Francois-Andre Philidor (1726-1795) was not only a highly talented member of France's royal musical establishment, he was also a chess master of unmatched skill. To this day, he is remembered equally for his comic opera (opera comique) compositions, as well as his many contributions to modern chess.

For almost 50 years, Philidor was the unofficial chess champion of the world. He gained his reputation by winning match after match in Parisian cafes, beating famous philosophers of the time such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Francois Voltaire. He dazzled Europe with his amazing ability to play chess blindfolded, and was the author of the influential first book on the subject, L'analyze des Echecs (Analysis of Chess), in which he described strategies and analyzed games. Despite his success and genius in this area, Philidor always claimed music as his primary pursuit. He composed over 20 operas in his lifetime, the most famous of...