London classics

This year’s London Classic tournament, organised by the indefatigable Malcolm Pein, who also heads up the charity Chess in Schools and Communities, is composed of several sections. The main group is graced by the presence of numerous elite international and British grandmasters, notably Viswanathan Anand, fresh from his title defence against Magnus Carlsen. All the action can be followed on www.londonchessclassic.com.
 
This week I pay tribute to historical chess events in the capital, starting with a victory from the London tournament of 1851, the first ever major international chess tournament, by the celebrated historian Henry Buckle. In fact Buckle had been the winner of an earlier event held in 1849 at what was to become Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, the traditional home of London chess. That 1849 tournament was, though, a purely national competition.
 
Buckle-Lowenthal: London 1851; Bird’s Opening
 
1 f4 f5 2 b3 Nf6 3 g3 The double fianchetto of White’s bishops was quite common in the mid-19th century, partly under the influence of Howard Staunton.