William Davies Evans

William Davies Evans ( * January 27, 1790 near Pembroke; † August 3, 1872 in Ostend) was a Welsh sailor and chess player and inventor of the Evans Gambit.

He went to sea at age 14 and served from about 1815 Post vessels. Four years later he was promoted to captain.

The game of chess, he learned only after 28 years from a ship's officer. By 1824, he developed the later. Named after him Gambit, which he exhibited in London in 1826, among others Alexander McDonnell, who was at that time the world's best players and the Evans Gambit later often anwandte 1838 Evans played several games against Howard Staunton. Staunton also mentions him several times in his Chess -player 's Handbook (1847 ) and describes his gambit as " witty and interesting " ( ingenious and interesting ).

In January 1840 Evans was forced to retire due to his poor health condition, but then spent two years as a captain in the Mediterranean. He made himself a name as an inventor of three colored lights ship to avoid nighttime collisions at sea. Although he received a large sum of money and the Russian Czar a gold watch in recognition of the British government, Evans eventually died impoverished in Ostend. Shortly before his death was still called by English chess players for donations for him. His wife, Marie Thérèse Duncan Evans survived him by several years.