Caxton Project Historical Chess Ratings

This is the very start of our lists, and there is very little data available about many of the matches that took place. International chess was in its infancy. In some years, there was virtually nothing to report.
Each list is presented from highest rated to the lowest rated.
1851 1853 1857 1858 1859

1851

1851 is presently the starting point of the rating list. The great International Tournament in London is rated. Harrwitz and Anderssen had initial ratings and their 1848 match has been factored in.

NAME	COUNTRY	1851
Anderssen, Adolf	DEU	2350
Szen, Josef	AHE	2315
Harrwitz, Daniel	DEU	2300
Wyvill, Marmaduke	ENG	2195
Staunton, Howard	ENG	2175
Kennedy, Hugh	ENG	2175
Williams, Elijah	ENG	2170
Buckle, Henry	ENG	2105
Deacon, Frederic	BEL	2085
Mucklow, J.	ENG	2035
Jaenisch, Carl	RUS	2015
Löwenthal, Johann	AHE	2015
Horwitz, Bernhard	DEU	1960
Kieseritzky, Lionel	DEU	1915
Newham, ?	ENG	1915
Mayet, Carl	DEU	1775
Brodie, ?	ENG	1745
Bird, Henry	ENG	1710
Löwe, Edward	ENG	1710
Kennedy, E.S.	ENG	1620

The following events were rated:

Year	Name	City	Country	Winner	Rated
1851	Horwitz vs. Bird	London	ENG	Horwitz	Yes
1851	Löwenthal vs. Williams	London	ENG	Loewenthal	Yes
1851	Staunton vs. Williams	London	ENG	Staunton	Yes
1851	First International Tournament	London	ENG	Anderssen	Yes
1851	Buckle vs. Löwenthal	London	ENG	Buckle	Yes
1851	Staunton vs. Jaenisch	London	ENG	Staunton	Yes
1851	Deacon vs. Löwe	London	ENG	Deacon	Yes
1851	Provincial Tournament	London	ENG	Boden	No
1851	Tournament	Amsterdam	NLD	?	Insufficient Data
1851	Anderssen vs. Löwenthal	London	ENG	Anderssen	Yes

1853

Top

Note: There were no significant chess events in 1852 that were eligible for rating.

Von der Lasa enters the list in fourth place, as a result of his match with Staunton.

NAME	COUNTRY	1853
Anderssen, Adolf	DEU	2350
Szen, Josef	AHE	2315
Harrwitz, Daniel	DEU	2300
Von der Lasa, Tassilo	DEU	2210
Wyvill, Marmaduke	ENG	2195
Kennedy, Hugh	ENG	2175
Staunton, Howard	ENG	2170
Williams, Elijah	ENG	2145
Buckle, Henry	ENG	2105
Deacon, Frederic	BEL	2085
Löwenthal, Johann	AHE	2045
Mucklow, J.	ENG	2035
Jaenisch, Carl	RUS	2015
Horwitz, Bernhard	DEU	1960
Kieseritzky, Lionel	DEU	1915
Newham, ?	ENG	1915
Mayet, Carl	DEU	1775
Brodie, ?	ENG	1745
Bird, Henry	ENG	1710
Löwe, Edward	ENG	1710
Kennedy, E.S.	ENG	1620

The following events were rated:

Year	Name	City	Country	Winner	Rated
1853	Von der Lasa vs. Staunton	Brussels	BEL	Van der Lasa	yes

1854–1856

No rateable events. The deaths of Williams and Kieseritzky drop them off the list.

1857

Top

This year saw major tournaments on both sides of the Atlantic. Morphy enters the list, but his pre-eminence is not established for another year. Falkbeer and Owen are missing due to lack of appropriate events, but they will appear next year. Excepting the relatively inactive Von der Lasa, the top four players are a class above the rest. Szen is at the end of his career, and life.

