Bird, Henry




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1847  45  2331 (63) 16
1848  47  2335 (60) 0
1849  54  2339 (51) 14
1850  43  2382 (47) 28
1851  40  2408 (41) 46
1852  35  2416 (55) 0
1853  35  2425 (62) 0
1854  27  2434 (64) 0
1855  20  2442 (63) 0
1856  19  2451 (57) 3
1857  22  2460 (51) 14
1858  24  2472 (50) 14
1859  17  2489 (50) 9
1860  17  2499 (54) 3
1861  19  2506 (55) 0
1862  18  2513 (51) 16
1863  19  2507 (56) 0
1864  18  2500 (56) 0
1865  16  2493 (51) 7
1866  19  2479 (46) 25
1867  24  2465 (54) 0
1868  28  2451 (56) 0
1869  34  2437 (52) 10
1870  32  2441 (55) 0
1871  30  2445 (52) 6
1872  24  2471 (48) 0
1873  20  2497 (33) 86
1874  17  2505 (35) 24
1875  13  2520 (30) 103
1876  16  2503 (28) 206
1877  12  2514 (42) 0
1878  12  2526 (38) 24
1879  12  2521 (40) 21
1880  13  2530 (40) 27
1881  14  2528 (42) 6
1882  20  2503 (34) 40
1883  23  2506 (31) 50
1884  30  2488 (38) 6
1885  27  2502 (31) 51
1886  30  2479 (30) 55
1887  43  2450 (34) 22
1888  43  2448 (30) 47
1889  30  2463 (24) 108
1890  31  2467 (30) 48
1891  50  2425 (36) 18
1892  77  2382 (33) 47
1893  119  2325 (38) 20
1894  112  2330 (44) 3
1895  100  2345 (40) 21
1896  155  2293 (43) 12
1897  145  2292 (46) 13
1898  151  2292 (52) 0
1899  155  2292 (50) 26

Rating table notes

Biographical data
Name: Bird, Henry Edward  
Born: 14 July 1829
Died: 11 Apr. 1908
 
Notes:
Reichhelm gives year of birth as 1831. Sergeant, Feenstra Kuiper, Gaige, Golombek, Hooper and Whyld, Forster, and Cornil give date of birth as 14-07-1830. Harding makes a convincing case that it was actually 14-07-1829, from baptismal records. Staunton gives his name as 'J.H.S. Bird' in the Mar. 1849 issue of the Chess Player's Chronicle (p.66), clearly an error.
 
References
Books
   Bird, Chess History and Reminiscences
   Cornil, Le Café de la Régence, page 8, 241
   Edgar, Liverpool Chess Club, page 7
   Feenstra Kuiper, 100 Jahre Schachturniere, page 11, 249, 300
   Feenstra Kuiper, 100 Jahre Schachzweikämpfe, page 65, 75, 122
   Fiske, First American Chess Congress, page 8, 29, 42
   Forster, Amos Burn, page 200, 954
   Gaige, Chess Personalia, page 39
   Gilberg, Fifth American Chess Congress, page 107
   Golombek, Golombek's Encyclopedia, page 29
   Harding, Eminent Victorian Chess Players, page 108, 315, 364
   Harding, Joseph Henry Blackburne, page 154, 466
   Harding, Steinitz in London, page 37, 79
Periodicals
   [BLL], 8 July 1849, page 5
   [CPC], vol. 9, no. 9, Sep. 1848, page 272
   [CPC], vol. 10, no. 3, Mar. 1849, page 66
   [CPC], vol. 10, no. 6, June 1849, page 174
   [SZ], vol. 6, no. 6, June 1851, page 234
   [WP], vol. 1, no. 10, Jan. 1869, page 110
Web
   Sarah.  [Paul Morphy's Contenders]
   Sericano, C.  [Maestri di scacchi dell'800]
   Spinrad, Jeremy P.  [Early World Rankings], page 7
   Winter, Edward.  [CN 5376. H.E. Bird in America]

Match data  (f=formal; c=casual; s=soft)

