Alexandre Deschapelles
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Alexandre Deschapelles was a man of contradictions—aristocrat and revolutionary, soldier and strategist, master and mystery. Despite playing chess for only a short period, he dominated France’s chess scene for nearly two decades.
The Unlikely Rise of a Chess Prodigy
Source Robert Czoelner Alexandre Honoré Deschapelles The French King of Chess CreateSpace 2011
Image License Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Born: March 7, 1780, Ville d’Avray, France
Died: October 27, 1847, Paris, France
From Battlefield to Chessboard
Born into French nobility, Deschapelles’ life took a dramatic turn during the French Revolution. While his family fled to Germany, he stayed and fought for the Republican army, suffering severe injuries in battle—losing a hand and sustaining deep facial wounds. Unable to continue as a soldier, he sought a new battlefield: the chessboard.
«Chess to me has been, and is, a single idea, which, once acquired, cannot be displaced from its throne, while the intellect remains unimpaired by sickness or age.»
– Winter, Chess Notes
France’s Unbeatable Champion
By the early 1800s, Deschapelles ruled French chess. He never played on equal terms, always giving his opponents odds—«pawn and move» or even «pawn and two moves». His confidence was legendary:
«I acquired chess in four days and never advanced or receded.»
– Winter, Chess Notes
Despite never formally studying openings, he relied on raw talent, intuition, and calculation, bridging the strategic play of Philidor with the boldness of the Romantic Era.
The Master and His Protégé
Deschapelles’ reign ended in 1821 when his student, Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais, surpassed him. In a dramatic exit, Deschapelles quit chess on the spot, unwilling to compete without being the best.
A Life Beyond Chess
Deschapelles turned to other games, excelling at Whist (a precursor to Bridge), Polish Draughts, and even billiards—despite missing a hand. After a 15-year absence, he briefly returned in 1836, defeating Pierre Saint-Amant.
Legacy
Retiring to a quiet life, Deschapelles grew melons and raised pheasants. His final years were marked by illness, and he requested a simple burial with no public announcement.
While few of his games survive, his impact remains undeniable. A natural genius, he mastered chess without study, dominated his era, and shaped the next generation.
Alexandre Deschapelles Games
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Alexandre Deschapelles
Alexandre Deschapelles, France
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Alexandre Deschapelles Sources
Quote Sources
- Deschapelles on mastering chess in four days: (Winter, Chess Notes)
- Deschapelles on chess as a single idea: (Winter, Chess Notes)
General Sources
- Biography & historical context: (EdoChess)
- Chess achievements & legacy: (Encyclopedia.com)
Image Credits
📸 Portrait of Alexandre Deschapelles
Source: Robert Czoelner, Alexandre Honoré Deschapelles: The French King of Chess, CreateSpace (2011)
Image License: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons