Aaron Alexandre facts for kids
Aaron (Albert) Alexandre was a famous chess player and writer. He was born around 1765 in Hohenfeld, Germany, and passed away on November 16, 1850, in London, England. He was a Jewish German who later lived in France and England, becoming known for his amazing chess skills and books.
Contents
Early Life and Move to France
Aaron Alexandre first trained to be a rabbi, a religious leader in the Jewish faith. This shows he had a very good education from a young age. In 1793, he moved to France. There, he taught the German language to others. He was also an inventor who created mechanical devices.
A Life in Chess
Over time, Aaron Alexandre became a full-time chess player. He dedicated his life to studying and writing about the game. He was known for his deep understanding of chess.
His First Big Chess Book
In 1837, Aaron Alexandre published a very important book called Encyclopédie des échecs (which means Encyclopedia of Chess). This book was published in Paris. It was special because it collected almost all the known chess openings at that time.
- He used a system called algebraic notation. This is a way to write down chess moves clearly.
- He also used special symbols for castling, which is a unique move in chess (0–0 and 0–0–0).
His Second Major Work
Aaron Alexandre's next big book came out in 1846. It was called Collection des plus beaux Problèmes d'Echecs (meaning Collection of the Most Beautiful Chess Problems). This book was also published in Paris.
- It focused on the endgame, which is the final part of a chess game.
- The book also included about 2,000 chess problems. These are puzzles where you have to find the best moves to win.
- This book was so popular that it was translated into English as Beauties of Chess and into German as Praktische Sammlung bester Schachspiel-Probleme.
Legacy as a Chess Expert
Both of Aaron Alexandre's books became very important for chess players and scholars. They showed how much he knew about the game. His books are still used as references today.
The Turk Chess Machine
Aaron Alexandre was also involved with a famous chess-playing machine called the Turk. This machine looked like a robot that could play chess. However, it was actually a trick! A human chess player would hide inside the machine and control its moves. Aaron Alexandre was one of the skilled players who sometimes hid inside the Turk to make it "play" chess.
See also
In Spanish: Aaron Alexandre para niños