Buckle, H.T. - Bird, H.E. 1847         (c)     9   -   7      Buckle, H.T. gave odds of pawn and move
Medley, G.W. - Bird, H.E. 1849         (f)     7   -   4
Bird, H.E. - Hughes, H. 1850 (1)         (s)     0   -   1      Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
Bird, H.E. - Hughes, H. 1850 (2)         (s)     2   -   0      Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
Bird, H.E. - Smith, C.F. 1850         (f)     10.5   -   3.5
Bird, H.E. - Lowe, E. 1850         (f)     7   -   4
Kieseritzky, L.A.B.F. - Bird, H.E. 1851         (c)     8   -   2
Horwitz, B. - Bird, H.E. 1851         (f)     9   -   5
Anderssen (offhand) - Bird, H.E. 1851         (c)     9   -   9
Bird, H.E. - Falkbeer, E.K. 1856         (f)     2   -   1
Falkbeer, E.K. - Bird, H.E. 1857         (f)     7.5   -   6.5
Morphy, P.C. - Bird, H.E. 1858         (c)     10.5   -   1.5
Harrwitz, D. - Bird, H.E. 1859         (c)     2.5   -   2.5
Steinitz, W. - Bird, H.E. 1862         (c)     8   -   8
Bird, H.E. - Mackenzie, G.H. 1865         (c)     4   -   3
Anderssen (offhand) - Bird, H.E. 1866         (c)     1   -   0
Steinitz, W. - Bird, H.E. 1866         (f)     9.5   -   7.5
Bird, H.E. - Wisker, J. 1873 (1)         (f)     7   -   7
Bird, H.E. - Wisker, J. 1873 (2)         (f)     7.5   -   5.5
Bird, H.E. - Baucher, H. 1873         (c)     0.5   -   0.5
Bird, H.E. - Wisker, J. 1873 (3)         (f)     9.5   -   11.5
Bird, H.E. - Gossip, G.H.D. 1873         (c)     8   -   5
Bird, H.E. - Wisker, J. 1874         (f)     5.5   -   3.5
Bird, H.E. - Lord, J. 1874         (f)     7.5   -   2.5
Bird, H.E. - Rice, B.C. 1875 (1)         (s)     2   -   1
Bird, H.E. - Perrin, F. 1875         (c)     3   -   0
Mackenzie, G.H. - Bird, H.E. 1875         (c)     2   -   1
Bird, H.E. - Rice, B.C. 1875 (2)         (c)     2   -   2
Bird, H.E. - Alberoni, E. 1875         (c)     20.5   -   19.5
Bird, H.E. - Alexander, J.F. 1875         (c)     3   -   2
Bird, H.E. - Mason, Ja. 1875         (c)     15   -   3
Bird, H.E. - Delmar, E. (1) 1875         (c)     9   -   6
Mason, Ja. - Bird, H.E. 1876 (1)         (f)     13   -   6
Bird, H.E. - Barbour, L.D. 1876         (c)     6.5   -   4.5
Bird, H.E. - Davidson, H. (1) 1876         (c)     3   -   6
