Jacques Mieses

Chess Endings From Modern Master-Play Jacques Mieses

Jakob Mieses was born in 1865 in Leipzig, Germany. He enjoyed a long lasting professional chess career of 64 years. Mieses played in numerous tournaments throughout his life, and was known and studied as having a very aggressive, and at the same time, rather traditional playing style. He lived in Germany until the rise of Nazism; as he was Jewish he fled Germany after Kristallnacht, even though he was elderly and had only a little bit of money in his pocket. He went on to become a UK citizen, and is credited as bring the first British grandmaster. Mieses' wit and sharpness continued to the end of his life and were credited to his dedication to physical fitness and his fondness of swimming. He remained active in England until dying just a few days shy of his 89th birthday. He continued to play regularly, and always kept a keen sense of humor. For example, at the age of 84, after defeating an 86-year-old, fellow chess master Van Foreest, Mieses famously stated, "Youth has been victorious."