Liverpool versus Calcutta, 1880

Liverpool versus Calcutta, 1880, was the world's first intercontinental, long-distance chess match.

"[6] At the time, a telegram from Liverpool to Calcutta cost four shillings and six pence a word (over GBP 20 in present-day valuation).

[7] However, a member of the Liverpool Chess Club devised a unique code which reduced time and expenses considerably.

[9] The "natives" who were Steel's teammates were reported to be "Baboo caste",[5] i.e. Brahmins,[6] but their names do not appear to be easily confirmable.

A report from 1880 describes Baboo Ishur Chunder Gossain and Baboo Mahodeb Chowbey as two "eminent" players in India,[10] and Steel and Gossain were declared joint winners of India's first round-robin chess tournament in Calcutta in 1878.