NAME	COUNTRY	r1857
Anderssen, Adolf	DEU	2320
Szen, Josef	AHE	2315
Morphy, Paul	USA	2310
Harrwitz, Daniel	DEU	2285
Von der Lasa, Tassilo	DEU	2210
Wyvill, Marmaduke	ENG	2195
Kennedy, Hugh	ENG	2175
Staunton, Howard	ENG	2170
Paulsen, Louis	DEU	2155
Lichtenhein, Theodor	USA	2110
Buckle, Henry	ENG	2105
Kennicott, Hiram	USA	2085
Deacon, Frederic	BEL	2085
Löwenthal, Johann	AHE	2070
Boden, Samuel	ENG	2070
Stanley, Charles	USA	2070
Montgomery, Hardman	USA	2050
Perrin, Frederick	ENG	2050
Mucklow, J.	ENG	2035
Raphael, Benjamin	USA	2020
Jaenisch, Carl	RUS	2015
Knott, Hubert	USA	1990
Marache, Napoleon	USA	1985
Meek, Alexander	USA	1980
Fuller, William	USA	1970
Fiske, Daniel	USA	1945
Horwitz, Bernhard	DEU	1945
Newham, ?	ENG	1915
Thompson, James	USA	1900
Brien, Robert	ENG	1860
Pindar, Edward	ENG	1860
Soul, ?	ENG	1860
Allison, W.S.	USA	1850
Mayet, Carl	DEU	1775
Calthrop, Samuel	USA	1750
Brodie, ?	ENG	1745
Bird, Henry	ENG	1710
Löwe, Edward	ENG	1710
Kennedy, E.S.	ENG	1620

Events rated:

Year	Name	City	Country	Winner	Rated
1857	International Tournament	Manchester	ENG	Loewenthal	yes
1857	American Chess Congress #1	New York	USA	Morphy	yes

1858

Top

A breakthrough year with lots of match action. Morphy carves up the opposition and soars to the top of the pack. Szen has departed, but otherwise the situation hasn't changed much. St. Amant enters the list belatedly. When we extend the list backwards his rating may change.

NAME	COUNTRY	1858
Morphy, Paul	USA	2385
Anderssen, Adolf	DEU	2285
Harrwitz, Daniel	DEU	2260
Von der Lasa, Tassilo	DEU	2210
Wyvill, Marmaduke	ENG	2195
Kennedy, Hugh	ENG	2175
Paulsen, Louis	DEU	2155
Staunton, Howard	ENG	2140
Lichtenhein, Theodor	USA	2110
Buckle, Henry	ENG	2105
Kennicott, Hiram	USA	2085
Deacon, Frederic	BEL	2085
Stanley, Charles	USA	2070
Löwenthal, Johann	AHE	2070
Boden, Samuel	ENG	2070
Perrin, Frederick	ENG	2050
Montgomery, Hardman	USA	2050
Mucklow, J.	ENG	2035
Raphael, Benjamin	USA	2020
Jaenisch, Carl	RUS	2015
Knott, Hubert	USA	1990
Marache, Napoleon	USA	1985
Meek, Alexander	USA	1980
Owen, John	ENG	1975
Fuller, William	USA	1970
Falkbeer, Ernest	AHE	1970
Saint Amant, Pierre	FRA	1960
Fiske, Daniel	USA	1945
Horwitz, Bernhard	DEU	1945
Newham, ?	ENG	1915
Thompson, James	USA	1900
Soul, ?	ENG	1860
Pindar, Edward	ENG	1860
Allison, W.S.	USA	1850
Brien, Robert	ENG	1830
Salmon, George	IRL	1790
Mayet, Carl	DEU	1775
Calthrop, Samuel	USA	1750
Brodie, ?	ENG	1745
Hughes, ?	ENG	1740
Bird, Henry	ENG	1740
Löwe, Edward	ENG	1710
Kipping, James	ENG	1680
Kennedy, E.S.	ENG	1620
Beetlestone, ?	ENG	1460
Hampton, Thomas	ENG	1430
Szabo, G.	UNK	1390
Ingleby, Clement	ENG	1375

Events rated:

Year	Name	City	Country	Winner	Rated
1858	Morphy vs. Anderssen	Paris	FRA	Morphy	yes
1858	Morphy vs. Harrwitz	Paris	FRA	Morphy	yes
1858	Morphy vs. Loewenthal	London	ENG	Morphy	yes
1858	Morphy vs. Owen	London	ENG	Morphy	yes
1858	International Tournament	Birmingham	ENG	Loewenthal	yes

1859

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The only change from 1858 is that Morphy goes up to 2400, and Mongredien enters at 2050. It is worth noting that 2400 is a remarkable rating for this time period. Consider that the average tournament would rarely crack 2000, so Morphy's achievement ranks as one of the greatest of all time. To achieve such domination, Kasparov would have to be rated 3100!