The Blue Book of Chess

Howard Staunton (1810-1874) was an English chess master who is generally regarded as the world's strongest player from 1843 to 1851, largely as a result of his 1843 victory over Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint-Amant. His chess articles and books were widely read and encouraged the development of chess in the United Kingdom, and his Chess-Player's Handbook was a reference for decades.