Jacob Sarratt
by Bill Wall

In 1772, Jacob Henry Sarratt was born in France.

It is believed that Jacob Sarratt came from Beaurias, France to England in 1779.

Sarratt was a schoolmaster and, at one time, a prizefighter.

Sarratt bred dogs for fighting.

In 1790, at the age of 18, he married his first wife Marie Bruzard (Marie Puirveaux) of Jersey. They had four children (Marie, George, Henry, and Susan). George, born in 1787, was adopted by Jacob.

In the 1790s, Sarratt was in London and met Philidor.

In 1798, Sarratt became friends with Hypolite (Hypolyte) du Bourblanc (1778-1813).

Sarratt was a pupil of Verdoni (?-1804) at Parsloe's Coffee-house.

In 1802, Sarratt published History of Man...Adapted to the Capacities of Youth.

In 1802, his daughter Marie Anne Sarratt, was born in Hull.

Sarratt moved to London about 1803.

In 1803, Sarratt published a pocket guide called A New Picture of London, which ran to several editions, the last in 1814.

In 1803, Sarratt joined the Royal York Maylebone Volunteers Light Company as a lieutenant (which disbanded in 1814) when war broke out with France.

In 1803, he translated the gothic novel Three Monks!!! from French (Les Trois Moines). (the author was H. J. Sarratt).

In 1803, Sarratt translated Koenigsmark the Robber, or the Terror of Bohemia, from German. (some sources say the author was Victor Jules Sarret)

On Nov 1, 1803, Lieutenant Sarratt published Life of Buonaparte, in which the Atrocius Deeds, which he has Perpetuated, in Order to Attain his Elevated Station, and Faithfully Recorded.

In 1804, Sarratt's first wife died. (some sources say 1802)

In 1804, Sarratt became the house professional at the Salopian Coffee-house at Charing Cross in London, founded in 1770. There he claimed the title of "Professor of Chess."

Sarratt frequently played blindfold games of chess with Hypolite (Hypolyte) du Bourblanc (1778-1813) on their strolls through London. Hypolite taught chess for half a guinea per lesson.

Sarratt was considered London's strongest player.

Sarratt was the first professional chess player to teach chess in England. He taught for a guinea a game.

On Dec 30, 1804, Sarratt married his second wife, Elizabeth Camilla Dufour (1788-1846). She was also a writer and singer and came from Jersey.

In 1807, the London Chess Club at Tom's Coffee-House in Cornhill was formed and Sarratt was an active member. Sarratt had a hand in drafting the Laws of Chess for this club. One of the rules that Sarratt recommended was that a stalemate was a draw.

In November, 1808, A Treatise on the Game of Chess, volume 1 and volume 2, were published by Sarratt. It was printed by William Miller in London. It was the frist systemtic textbook on chess. The first volume taught attack. The second volume taught defense. Sarratt concurred with Philidor that the King's Gambit was not to be recommended. But Sarratt disagreed that it led to a draw. He believed that the first player should lose. In this book, Sarratt was the first to adopt the French and Italian rule by which stalemate was a drawn game. He had mentioned that at Parsloe's, he who stalemated his adversary lost the game. In Turkey, he who stalemates his adversary won the game. In France, Italy, Germany, and other countries, stalemate was considered a drawn game. By 1820, stalemate was a draw in all of England. Sarratt also mention that a Pawn could be taken en passant, perhaps the earliest mention of en passant.

Around 1810, William Tuckwell (1785-1845), an Oxford surgeon, took chess lessons from Sarratt for a guinea a lesson.

In 1812, Sarratt became an associate of William Hazlitt (1778-1830) who was an essayist, literary critic, and philosopher.

In September 1813, The Works of Damiano, Ruy Lopez and Salvio on the Game of Chess, was published by Sarratt. Sarratt included the games of Damiano, but not his problems.

The Muzio Gambit is a gambit in the King's Gambit where the knight is sacrificed. The moves are 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.O-O. The opening received the name Muzio Gambit from a book by Jacob Sarratt, who blundered in the translation of the observer who first saw the move, when Saratt translated the works of Damiano and Salvio in 1813. The move was observed by Mutio (not Muzio), a third class player in the Naples Academy in the 1600s, who says he saw the move played between Girolamo (Geronimo) Cascio, a priest from Piazza, and another player.

In 1817, The Works of Gianutio and Gustavus Selenus, volume 1 and volume 2, were published by Sarratt.

In 1818, Sarratt's friend, the French player Hypolite du Bourblanc, was lost in the Indian Ocean, on his passage to the Island of Mauritus.

On Nov 6, 1819, Sarratt died in London at the age of 47 after a protracted illness and living in poverty. He left his wife destitute.

