Hugh Alexander Kennedy

Hugh Alexander Kennedy was born in Madras, British India in 1809.^[3] He was a British army captain and leading London chess player. He established the first chess club in Brighton in 1842.^[4] In 1844, he lost a match to Howard Staunton (3–8).^[5] In 1845, he teamed up with Staunton in Portsmouth in two telegraph games (lost and drew) against a team of Henry Thomas Buckle, George Walker, William Davies Evans, Perigal, and Tuckett in London.^[6][7] He lost a match to Elijah Williams (+2−4=0) in 1846 and lost a match to Edward Löwe (+6−7=1) in 1849, both in London.^[8]

Kennedy played in the great international London 1851 chess tournament and finished in sixth place of the sixteen competitors. He knocked out Carl Mayet in round 1 with two wins. In round 2, he lost to Marmaduke Wyvill (+3−4=1). In round 3, he defeated James Mucklow with four wins. Finally, he lost to József Szén (+0−4=1).^[9]

In 1862, Kennedy lost perhaps the first international telegraphic game, against Serafino Dubois.^[10]

Kennedy died in Reading, England, in 1878.^[1]

In the story "Some Reminiscences of the Life of Augustus Fitzsnob, Esq." (inspired by Thackeray's The Book of Snobs), Kennedy gave the score of a chess game said to be played by Napoleon and Count Bertrand.^[2] First published in 1860, it was later included in Waifs and Strays (2nd edition, 1876), a collection of Kennedy's writings.^[2] It has been erroneously cited as a true Napoleon game many times since, although it is actually the score of a game between Kennedy and John Owen.^[2]

This is the score given by Kennedy in the two-column notation that was common at the time,^[11] and in modern algebraic notation.

"Napoleon vs. Bertrand"

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White to move mates in 5

Napoleon	Bertrand	Algebraic notation
1. P to K fourth	1. P to K fourth	1. e4 e5
2. Kt to K B third	2. Kt to Q B third	2. Nf3 Nc6
3. P to Q fourth	3. Kt takes P	3. d4 Nxd4
4. Kt takes Kt	4. P takes Kt	4. Nxd4 exd4
5. K B to Q B fourth	5. K B to Q B fourth	5. Bc4 Bc5
6. P to Q B third	6. Q to K second	6. c3 Qe7
7. Castles	7. Q to K fourth	7. 0-0 Qe5
8. P to K B fourth	8. P takes P (dis. check)	8. f4 dxc3+
9. K to R square	9. P takes P	9. Kh1 cxb2
10. B takes K B P (check)	10. K to Q square	10. Bxf7+ Kd8
11. P takes Q	11. P takes R (Queening)	11. fxe5 bxa1=Q
12. B takes Kt	12. K B to K second	12. Bxg8 Be7
13. Q to Q Kt third	13. P to Q R fourth *	13. Qb3 a5
And Napoleon forces mate in five moves (see diagram)

* Kennedy writes of Black's thirteenth move: "This seems a courtier-like move on the part of Count Bertrand. He ought now have taken P at K fifth with Q, having the exchange and two Pawns in return for a formidable attack."

• Kennedy, Captain H. A. (January 1860), "Some Reminiscences in the Life of Augustus Fitzsnob, Esq.", The Chess Monthly, vol. 4, pp. 1–11
• Kennedy, Captain Hugh A. (1876), Waifs and Strays, Chiefly from the Chessboard (2nd ed.), London: W. W. Morgan

• The Times, 28 October 1878, p. 1. c. 1
• British Chess Magazine, 1878, p. 473
• Chess Player's Chronicle, 1878, pp. 270–271

• Hugh Alexander Kennedy player profile and games at Chessgames.com