Tragic Life and Short Chess Career of James A. Leonard - Hilbert

The Tragic Life and Short Chess Career of James A. Leonard by John S. Hibbert (Hardback)Paperback , 223 pagesAbout the BookThe Civil War affected the entire American landscape in ways not always fully considered. It determined the political future of a nation—but also its scientific and cultural development. The war cost America many of its best and brightest in every realm. James A. Leonard was one such loss: a brilliant up-and-coming chess player in 1861–62 before he made the decision to serve his country during wartime.Born November 6, 1841, Leonard was the son of a poor Irish immigrant—but even a poor child could play the game of kings. He grew up in a time when interest in chess was experiencing a revival, and contemporaries such as Paul Morphy, Eugene Delmar and Leonard’s mentor Philip Richardson captured much interest. Leonard defeated a number of the country’s best players and was widely viewed as the “New Morphy.”This biography discusses what is known of Leonard’s life but