To mark the UK’s decision to exit from the EU, I can think of no better example than the triple match victories of Howard Staunton against major European rivals, victories which established him as the de facto champion of the chess playing world. From 1843 to 1846 Staunton comprehensively defeated three leading opponents from France, Germany and Poland, St Amant, Horwitz and Harrwitz, in the process overturning the domination of France, which had previously been upheld by those great luminaries of the game Philidor and Labourdonnais.