Legall de Kermeur

François Antoine de Legall, Sire de Kermeur ( born September 4, 1702 Versailles, † 1792 probably in Paris) was a French chess player. He was the chess teachers of Philidor and after this the strongest French masters of the 18th century.

Name and origin

Legall came from a Breton noble family. For the names can be found in the literature spelling variations such as Legal or Légal or Legalle or Kermur and Kermuy. In the list of subscribers to the second (1777 published ) edition of the textbook of Philidor we find the form of the name " De Kermur Sire de Legalle ".

His father was, according to Ken Whylds of General René François ( de ) Legall ( 1652-1724 ). This is mentioned in the sources primarily due to its achievements in the War of Spanish Succession. The chess player, the elder of two sons, should reach a similarly high age as his mother, whose name was before she married Françoise -Marie de Saint- Clair Vitart. She was still alive in 1775 when then 88 -year-old; therefore it would have been fifteen years old, at birth Legalls.

Chess career

The French encyclopedist Denis Diderot described in his work Rameau's Nephew Légal (sic) as a permanent guest at the famous Café de la Regence. Legall is to be regarded as the first professional chess player who played in the Café de la Regence to wagers, and this decades- long into old age. In this case, the difference in skill level between the professional player and his game opponent was offset by corresponding specifications (Bauer and train, light figure, tower, etc.).

Since 1741 was Legall teacher of François -André Philidor Danican, the most important chess masters of the 18th century. After three years already to him Philidor defeated. The last match between the two rivals took place according to tradition, in 1755; it underlined again the superiority of the former student. In the following decades Legall claimed the second position behind Philidor, who later became his focus moved to London. About his relationship with the younger generation to Verdoni Parisian master, whose advent he experienced since the 1770s, is not known.

In the history of chess Legall is specifically addressed as the creator of Seekadettenmatts, which is usually referred to outside of Germany as Legalls Matt. Apart from this, no other game has been preserved by him.