Johann Hermann Bauer facts for kids

Johann Hermann Bauer (born June 23, 1861, died April 5, 1891) was a talented chess master from Austria. He was known for his strong play in the late 1800s.

Johann Hermann Bauer: Chess Master

Early Life and Rising Talent

Johann Bauer was born in Kotopeky, a town in Bohemia. At that time, Bohemia was part of the Austrian Empire. His father owned land in Kotopeky and was also a trained painter. His mother, Eleonora, was the older sister of a famous Czech composer named Josef Richard Rozkošný.

As a young man, Bauer moved to Vienna. There, he became a strong chess player. He earned the important "master title" at a big chess tournament in Frankfurt in 1887. This meant he was recognized as a top player.

Notable Chess Victories

One of Bauer's best results was at a tournament in Graz in 1890. He finished in second place, right behind Gyula Makovetz. He even placed ahead of future World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker and another strong player, Georg Marco. This showed how skilled Bauer was.

He also won several chess matches against other masters. In 1890, he beat Bernhard Fleissig with a score of 2-0. In 1891, he won against Adolf Albin (4-0) and Georg Marco (3-1). Later in 1891, while playing in a tournament in Vienna, he became very ill. At that time, he was tied for the lead with Adolf Albin.

The Famous Lasker Game

Johann Bauer is most remembered for a game he played against Emanuel Lasker in Amsterdam in 1889. In this game, Bauer lost to Lasker because of a brilliant move. Lasker used a special tactic called a "double-bishop sacrifice." This game is still studied by chess players today as an example of amazing chess strategy.

A Short Life

Sadly, Johann Bauer died young. He passed away from tuberculosis when he was only 29 years old.

See also

• Lasker versus Bauer, Amsterdam, 1889
• List of chess games