Elson, Jacob




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1859  79  2313 (76) 19
1860  73  2348 (69) 2
1861  59  2369 (61) 8
1862  62  2358 (61) 13
1863  61  2350 (68) 0
1864  71  2343 (72) 0
1865  74  2335 (73) 0
1866  75  2327 (72) 0
1867  81  2319 (69) 2
1868  91  2304 (65) 1
1869  94  2298 (58) 13
1870  84  2315 (53) 45
1871  84  2320 (59) 0
1872  86  2326 (61) 0
1873  82  2331 (58) 0
1874  75  2337 (51) 4
1875  59  2380 (39) 35
1876  50  2404 (38) 69
1877  50  2400 (53) 0
1878  53  2397 (60) 0
1879  54  2393 (63) 0
1880  63  2389 (62) 3
1881  67  2394 (62) 0
1882  66  2398 (58) 10
1883  68  2401 (60) 5
1884  70  2402 (63) 6
1885  77  2390 (71) 0
1886  85  2379 (76) 0
1887  92  2368 (79) 0
1888  100  2357 (81) 0
1889  103  2346 (81) 2
1890  117  2334 (84) 0
1891  122  2323 (85) 0
1892  141  2311 (85) 0
1893  151  2300 (84) 0
1894  164  2289 (82) 0
1895  181  2277 (78) 1
1896  184  2272 (74) 1
1897  191  2266 (70) 4
1898  226  2255 (69) 2
1899  239  2246 (69) 5
1900  273  2228 (75) 0
1901  306  2209 (79) 0
1902  347  2191 (81) 1
1903  382  2176 (83) 1
1904  434  2160 (87) 2
1905  466  2151 (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