Philidor Chess Set - Rosewood - 4" King

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World Champion Commemorative Series - Francois-Andre Danican Philidor Wood Chess Set - Rosewood

This Commemorative set was developed to honor Francois-Andre Danican Philidor. A classical wood chess set that is a touch flamboyant. It all starts with a Massive king with dominating finneal. The Knights are exquisitely detailed all the way down to the bridle. This set has very attractive bishops. The hand turned chess pieces are crafted out of the finest Rosewood available.



Philidor started playing regularly around 1740 at the chess Mecca of France, the Cafe de la Regence. The best player in France at the time, Legall de Kermeur, taught him. At first, Legall could give Philidor rook odds, a handicap in which the stronger player starts without one of his rooks, but in only three years, Philidor was his equal, and then surpassed him. Philidor visited England in 1747 and decisively beat the Syrian Phillip Stamma in a match +8 =1 -1, despite the fact Philidor let Stamma have white in every game.

Philidor astounded his peers by playing three blindfold chess games simultaneously in the chess club of St. James Street in London on 9 May 1783. Philidor let all three opponents play white, and gave up a pawn for the third player. Some affidavits were signed, because those persons who were involved doubted that future generations would believe that such a feat was possible. Now three simultaneous games would be fairly unremarkable among many chess masters (though three simultaneous blindfold games is another matter). Even when he was in his late years, when he was 67 years old (1793), he played two blindfold games simultaneously in London, and he won.

In 1749, Philidor published his famous book Analyse du jeu des echecs. It was such an advance in chess knowledge that by 1871, it had gone through about 70 editions, and had been translated into English, German and Italian. In the book he analyzed nine different types of game openings. Most of the openings of Philidor are designed to strengthen and establish a strong defensive center using pawns. He is the first one to realize the new role of the pawn in the chess game; and his most famous advice was the saying "The pawns are the soul of chess". It was said that the reason why Philidor emphasized the pawns in the chess game was related to the political background during the eighteenth century of France, and that he regarded pawns as the "Third rank" on the chess board (citizens were regarded as the third rank of the society before the French Revolution started in 1789). He also included analysis of certain positions of rook and bishop versus rook, such analysis being still current theory even today (see pawnless chess endgames). He is most famous for showing an important drawing technique with a rook and pawn versus rook endgame, in a position known as the Philidor position. The Philidor Defense (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6) is named for him.

This set looks best on our Exclusive Monaco Series Blood Rosewood 2.25" Chess Board.

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Reg price: $569.00
Sale price: $379.00
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