2018-19 Season matches

Staunton was recognised as the strongest player of his era after overcoming French rival Saint-Amant in 1843 in what is now widely regarded as the unofficial first World Championship.

He organised and promoted the great London tournament of 1851 hosted at Simpsons in the Strand . This event established England as the world's leading chess centre and the German Adolf Anderssen as his successor as the strongest player. Staunton was rather ungracious at Anderssen's unexpected success and effectively retired from top level chess. His sour humour was summed up in his writing:

'Chess never was, and while society exists, never can be a profession. It may to a great extent strengthen the mind of the professional man, but it must never become the object of his life. It is because its true character has been lost sight of by the zealous or the mercenary, that victory at any cost has become a more important object than the advancement of the science.'

Staunton understood positional play far better than his contemporaries, gave his name to the Staunton Gambit (1.d4 f5 2.e4) and often deployed 1.c4 leading to it being titled the English Opening.