February 27, 1865 – February 23, 1954
Jacques Mieses belongs to the most remarkable personalities in chess history. With an active tournament career spanning 60 years, he still holds the record for the longest career of any chess master.
He was born as Jakob Mieses in Leipzig, son of a Jewish merchant family originally from Brody – a city that then belonged to Austria-Hungary and is now in Ukraine. Chess was in the family's blood, so to speak: His uncle Samuel Mieses had learned the royal game from none other than Adolf Anderssen personally, and his cousin Viktor also made a name for himself as a chess problem composer.
Early Years and Education
Jacques Mieses first attended the civic school at Augustusplatz in Leipzig, later the renowned Thomasgymnasium. His father Julius reported in his records that young Jacques had initially been a "lively whirlwind" who demanded quite a lot from his teachers. But in the higher grades, the picture changed: With excellent comprehension and talent, he graduated cum laude and even received a prize.
After gymnasium, Mieses studied natural sciences – physics and chemistry – at the universities of Leipzig and Berlin. But academic life could not captivate him permanently. Chess, which he had devoted himself to since his fifteenth year, was to become his true life's work.
"He also learned Gabelsberger stenography, became an excellent stenographer, also learned various games easily, especially the serious game of chess, in which he excelled remarkably."
The Path to Chess Mastery
Mieses' first international tournament was in 1888 in Bradford, where he finished third behind von Bardeleben and Riemann. This marked the beginning of a career that would span six decades. Initially earning his living as a "professional player," he later transformed into a "professional writer," producing 76 chess publications throughout his lifetime.
His literary output was remarkable: from instructional books to tournament reports, from problem collections to theoretical works. The most famous was his continuation of Jean Dufresne's "Lehrbuch des Schachspiels" (Textbook of Chess), which he maintained for over 50 years and which remains one of the most successful chess textbooks worldwide.
The Royal Game
Mieses was the last prominent representative of the romantic chess school of the 19th century. His attacking spirit, tactical brilliance, and combinative genius made him a dangerous opponent even for the world's strongest players. He was known for his spectacular short games and earned more beauty prizes than almost any other player of his era.
"I always strive to play beautifully. If I also win, that's a bonus."
Three opening variations bear his name: the Mieses Opening (1.d3), the Mieses Variation in the Scotch Game, and the Mieses Gambit in the Scandinavian Defense. The Mieses Variation was notably employed by Garry Kasparov in his 1990 World Championship match against Anatoly Karpov.
International Career
During his long career, Mieses faced practically all the great masters of his time, including world champions Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, and Euwe. Against each of them, he managed to score at least one victory. His greatest tournament success came in 1907 when he won the first Trebitsch Memorial in Vienna.
The rise of the Nazi regime forced Mieses to emigrate to England in 1933. Despite arriving with only 15 Reichsmarks in his pocket, he rebuilt his life and became a British citizen in 1939. This made him technically the first British Grandmaster in chess history when FIDE awarded the title retroactively in 1950.
The Later Years
Even in his eighties, Mieses remained remarkably active. At the Hastings tournament in 1946, at age 80, he won the brilliancy prize. Two years later, at 83, he finished third in Stockholm. His vitality was legendary: he exercised daily, swam regularly even at 86, and did push-ups in Hyde Park.
When FIDE established the Grandmaster title in 1950, Mieses was among the 27 original recipients – the oldest of them all. He continued to play and teach until shortly before his death on February 23, 1954, in London, just four days before his 89th birthday.
Jacques Mieses was buried at the East Ham Jewish Cemetery. He left behind a legacy that extends far beyond his games and books: the image of a man who devoted his entire life to chess while never losing his joy in life.
Timeline
| 1865 | Born in Leipzig on February 27 |
| 1879 | Began playing chess at age 14 |
| 1882 | Won Berlin City Championship at age 17 |
| 1888 | International debut at Bradford tournament |
| 1895 | Participated in the legendary Hastings tournament |
| 1907 | Greatest tournament success: Victory at Trebitsch Memorial in Vienna |
| 1911 | Organized the tournament in San Sebastián |
| 1933 | Emigrated to England |
| 1939 | Became British citizen |
| 1946 | Brilliancy prize in Hastings at age 80 |
| 1948 | Last tournament in Stockholm (3rd place at age 83) |
| 1950 | Awarded Grandmaster title by FIDE |
| 1954 | Died in London on February 23, four days before his 89th birthday |