BCN remembers John Cochrane who passed away on March 3rd 1878.
From The Oxford Companion to Chess by Hooper & Whyld :
Scottish player, barrister, called to the bar in 1822. If the so-called romantic style existed then Cochrane has a claim to be regarded as its founder. A dashing player, he attacked at all costs often sacrificing pieces with abandon, a style that was successful in the England of the 1820s; but when in 1821 he went to Paris, then the world’s chess centre, he was beaten by both Deschapelles and Bourdonnais. Subsequently he studied the game but he did not change his style. In 1822 he published A Treatise on the Game of Chess, a popular book largely based on Traite des Amateurs (see Verdoni) and Lolli but with a few contributions of his own.
Although Cochrane came from an old Scottish family he led the London team in the famous correspondence match against Edinburgh, 1824-8. He persuaded his team to play the Scotch Gambit, but when London had obtained a fine position Cochrane left for India. Although the Londoners, led by Lewis, failed to carry the attack, the Scotch Gambit became fashionable for more than 15 years, and other lively attacking openings were developed.
Cochrane stayed in India until his retirement in 1869 except for one visit to England, 1841-3, when he played hundreds of friendly games against Staunton, who began by winning a large majority, Wilhelm Steinitz knew both contestants and states that their last encounter was a match of 12 games. Staunton conceding pawn and move for the first six- and that Cochrane made an even score when receiving odds but won (-1-3—2— !) when playing on even terms, John Cochrane should not be confused with James Cochrane (c, 1770-1830), co-author of a book on the Muzio gambit.
Here is his Wikipedia entry
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHk229rnvY8[/embedyt]
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQX8qsD6iS0[/embedyt]
The Cochrane Gambit is :
[fen]rnbqkb1r/ppp2Npp/3p1n2/8/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq – 0 1[/fen]
and the Cochrane Variation in the King’s Gambit is :
[fen]rnb1kbnr/pppp1p1p/8/4N3/2B1P1pq/5p2/PPPP2PP/RNBQ1K1R w KQkq – 0 1[/fen]
The Sicilian Defence, Staunton-Cochrane Variation is :
[fen]rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/2p5/2P1P3/8/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq – 0 1[/fen]
and the Scotch Gambit, Cochrane Variation is :
[fen]r1bqkb1r/pp1p1Npp/2p1nn2/8/2B1P3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQ1RK1 w KQkq – 0 1[/fen]
The Cochrane Defence is a drawing method for in the rook, bishop & king vs rook & king ending.