In 1821, A New Treatise of the Game of Chess, volume 1 and volume 2, was published by Sarratt's widow. It contained a 98 page analysis of the Muzio Gambit. It also stated that in Italy, you may have two Queens, but are restricted to Queens and not allowed to replace a pawn that reached the 8th rank with any other piece. This was the first book that included a comprehensive beginner's section.

Sarratt's posthumous book brought in some income, but his widow moved to Paris, supporting herself by giving chess instructions to the wealthy.

In 1824, Hazlitt wrote Table Talk: Essays on Men and Manners. In a chapter called "On Coffee-House Politicians," he left a critical portrait of Sarratt.

In 1828, a second edition of A New Treatise of the Game of Chess, volume 1 and volume 2, was published.

In 1843, a subscription was raised for the financial support of Mrs. Sarratt, who was in her 80s. Many chess players contributed.

In 1846, Elizabeth Camilla Sarratt, widow of Jacob Sarratt, died in Paris.

Sarratt succeeded in changing the stalemate rule in England to be a draw. Previously, in England, the side giving stalemate was a loss. Under his influence, the London Chess Club (founded in 1807) adopted the continental rule that a game ending in stalemate was a draw, not a win for the player stalemated.

Sarratt was instrumental in naming the moves 1.e4 c5 the Sicilian Defense by pointing out that it was first demonstrated by Carerra, a Sicilian.

The opening 1.e4 e5 2.Bf4 is called the Sarratt Opening or the Sarratt Attack.

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1810.??.??"]
[EventDate "1810.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[ECO "C37"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "60"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Bh6 7. e5 Nc6 8. c3 Qe7 9. Qd5 Nxe5 10. Bb3 Nf6 11. Qb5 c6 12. Qe2 f3 13. gxf3 Rg8+ 14. Kh1 d5 15. Na3 Ng6 16. Qf2 Nf4 17. Re1 Be6 18. Qd4 Nh3 19. Qh4 Bg5 20. Qa4 Bxd2 21. Rf1 Qc5 22. Qd4 Qxd4 23. cxd4 Bxc1 24. Raxc1 Kd7 25. f4 Bg4 26. Rc3 Ne4 27. Rg3 Be2 28. Re1 Bf3+ 29. Rxf3 Nhf2+ 30. Rxf2 Nxf2# 0-1

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1810.??.??"]
[EventDate "1810.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[ECO "C37"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Qe7 7. d4 Nc6 8. c3 Ne5 9. dxe5 Qc5+ 10. Kh1 Qxc4 11. Bxf4 Bh6 12. Nd2 Qe6 13. Nb3 d6 14. Nd4 Qg4 15. exd6 Qxf3 16. Rxf3 Bxf4 17. Rxf4 cxd6 18. Nb5 Ke7 19. Rd1 Be6 20. Nxd6 Rd8 21. e5 Nh6 22. c4 b6 23. b4 Rhg8 24. c5 Rg5 25. Re1 Nf5 26. h3 Ng3+ 27. Kh2 Bd5 28. Rf2 Rdg8 29. c6 Nf5 30. Nxf5+ Rxf5 31. Ree2 Rxf2 32. Rxf2 Bxg2 0-1

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1810.??.??"]
[EventDate "1810.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "C37"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "74"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Bh6 7. c3 Nc6 8. d4 Qe7 9. e5 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Qc5+ 11. Kh1 Qxc4 12. Na3 Qc6 13. Qh5 Qg6 14. Qf3 Ne7 15. Nb5 Kd8 16. Bxf4 Bxf4 17. Qxf4 Rg8 18. Rf2 a6 19. Nd4 b6 20. g3 Bb7+ 21. Kg1 Rg7 22. Qf6 Ke8 23. Raf1 Bd5 24. b3 c5 25. c4 cxd4 26. cxd5 Nxd5 27. Qf3 Qc6 28. e6 dxe6 29. Re1 Rc8 30. Re5 Ne3 31. Rxe3 Qc1+ 32. Kg2 dxe3 33. Rf1 Qd2+ 34. Kh3 e2 35. Rf2 Qh6+ 36. Kg2 e1=N+ 37. Kh1 Nxf3 0-1