Bird, H.E. - Elson, J. 1876         (c)     6   -   1
Bird, H.E. - Martinez, D.M. 1876         (c)     25   -   22
Bird, H.E. - Neill, B.M. 1876         (c)     0   -   2
Bird, H.E. - Roberts, A. 1876         (c)     1   -   1
Bird, H.E. - Frankenthal 1876         (c)     6   -   6
Bird, H.E. - Ryan, J.S. 1876         (c)     6   -   1
Mason, Ja. - Bird, H.E. 1876 (2)         (c)     4   -   6
Bird, H.E. - Alberoni, E. 1876         (c)     7   -   0
Bird, H.E. - Ensor, A.W. 1876         (c)     12   -   2
Jacobsen, J.L. - Bird, H.E. 1879         (c)     4.5   -   2.5
Bird, H.E. - Blackburne, J.H. 1879         (f)     2.5   -   5.5
Bird, H.E. - Blackburne, J.H. 1880         (f)     1.5   -   0.5
Bird, H.E. - Maczuski, A.L. 1881         (f)     5.5   -   0.5
Bird, H.E. - Maczuski, A.L. 1882         (f)     7.5   -   4.5
Bird, H.E. - Skipworth, A.B. 1885         (f)     5   -   2
Bird, H.E. - Burn, A. 1886         (f)     9   -   9
Gunsberg, I.A. - Bird, H.E. 1886         (f)     6.5   -   2.5
Bird, H.E. - Shipley, W.P. 1887         (s)     2   -   1
Blackburne, J.H. - Bird, H.E. 1888         (f)     4   -   1
Bird, H.E. - Blackburne, J.H. 1889         (f)     0.5   -   0.5
Bird, H.E. - Shipley, W.P. 1889         (f)     5.5   -   3.5
Bird, H.E. - Elson, J. 1889         (c)     0.5   -   0.5
Bird, H.E. - Martinez, C.S. 1889         (c)     6   -   6
Bird, H.E. - Newman, C.J. 1889         (c)     3   -   4
Bird, H.E. - Priester, A. 1889         (c)     4   -   0
Bird, H.E. - Robinson, A.K. 1889         (c)     5.5   -   4.5
Bird, H.E. - Young, J.W. (1) 1889         (c)     5   -   1
Gunsberg, I.A. - Bird, H.E. 1889         (f)     3   -   2
Lasker, Em. - Bird, H.E. 1890         (f)     8.5   -   3.5
Bird, H.E. - Loman, R.J. 1892         (f)     4   -   2
Lasker, Em. - Bird, H.E. 1892         (f)     5   -   0
Bird, H.E. - Heywood, G.C. 1892 (1)         (f)     2   -   1
Bird, H.E. - Heywood, G.C. 1892 (2)         (f)     1.5   -   1.5      Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and move
Bird, H.E. - Heywood, G.C. 1892 (3)         (f)     0.5   -   1.5      Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
Bird, H.E. - Jasnogrodsky, N. 1893         (f)     7.5   -   7.5
Lee, F.J. - Bird, H.E. 1897         (f)     8   -   5

