A. D. Philidor

author

A. D. Philidor

Best known as one of chess history’s first great theorists, this 18th-century French master also built a successful career as a composer. His writing on chess helped shape how generations of players understood strategy, especially the power of pawns.

1 Audiobook

Studies of chess : Containing Caïssa, a poem, by Sir William Jones; a systematic introduction to the game; and the whole Analysis of chess

Studies of chess : Containing Caïssa, a poem, by Sir William Jones; a systematic introduction to the game; and the whole Analysis of chess

by A. D. Philidor

About the author

Born in Dreux, France, in 1726, André Danican Philidor came from a remarkable musical family and made his name both in music and in chess. He became famous across Europe for his skill as a player, giving exhibitions and earning a reputation as the strongest chess master of his time.

Philidor’s lasting fame in the chess world rests on Analysis of the Game of Chess, first published in the mid-18th century. The book was widely influential, and he is still remembered for stressing the importance of pawn structure in a way that changed how the game was taught and discussed.

He was also an accomplished composer, especially of comic opera, and managed to sustain both sides of his career throughout his life. He died in London in 1795, leaving behind a legacy that reaches well beyond chess enthusiasts alone.