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1816.??.??"]
[EventDate "1816.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "William Lewis"]
[ECO "C37"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. d4 d5 7. exd5 Bg4 8. Rf2 Bd6 9. Nd2 Nf6 10. Nxf3 Ne4 11. Qe1 f5 12. Nd2 Qe7 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Bxf4 Nd7 15. Qd2 h6 16. Raf1 O-O-O 17. Qa5 Kb8 18. Be3 Bb4 19. d6 Qxd6 20. Qa4 Nb6 21. Qb3 Rhf8 22. Bf7 Qe7 23. c4 Bd6 24. c5 Bxc5 25. dxc5 Rd3 26. Qc2 Rxe3 27. cxb6 axb6 28. Qd2 Rd3 29. Qc2 Rfd8 30. Bc4 Bd1 31. Qc1 e3 32. Rf7 Qc5 33. b4 Qd4 34. Bxd3 e2+ 35. Kh1 exf1=Q+ 36. Bxf1 c6 37. a3 Bb3 38. Qf4+ Qxf4 39. Rxf4 Rd1 40. Rf2 Bc4 41. Kg1 Rxf1+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1816.??.??"]
[EventDate "1816.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "William Lewis"]
[ECO "C37"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "68"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. Ne5 Qh4+ 6. Kf1 f3 7. g3 Qh3+ 8. Kf2 Qg2+ 9. Ke3 Bh6+ 10. Kd3 d5 11. Bxd5 c6 12. Bxf7+ Ke7 13. Qf1 Kf6 14. Bxg8 Kxe5 15. Bb3 Rd8+ 16. Kc3 Bg7 17. d3 Kd6+ 18. d4 Kc7 19. Bf4+ Kb6 20. e5 a5 21. Nd2 Ka7 22. Qxg2 fxg2 23. Rhg1 b5 24. Ne4 Bf5 25. Rae1 Na6 26. a3 c5 27. Nxc5 Rac8 28. Bf7 Nxc5 29. dxc5 Rxc5+ 30. Kb3 Rxc2 31. Rc1 Rdc8 32. Rxc2 Rxc2 33. Bd5 Re2 34. Rxg2 Re1 1/2-1/2

[Event "London"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "D20"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "23"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 b5 4. a4 Bd7 5. axb5 Bxb5 6. Nc3 Ba6 7. Qf3 c6 8. Rxa6 Nxa6 9. Qxc6+ Qd7 10. Qxa8+ Qd8 11. Qc6+ Qd7 12. Qxa6 1-0

[Event "ENG"]
[Site "ENG"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "1818.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "C38"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "31"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. h4 h6 6. d4 d6 7. c3 c6 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. O-O Nd7 10. hxg5 hxg5 11. Nxg5 Qxg5 12. Bxf7+ Kf8 13. Bxf4 Qh4 14. Bxd6+ Ne7 15. Bg6+ Nf6 16. Qf7# 1-0

[Event "England"]
[Site "England"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "1818.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "C38"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "25"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. h4 h6 6. d4 d6 7. c3 Bg4 8. Qb3 Bxf3 9. Bxf7+ Kf8 10. gxf3 b6 11. hxg5 hxg5 12. Rxh8 Bxh8 13. Bxg8 1-0

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "1818.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "C38"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "51"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. h4 h6 6. d4 d6 7. c3 c6 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. O-O b5 10. Bd3 g4 11. Nh2 Qxh4 12. Rxf4 Nf6 13. e5 Nd5 14. Rf1 g3 15. Nf3 Qh5 16. exd6 Bg4 17. Re1+ Kd7 18. Nbd2 Re8 19. Rxe8 Kxe8 20. Qd1 Nd7 21. Qe1+ Kf8 22. Qxg3 Re8 23. Ne4 Bxf3 24. Qxf3 Qxf3 25. gxf3 f5 26. Nc5 1-0

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "1818.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "C38"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "53"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. h4 h6 6. d4 d6 7. c3 c6 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. O-O b5 10. Bd3 Bb7 11. a4 a6 12. axb5 axb5 13. Rxa8 Bxa8 14. Qa3 Bb7 15. Qa7 Na6 16. hxg5 hxg5 17. Nxg5 Qxg5 18. Qxb7 Qh4 19. Qxc6+ Ke7 20. Bxf4 Qh1+ 21. Kf2 Qh4+ 22. g3 Qh2+ 23. Ke1 Qxb2 24. Bxd6+ Kd8 25. Qb6+ Kd7 26. Bxb5+ Ke6 27. d5# 1-0

[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "Unknown"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "1818.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "C38"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "33"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. h4 g4 6. Ng5 Nh6 7. d4 f6 8. Bxf4 fxg5 9. hxg5 Ng8 10. Qxg4 d5 11. Qh5+ Kf8 12. Bxd5 Qe7 13. O-O Bxd4+ 14. Be3+ Bf6 15. gxf6 Nxf6 16. Bh6+ Qg7 17. Qf7# 1-0

[Event "Casual"]
[Site "ENG"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "C44"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "17"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d4 exd4 5. Ng5 Ne5 6. Nxf7 Nxf7 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qh5+ g6 9. Qxc5 1-0

[Event "England"]
[Site "ENG"]
[Date "1818.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jacob Henry Sarratt"]
[Black "NN"]
[ECO "D00"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "31"]

1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Bf5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. f3 Nb4 5. e4 dxe4 6. fxe4 Bg6 7. a3 Nc6 8. Bb5 a6 9. d5 axb5 10. Nxb5 Na5 11. Nxc7+ Kd7 12. Qg4+ e6 13. dxe6+ Ke7 14. Qg5+ f6 15. Qc5+ Qd6 16. Qxd6# 1-0



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