This remarkable man was Howard Staunton, the only British chess master of whom it could be said that at one time he was the world's leading player." "In 1847 came Staunton's first and greatest work on chess, the Chess-Player's Handbook.

The Blue Book of Chess is a book about chess by a chess master Howard Staunton intended for teaching the rudiments of the game of chess, and giving an analysis of all the recognized openings.

Howard Staunton, the organiser of London 1851 and writer of the book, was the epitome of mid-Victorian versatility and self confidence.