Elson, Jacob




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1859  80  2314 (76) 19
1860  74  2350 (69) 2
1861  62  2371 (61) 8
1862  67  2360 (61) 13
1863  64  2352 (68) 0
1864  72  2344 (72) 0
1865  76  2336 (73) 0
1866  73  2329 (72) 0
1867  81  2321 (69) 2
1868  92  2306 (65) 1
1869  96  2300 (58) 13
1870  84  2316 (53) 45
1871  84  2322 (59) 0
1872  86  2327 (61) 0
1873  84  2332 (58) 0
1874  77  2338 (51) 4
1875  60  2381 (39) 35
1876  49  2405 (38) 69
1877  48  2401 (53) 0
1878  52  2397 (60) 0
1879  55  2393 (63) 0
1880  63  2389 (62) 3
1881  67  2394 (62) 0
1882  66  2399 (58) 10
1883  68  2402 (60) 5
1884  70  2402 (63) 6
1885  77  2391 (71) 0
1886  85  2380 (76) 0
1887  91  2369 (79) 0
1888  99  2358 (81) 0
1889  103  2346 (81) 2
1890  117  2335 (84) 0
1891  123  2324 (85) 0
1892  138  2312 (85) 0
1893  151  2301 (84) 0
1894  167  2290 (82) 0
1895  184  2278 (78) 1
1896  186  2273 (74) 1
1897  193  2267 (70) 4
1898  228  2256 (69) 2
1899  242  2248 (69) 5
1900  273  2229 (75) 0
1901  306  2211 (79) 0
1902  348  2192 (81) 1
1903  383  2178 (83) 1
1904  433  2161 (87) 2
1905  465  2152 (94) 1

Rating table notes

Biographical data
Name: Elson, Jacob  
Born: 8 Apr. 1839
Died: 28 Jan. 1909
 
References
Books
   American Chess Association, Constitution of the American Chess Association, page 14
   Gaige, Chess Personalia, page 107
   Gilberg, Fifth American Chess Congress, page 88, 89, 104
   Hilbert, Essays in American Chess History, page 99
   Hilbert, Tragic Life of Leonard, page 117
   Hilbert, Walter Penn Shipley, page 16, 319, 402
   Hilbert, Writings in Chess History, page 385
   Reichhelm and Shipley, Chess in Philadelphia, page 11
   van Winsen, James Mason in America, page 46, 77, 366
   van Winsen, Mackenzie, Mason and Co. I, page 107
   van Winsen, Mackenzie, Mason and Co. III, page 101
   van Winsen, Mackenzie, Mason and Co. V, page 23
Periodicals
   [BDE], vol. 31, no. 299, 21 Dec. 1871, page 2
   [CMNY], vol. 2, no. 1, Jan. 1858, page 26
   [CMNY], vol. 4, no. 9, Sep. 1860, page 280
   [CPQC], vol. 1, no. 2, May 1868, page 54
   [CW], vol. 3, no. 9, Dec. 1867, page 322
   [DSZ], vol. 27, no. 3, Mar. 1872, page 67
   [Era], vol. 31, no. 1592, 28 Mar. 1869, page 4
   [Era], vol. 32, no. 1650, 8 May 1870, page 7
   [Era], vol. 34, no. 1739, 21 Jan. 1872, page 14
   [FLIN], 11 June 1859
   [ILN], vol. 60, no. 1688, 13 Jan. 1872, page 51
   [ILN], vol. 66, no. 1870, 12 June 1875, page 571
   [ILN], vol. 69, no. 1937, 9 Sep. 1876, page 255
   [MCR], vol. 2, no. 18, June 1875, page 206
   [NYC], 15 Dec. 1860
   [NYC], 2 May 1868
   [PDEB], 12 Nov. 1869
   [SoT], 23 Dec. 1871
   [TFF], 22 Dec. 1871
Web
   Brennen, Neil R.  [Chess Reconstruction: Jacob Elson in Memphis]
   Sericano, C.  [Philadelphia 1876]
Match data  (f=formal; c=casual; s=soft)

