 In 1851, he lost a match by 13-7 to Lionel Kieseritzky.Szén took fifth place at the world's first international chess tournament, London 1851.In the first round he beat Samuel Newham 2-0, then lost 2-4 to the tournament winner, Adolf Anderssen; in the third round he overcame Bernhard Horwitz 4-0, and in the fourth round Hugh Alexander Kennedy by 4½-½.