You are here: Home Archives Player Biographies Alexander McDonnell

Summary
De la Bourdonnais versus McDonnell, 1834
The Eighty-Five Games of Their Six Chess Matches. Louis Charles Mahé de la Bourdonnais and Alexander McDonnell played six chess matches in 1834. Biographies of the combatants illuminate their place in the game’s history, and their historic venue is examined. The 85 games are analyzed using modern theory; there are numerous diagrams and previously published commentary. The merits of the openings, middle- and endgame maneuvers of the two are weighed. Nine appendices present selected games against other opponents; excerpt a contemporary account of the games’ ambience; provide other interesting documents; present statistics; and provide a schematic of mistakes made by both contestants. Bibliography, notes, indexes.
James O'Fee's Article
The following article was kindly contributed by James O'Fee of Bangor, Co. Down, in 1997
Biography on Wikipedia
Alexander McDonnell (1798-1835) was an Irish chess master, who contested a series of six matches with the world’s leading player Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais in the summer of 1834. It was the first match of any importance in the history of chess and is still referred to today as the World Championship of 1834.
The Greatest British Chess Player
Article on McDonnell in the Northern Whig 14th May 1914
Selection of Games
This record of the games of the Belfast born player Alexander McDonnell was originally published in 1836, shortly after his death in 1835. It was intended as a memorial to his skill as a player and includesa large number of games played at odds as well as his match games against de la Bourdonnais. As the book is a facsimile reprint of the original it is in very old style descriptive notation (Q.B. to K. third etc).
News
June 2023 FIDE rating report By Brendan Jamison, FIDE National Arbiter Jun 01, 2023
Strand Summer U1800 Classic - Results May 30, 2023
Annual General Meeting Announcement This year's AGM will be hosted by Fruithill Chess Club, Monday 19th June, time 7:30pm. May 18, 2023
The final Childrens Chess afternoon took place on April 1st 2023 Methodist College hosted the 5th Childrens Chess this School year. With top young chess players having an afternoon of c... May 08, 2023
We had one of our largest Childrens Chess tournaments in March 2023 With some 45 youngsters we had a fantastic afternoon of chess at Methodist College on Saturday 11th March. With 6 rounds... May 07, 2023
More news…
« June 2023 »
June
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930
Upcoming Events
AGM 2022/2023 This year's event has been confirmed to be hosted by Fruithill Chess Club Monday 19th June (time TBC). You must be a ful... Jun 19, 2023 07:30 PM - 09:30 PM — Falls Bowling Club, 63 Andersonstown Road
FIDE Rated Ulster Championships 2023 Aug 26, 2023 - Aug 28, 2023 — Elmwood Hall, Queen’s University Belfast, Elmwood Mews, Belfast BT9 6BD
FIDE Rated City of Bangor Autumn Blitz Championship 2023 Sep 14, 2023 07:30 PM - 10:15 PM — Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, BT19 6JR, Northern Ireland
FIDE Rated City of Bangor Congress 2023 Sep 23, 2023 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM — Church of Ireland Parish Hall, 30 Main Street, Groomsport, County Down, BT19 6JR, Northern Ireland
U1800 Greenisland FIDE Classic Oct 01, 2023 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM — Greenisland FC Chess
Upcoming events…