James Mason (chess player)

James Mason ( born November 19, 1849 in Kilkenny, † January 15, 1905 in Rochdale, Essex ) was a major Irish- American chess player of the 19th century.

Mason was an orphan boy ( Mason was his adopted name, his real name is not known ), the adopted an Irish family and moved with him in 1861 in the USA, where he also learned to play chess. He was active as a journalist for the New York Herald.

In 1876 he won the fourth U.S. Chess Congress, the New York Clipper Tournament, defeating then, again arrived in Europe, Henry E. Bird in a contest with the result of 13:6 ( 11, -6, = 4).

In 1878 he settled in England and moved his purchase intentions in the first place to play chess. In 1882 he was third in the major international tournament in Vienna. In Nuremberg In 1883 he was also third in Hamburg in 1885 he came to the split second.

The second variant ... e5xf4 3.Sb1 - c3 Qd8 - h4 4.Ke1 - e2 of the King Gambit is called Mason Gambit.

Mason, of the rumor says that he should have been addicted to alcohol and not used his enormous chess potential for this reason, wrote a series of chess books that were of great importance:

• The Principles of Chess in Theory and Practice (1893 )
• The Art of Chess (1895 )
• Chess Openings (1897 )
• Social Chess (1900)