Eugène Rousseau (13 November 1805, Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France – Paris, France, 1870) was a French chess master. He was the strongest chess player in New Orleans in the first half of the 1840s. The Rousseau Gambitisnamed after him.
In 1845, Rousseau played a match against the Englishman Charles Stanley for the title of chess champion of the US, the first contest ever for that title. The match was played for a stake of $1,000. Rousseau lost the match (+8 −15 =8) and Stanley became the first US Champion.
Rousseau's second in the match was Ernest Morphy, who took his eight-year-old nephew, Paul Morphy, along and allowed him to be present for the contests. Later, Paul was allowed to play Rousseau, and it became clear that Paul was the better player, despite his young age.
In 1850, Johann Löwenthal paid a visit to New Orleans, and beat Rousseau five games straight.
Rousseau beat Winawer with the black pieces in Paris in 1867:
