

Proposal for a draw rule

In the tournament to Baden-Baden in 1870 Neumann lost in the 10.Runde with the white pieces an "eternal lot" which lasted for 124 trains over 12 hours. His opponent Wilhelm Steinitz made ​​use of it from 19 to 29.Zug and from 34 to 40.Zug and from 87 to 101.Zug a constant repetition of moves. Neumann expressed later in the "German chess magazine " as follows to: "(...) so I bring, to avoid repeatedly in Baden tournament occurring case in the proposal that after three repetitions of the same train from both sides, each player has the right, the game as a draw stop. " In a slightly modified form of this rule was a draw later in the tournament chess usual by repetition and is maintained until today.

Works

• The latest theory and practice of chess since the chess congresses to New- York i J. 1857, Julius Springer, Berlin, 1865 ( with Berthold wallow )
• Guide for beginners in chess, Julius Springer, Berlin 1865 ( further editions in 1874 and 1879, Last edited by Antonius van der Linde )
• A. Anderssen's chess Lots (sic) from the years 1864 and 1865, Julius Springer, Berlin, 1866
• The game of chess and its variants, Julius Springer, Berlin 1867