Elson, Jacob




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1859  80  2309 (76) 19
1860  73  2344 (69) 2
1861  60  2366 (61) 8
1862  63  2354 (61) 13
1863  62  2346 (68) 0
1864  71  2339 (72) 0
1865  73  2331 (73) 0
1866  75  2323 (72) 0
1867  82  2315 (69) 2
1868  90  2300 (65) 1
1869  94  2294 (58) 13
1870  84  2311 (53) 45
1871  84  2316 (59) 0
1872  86  2322 (61) 0
1873  82  2327 (59) 0
1874  74  2333 (51) 4
1875  60  2377 (39) 35
1876  51  2401 (38) 69
1877  51  2397 (53) 0
1878  53  2394 (60) 0
1879  55  2390 (63) 0
1880  64  2387 (62) 3
1881  67  2392 (62) 0
1882  66  2397 (58) 10
1883  68  2400 (60) 5
1884  71  2400 (63) 6
1885  77  2389 (71) 0
1886  83  2378 (76) 0
1887  93  2366 (79) 0
1888  98  2355 (81) 0
1889  103  2344 (81) 2
1890  117  2333 (84) 0
1891  122  2321 (85) 0
1892  139  2310 (85) 0
1893  151  2298 (84) 0
1894  163  2287 (82) 0
1895  180  2275 (78) 1
1896  183  2270 (74) 1
1897  190  2264 (70) 4
1898  223  2253 (69) 2
1899  238  2244 (69) 5
1900  269  2226 (75) 0
1901  303  2207 (78) 0
1902  340  2189 (81) 1
1903  372  2174 (83) 1
1904  428  2157 (87) 2
1905  464  2149 (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