Newman, L.C. - Elson, J. 1859 (1)         (c)     3   -   3      Newman, L.C. gave odds of pawn and move
Newman, L.C. - Elson, J. 1859 (2)         (c)     8   -   5      Newman, L.C. gave odds of the move
Elson, J. - Thompson, J. (1) 1860         (c)     2   -   0
Leonard, J.A. - Elson, J. 1861         (c)     4   -   4
Reichhelm, G.C. - Elson, J. 1862         (f)     8   -   5
Mackenzie, G.H. - Elson, J. 1867         (c)     1   -   1
Elson, J. - Congdon, J.A. 1868         (f)     0   -   1      Elson, J. gave odds of a knight
Whiteman, J.G. - Elson, J. 1869 (1)         (f)     8.5   -   2.5
Whiteman, J.G. - Elson, J. 1869 (2)         (f)     1.5   -   0.5
Elson, J. - Mason, Ja. 1870         (c)     1   -   0
Elson, J. - Wernich, H. 1870         (c)     1.5   -   1.5
Delmar, E. (1) - Elson, J. 1870         (f)     3   -   2
Elson, J. - Congdon, J.A. 1870         (f)     5   -   7      Elson, J. gave odds of a knight
Elson, J. - Maurice (1) 1870 (1)         (f)     2   -   0
Elson, J. - Maurice (1) 1870 (2)         (f)     4.5   -   5.5      Elson, J. gave odds of a knight
Elson, J. - Hicken, F.A. 1870         (f)     7   -   5      Elson, J. gave odds of a knight
Mason, Ja. - Elson, J. 1874         (c)     3   -   0
Martinez, D.M. - Elson, J. 1874         (c)     1   -   0
Delmar, E. (1) - Elson, J. 1875 (1)         (c)     2   -   1
Delmar, E. (1) - Elson, J. 1875 (2)         (f)     1.5   -   3.5
Mason, Ja. - Elson, J. 1875         (c)     6.5   -   2.5
Alberoni, E. - Elson, J. 1875 (1)         (c)     0.5   -   0.5
Alberoni, E. - Elson, J. 1875 (2)         (c)     3.5   -   1.5
Bird, H.E. - Elson, J. 1876         (c)     6   -   1
Neill, B.M. - Elson, J. 1876 (1)         (c)     19   -   19
Mackenzie, G.H. - Elson, J. 1876         (c)     5.5   -   0.5
Neill, B.M. - Elson, J. 1876 (2)         (f)     1   -   0
Sellman, A.G. - Elson, J. 1880         (c)     0.5   -   0.5
Mackenzie, G.H. - Elson, J. 1880         (c)     1.5   -   0.5
Steinitz, W. - Elson, J. 1883         (c)     2   -   1
Gunsberg, I.A. - Elson, J. 1889         (c)     0.5   -   0.5
Bird, H.E. - Elson, J. 1889         (c)     0.5   -   0.5

Tournament data

Philadelphia 1875     Philadelphia Chess Club Tournament     37.5  /  52
Philadelphia 1876     4th American Chess Congress     8  /  14
  Elson, J. - Davidson, H. (1)     2 - 1    
Philadelphia 1882     Philadelphia Chess Club Tournament     7  /  10
Philadelphia and New York 1883     Philadelphia - Manhattan Club Match    
  Elson, J. - Davidson, H. (1)     0.5 - 1.5    
Philadelphia 1884 (1)     Philadelphia Chess Club Tournament     5.5  /  7
Philadelphia and New York 1895     Franklin Chess Club - Manhattan Chess Club Telegraphic Match    
  Elson, J. - Gedalia, C.     0.5 - 0.5    
Philadelphia 1896 (2)     Franklin Chess Club - Manhattan Chess Club Match    
  Elson, J. - Simonson, G.     0.5 - 0.5    
Philadelphia 1897 (1)     Pennsylvania State Chess Association Tournament    
  Elson, J. - Boice, W.S.     1 - 0    
  Elson, J. - Rhoads, J.H.     0.5 - 0.5    
  Elson, J. - Barrett, S.R.     0.5 - 0.5    
Philadelphia and New York 1897     Franklin Chess Club - Manhattan Chess Club Telegraphic Match    
  Elson, J. - Halpern, J.C.     1 - 0    
Philadelphia 1898 (2)     Pennsylvania State Chess Association Tournament    
  Elson, J. - Shipley, W.P.     0 - 1    
  Elson, J. - Barclay, A.C.     1 - 0    
  Elson, J. - Roeske, J.F.     1 - 0    
Philadelphia 1899 (2)     Pennsylvania State Chess Association Tournament    
  Elson, J. - Bampton, S.W.     1 - 0    
  Elson, J. - Hubbard (2)     1 - 0    
  Elson, J. - Stout, G.H.     1 - 0    
  Elson, J. - Ferris, W.J.     0 - 1    
Philadelphia 1899 (3)     Franklin Chess Club - Manhattan Chess Club Match    
  Elson, J. - Rocamora, S.R.     0 - 1    
New York 1902 (2)     Franklin Chess Club - Manhattan Chess Club Match    
  Elson, J. - Ettlinger, A.K.     0.5 - 0.5    
Philadelphia or New York (?) 1903     Franklin Chess Club - Manhattan Chess Club Match    
  Elson, J. - Halpern, J.C.     0.5 - 0.5    
Philadelphia and Chicago 1904     Franklin Chess Club - Chicago Chess and Checkers Club Telegraph Match    
  Elson, J. - l'Hommede, G.A.     0.5 - 0.5    
New York 1904 (3)     Franklin Chess Club - Manhattan Chess Club Match    
  Elson, J. - Delmar, E. (1)     0 - 1    
Philadelphia and Chicago 1905     Franklin Chess Club - Chicago Chess and Checker Club Telegraph Match    
  Elson, J. - Medinus, C.     0.5 - 0.5    

Player information updated: 17 Jul. 2025