Bird, Henry
Ratings
| Year |
Rank |
Edo |
Dev. |
Games |
| 1847 |
44 |
2332 | (63) | 16 |
| 1848 |
47 |
2336 | (60) | 0 |
| 1849 |
53 |
2340 | (51) | 14 |
| 1850 |
43 |
2383 | (47) | 28 |
| 1851 |
39 |
2409 | (41) | 46 |
| 1852 |
34 |
2417 | (55) | 0 |
| 1853 |
36 |
2426 | (62) | 0 |
| 1854 |
27 |
2435 | (64) | 0 |
| 1855 |
20 |
2443 | (63) | 0 |
| 1856 |
19 |
2452 | (57) | 3 |
| 1857 |
23 |
2461 | (51) | 14 |
| 1858 |
25 |
2473 | (50) | 14 |
| 1859 |
17 |
2490 | (50) | 9 |
| 1860 |
15 |
2501 | (54) | 3 |
| 1861 |
18 |
2508 | (55) | 0 |
| 1862 |
18 |
2515 | (51) | 16 |
| 1863 |
17 |
2509 | (56) | 0 |
| 1864 |
15 |
2502 | (56) | 0 |
| 1865 |
16 |
2496 | (51) | 7 |
| 1866 |
16 |
2482 | (46) | 25 |
| 1867 |
20 |
2469 | (54) | 0 |
| 1868 |
28 |
2455 | (56) | 0 |
| 1869 |
35 |
2442 | (52) | 10 |
| 1870 |
30 |
2446 | (55) | 0 |
| 1871 |
28 |
2450 | (52) | 6 |
| 1872 |
25 |
2476 | (48) | 0 |
| 1873 |
20 |
2502 | (33) | 86 |
| 1874 |
16 |
2510 | (35) | 27 |
| 1875 |
13 |
2525 | (30) | 103 |
| 1876 |
16 |
2508 | (28) | 206 |
| 1877 |
13 |
2526 | (41) | 0 |
| 1878 |
12 |
2543 | (37) | 24 |
| 1879 |
11 |
2556 | (37) | 32 |
| 1880 |
13 |
2542 | (38) | 29 |
| 1881 |
14 |
2534 | (42) | 6 |
| 1882 |
20 |
2505 | (34) | 40 |
| 1883 |
23 |
2508 | (31) | 50 |
| 1884 |
28 |
2491 | (38) | 6 |
| 1885 |
26 |
2504 | (31) | 51 |
| 1886 |
27 |
2482 | (30) | 55 |
| 1887 |
40 |
2454 | (33) | 22 |
| 1888 |
40 |
2453 | (30) | 47 |
| 1889 |
30 |
2464 | (24) | 121 |
| 1890 |
31 |
2466 | (30) | 48 |
| 1891 |
53 |
2424 | (35) | 18 |
| 1892 |
80 |
2381 | (33) | 47 |
| 1893 |
121 |
2325 | (38) | 20 |
| 1894 |
122 |
2330 | (44) | 3 |
| 1895 |
110 |
2345 | (40) | 21 |
| 1896 |
162 |
2292 | (43) | 12 |
| 1897 |
163 |
2288 | (46) | 13 |
| 1898 |
172 |
2284 | (51) | 0 |
| 1899 |
183 |
2281 | (47) | 26 |
| 1900 |
211 |
2263 | (60) | 0 |
| 1901 |
244 |
2246 | (67) | 0 |
| 1902 |
291 |
2228 | (72) | 0 |
| 1903 |
322 |
2211 | (74) | 0 |
| 1904 |
363 |
2193 | (74) | 7 |
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. - Delannoy, A. 1874 |
(s) |
2 | - | 1 |
Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight |
| 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. - Gabler, E. 1880 |
(f) |
1 | - | 1 |
|
| 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 |
|
| Nyholm, G. - Bird, H.E. 1904 |
(c) |
4 | - | 3 |
|
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 (2) |
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. - Green, R. (1) |
2 - 0 |
| | |
Bird, H.E. gave odds of two pieces |
|
Bird, H.E. - Ellerton, J. |
1 - 0 |
| | |
Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight |
|
Bird, H.E. - Klein, E. (1) |
1 - 0 |
| | |
Bird, H.E. gave odds of pawn and two moves |
|
Bird, H.E. - Atkinson, F.A. |
2 - 0 |
| | |
Bird, H.E. gave odds of a knight |
|
Bird, H.E. - Potter, W.N. |
3.5 - 2.5 |
| | | |
|
Bird, H.E. - Heppell, J.T. |
1.5 - 2.5 |
| | |
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 (9) |
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) |
Simpson's Divan Handicap Tournament |
11 | / | 14 |
| | | |
| London, England 1889 (6) |
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 (4) |
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: 11 Jan. 2026 |
|