Tournament data

London, England 1849     Ries' Divan tournament    
  Bird, H.E. - Medley, G.W.     1 - 2    
London, England 1851 (1)     The International Chess Tournament    
  Bird, H.E. - Horwitz, B.     1.5 - 2.5    
Birmingham and London, England 1858     2nd British Chess Association Congress    
  Bird, H.E. - Brien, R.B.     1 - 1    
London, England 1859 (2)     Purssell's Chess Rooms Handicap    
  Bird, H.E. - Falkbeer, E.K.     1.5 - 2.5    
London, England 1860 (2)     St. James's Club Handicap Tournament    
  Bird, H.E. - Burden, F.     1 - 0          Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and move
  Bird, H.E. - Puller, A.G.     1 - 0          Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight
  Bird, H.E. - Lowenthal, J.J.     0 - 1    
London, England 1866 (1)     1st British Chess Association Challenge Cup     1  /  7
London, England 1869 (3)     2nd British Chess Association Challenge Cup     4  /  10
London, England 1871 (1)     City of London Club Handicap - Section 1    
  Bird, H.E. - Huckvale, J.A.     2 - 1          Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and move
  Bird, H.E. - Parr, G.     1 - 2          Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight
Vienna 1873     Vienna International Tournament     14.5  /  24
London, England 1874 (4)     City of London Club Handicap    
  Bird, H.E. - de Vere, C.V.     1 - 2    
  Bird, H.E. - Pfahl, J.     0 - 1          Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
London, England 1874 (9)     City of London Club - Bermondsey Club Match    
  Bird, H.E. - Watts, J.J.     0 - 1          Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight
London, England 1875 (7)     City of London Club Handicap    
  Bird, H.E. - Heinke (2)     1 - 0          Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight
  Bird, H.E. - Huckvale, J.A.     2.5 - 1.5          Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
  Bird, H.E. - Eschwege, H.     2.5 - 1.5          Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
  Bird, H.E. - Stow, A.T.     0 - 2          Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight
Glasgow 1875 (3)     6th Counties Chess Association Meeting - Handicap Tournament    
  Bird, H.E. - Blackburne, J.H.     0 - 1    
New York 1876 (1)     Cafe International Tournament     20.5  /  28
Philadelphia 1876     4th American Chess Congress     8.5  /  14
New York 1876 (2)     Clipper Tournament     15  /  17
Paris 1878     Paris International Chess Congress     13  /  22
  Bird, H.E. - Mackenzie, G.H.     0 - 2    
London, England 1879 (1)     Lowenthal Tourney, 1st Class     2  /  3
London, England 1879 (2)     City of London Club Handicap    
  Bird, H.E. - Heppell, J.T.     1 - 2          Bird, H.E. gave odds of a rook
Wiesbaden 1880 (1)     Wiesbaden Meisterturnier     9  /  15
Gouda 1880     8th Netherland Chess Federation Tourney     9.5  /  10
Vienna 1882 (2)     Vienna International Tournament     11  /  28
London, England 1883 (5)     London Tournament     14.5  /  32
Nuremberg 1883 (5)     3rd German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     10.5  /  18
Bath 1884 (2)     14th Counties Chess Association Meeting - Class I, Division 1     3.5  /  6
London, England 1885 (9)     British Chess Association Tournament     12  /  15
Hamburg 1885 (6)     4th German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     8  /  17
Hereford 1885 (7)     15th Counties Chess Association Meeting - Master Tournament     7.5  /  10
  Bird, H.E. - Schallopp, E.     1 - 1    
London, England 1886 (2)     British Chess Club Master Tourney     5  /  7
London, England 1886 (5)     2nd British Chess Association Congress - Master Tourney     2.5  /  12
Nottingham 1886 (7)     Counties Chess Association - International Masters' Tournament     5.5  /  9
Stamford 1887 (1)     Counties Chess Association Meeting - Class I, Division I     3  /  6
Stamford 1887 (3)     Counties Chess Association Meeting - Handicap Tournament    
  Bird, H.E. - Wilson, Jos.     1 - 0          Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
  Bird, H.E. - Thorold, Ms. E.M.     1 - 0          Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves
  Bird, H.E. - Mills, D.Y.     1 - 0          Bird, H.E. gave odds of the move
  Bird, H.E. - Pollock, W.H.K.     1 - 0    
London, England 1887 (4)     3rd British Chess Association Congress - Master Tournament     3  /  9
London, England 1888 (7)     Simpson's Divan Handicap Tournament     12  /  16
London, England 1888 (8)     British Chess Club Handicap     9.5  /  13
Bradford 1888 (1)     British Chess Association Tournament - Master Section     7  /  16
London, England 1889 (1)     Simpson's Divan Handicap Tournament     10.5  /  14
New York 1889 (2)     6th American Chess Congress     18  /  39
London, England 1889 (5)     5th British Chess Association Tournament     7.5  /  10
London, England 1890 (4)     Simpson's Divan Handicap     13  /  17
Manchester 1890 (1)     6th British Chess Association Tournament - Master Section     12  /  19
London, England 1891 (7)     Simpson's Divan Level Tourney - Summer     6  /  9
London, England 1891 (8)     Simpson's Divan Level Tourney     6.5  /  9
London, England 1892 (4)     7th British Chess Association Congress - Master Tournament     6.5  /  11
London, England 1892 (5)     British Chess Club Invitational Tournament     1  /  8
Belfast 1892 (1)     North of Ireland Congress     5  /  9
London, England 1893 (1)     Black and White Tourney     0.5  /  5
London, England 1894 (3)     Simpson's Divan Tournament     1.5  /  3
Hastings 1895 (7)     Hastings International Congress - Master's Tournament     9  /  21
London, England and New York 1896     1st Anglo-American Cable Match    
  Bird, H.E. - Burille, C.F.     0 - 1    
London, England 1896 (6)     Simpson's Divan Tournament     4  /  11
London, England 1899 (3)     London Major Tournament     6  /  26


Player information updated: 30 Jul. 2023