Are you looking for the profile of this famous chess player, Armand Blackmar? You are in the right place; here is everything about Armand’s Chess career.
Full name: Armand Edward Blackmar
Born: May 30, 1826
Died: October 28, 1888
Place of birth: Vermont, United States of America
Biography
Armand Blackmar was born in Vermont, on May 30th 1826. His parents were Amander Kamar and Reuben Harmon, who lived in Vermont.
Armand had a brother Henry who was the founder of a music publishing company called Blackmar Brothers. They based the company out of New Orleans, Louisiana, and later moved to Augusta, Georgia. They both worked in the music publishing company, the most successful company in the American Civil War period.
However, Armand and Henry worked as music teachers before joining the music publishing business. Armand himself also worked as a lawyer during the contentious war in New Orleans.
When the troops took over the city of New Orleans, Henry relocated to Augusta in Georgia with the music publishing business. On the other hand, Armand Blackmar decided to remain in New Orleans due to his accent in the northern city.
He continued working in New Orleans for some time before his business was raided by a union that forced him to quit the work.
However, he continued with his music life when living in Louisiana, where he wrote and published songs of his own through Henry, his brother, under the pseudonym. Henry Blackmar, however, did not cease his music work in Georgia; he continued the work and later extended his publishing work to the south.
Armand did have the opportunity through his brother to publish and sell music on numerous sites in the USA. He later decided to move back to New Orleans, where he opened another music publishing store.
In 1881 and 1882, Armand Edward Blackmar decided to create a chess opening known as Blackmar’s Gambit and later published the work in July same year. Armand continued being active in chess until 1888, when his life ended.
He died on 28th October 1888, many years after returning to his original city of New Orleans. Armand Edward Blackmar was a husband to Margaret Bridget Meara, also from New Orleans in Louisiana.
The Beginning
Armand Blackmar started his chess game career in 18861. By then, he was in a music publishing business where he was an expert in pianist and also an excellent violinist. He continued with his chess game career and later became a member of a charter and a treasure of the chess club in the year 1865. The Whist and checkers club was founded in New Orleans, Louisiana, where Armand Edward Blackmar was based during his chess game career.
Between 1861 to 1864, Armand Blackmar and his music publishing house in New Orleans in Louisiana issued up to six editions of the music score known as the “Bonnie Blue Flag.” Also, it made three other additional arrangements along with the music score. His music tunes became more popular among the southerners as the best music editions. However, his success as a music publisher was encountered challenges when he got arrested and charged. By then, Benjamin Bulter, who was the Union general, arrested Armand Blackmar for publishing the song and later charged him in a court of law.
After his release, he continued with his music publishing business using his brother’s music house store. He wrote and published different songs and started selling them in the southern parts of the United States.
He progressed successfully and later returned to his original residence in New Orleans in Louisiana, where he opened his music store. This allowed him to continue with his music publishing job and chess games as an expert chess player.
From then he started having a successful progress in the chess games he participated which made his ratings to improve gradually. He became more famous chess player when he was serving as a chess club treasure in in the New Orleans.
He managed to appear in the Brentanos Chess monthly, held in July 1882, as an expert chess player in the chess games. This became Armand Blackmar’s best achievement as he became more famous as a chess player.
During the Brentanos chess monthly, he decided to introduce a novelty to open his career. Armand Blackmar became more successful in his chess game when Emil Joseph Diemer championed his gambit later in 1882. This made Armand Blackmar be referred to as the Blackmar Diemer Gambit.
Achievements
Armand Edward Blackmar was among the most successfully recognized chess players during his active time in chess games. He appeared in a game of Brentanos chess monthly held on July 1882, where he finished victorious, which made him be recognized among the best chess players.
Armand Blackmar’s progress as a chess player became more successful when Emil Joseph Diemer championed his gambit in 1882. This made him more popular in the chess games, like an expert chess player during his active time. Today he is recognized as the Blackmar Diemer Gambit.
Chess Legacy
Armand Blackmar is one of the most influential chess players from the 19th century with being the creator of the Blackmar–Diemer Gambit. Blackmar was active in chess activities between 1882 to 1892, where he managed to won the majority of his games.
Armand’s results with the white pieces are even more impressive, he managed to win 66.7%, loss 33% and draw 0% with a total score of 3. In the Black result, Armand Blackmar won 0%, lost 100%, and drew 0% with a total score of 2. He was one of the best American chess players during his time and participated in various chess game competitions.
Did you enjoy reading about Armand Blackmar? If you did, you might be interesting in reading other player profiles such as Bobby Fischer, Daniil Dubov, and Hans Niemann.