An Exquisite Mating Combination

George Henry Mackenzie (1837-1891) was a Scottish-American chess Master. He entered the British Army in 1856 at the age of 19 and retired as Captain in 1861.

He moved to the United States in 1863, during the American Civil War. From 1865 through 1880, Mackenzie became a chess legend when he amassed a record of thirteen straight first place finishes in tournaments, while winning six of seven matches, with only one drawn. His successes in America included first place at Cleveland 1871, Chicago 1874, and New York 1880, the second, third, and fifth American Chess Congresses, respectively.

Captain Mackenzie established his place among the best chess players of his time by his impresive first-place win at the Fifth German Championship of 1887 in Frankfurt, ahead of Blackburne, Zukertort, Weiss, Tarrash, Paulsen and Bardeleben. He also won the Fifth Scottish Championship of 1888. He came 2nd at Bradford 1888, and tied for 3rd-4th at Manchester 1890. 

The game below is one of his sparkling masterpieces, it features an impressive mating combination.