Howard Staunton ( 1810 â `` 22 June 1874 ) was an English chess master . He was probably the world 's strongest player from 1843 to 1851 . Howard Staunton ( 1810 â `` 22 June 1874 ) was an English chess master who is generally regarded as having been the world 's strongest player from 1843 to 1851 , largely as a result of his 1843 victory over Saint-Amant .