Mason, James




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1869  25  2463 (54) 22
1870  27  2455 (53) 15
1871  24  2471 (57) 0
1872  20  2486 (54) 0
1873  18  2502 (44) 23
1874  19  2498 (39) 27
1875  18  2503 (33) 61
1876  10  2534 (32) 96
1877  11  2521 (43) 0
1878  14  2508 (39) 22
1879  10  2549 (39) 27
1880  10  2557 (40) 15
1881  2576 (38) 19
1882  2616 (33) 35
1883  2613 (30) 62
1884  2602 (38) 11
1885  11  2569 (36) 27
1886  18  2526 (37) 19
1887  25  2495 (39) 9
1888  18  2521 (33) 36
1889  23  2499 (26) 89
1890  24  2487 (33) 33
1891  24  2490 (41) 0
1892  24  2492 (33) 45
1893  41  2453 (41) 5
1894  51  2416 (40) 16
1895  44  2436 (40) 21
1896  44  2432 (50) 1
1897  45  2431 (53) 0
1898  44  2431 (50) 0
1899  44  2431 (38) 26
1900  55  2409 (34) 35
1901  60  2398 (36) 18
1902  63  2401 (32) 41
1903  90  2363 (37) 24
1904  156  2303 (45) 16

Rating table notes

Biographical data
Name: Mason, James  
Born: 19 Nov. 1849
Died: 12 Jan. 1905
 
Notes:
Winter (Kings, Commoners and Knaves, p.386) cites evidence that Mason's real name was 'Patrick Dwyer', also covered in detail by van Winsen (James Mason in America, pp.7-10). Sergeant and Gaige give date of death as 15-01-1905, as does Hilbert in his book on Napier; van Winsen (p.141) says his death certificate said 12-01-1905, but indicates that many authorities give 15-01-1905 or 18-01-1905. Edgar (1893) has a member of the Liverpool Chess Club called J. Mason from 1877?
 
References
Books
   Feenstra Kuiper, 100 Jahre Schachturniere, page 272
   Feenstra Kuiper, 100 Jahre Schachzweikämpfe, page 88
   Forster, Amos Burn, page 343, 964
   Gaige, Chess Personalia, page 272
   Gilberg, Fifth American Chess Congress, page 107
   Golombek, Golombek's Encyclopedia, page 194
   Harding, Joseph Henry Blackburne, page 132, 224, 288, 578
   Harding, Steinitz in London, page 300
   Hilbert, Napier, page 128
   Hilbert, Tragic Life of Leonard, page 205
   Hilbert, Young Marshall, page 95
   Hooper and Whyld, Oxford Companion (1st ed.), page 206
   Reichhelm and Shipley, Chess in Philadelphia, page 12
   Sergeant, Century of British Chess, page 172, 246
   van Winsen, James Mason in America
   van Winsen, Mackenzie, Mason and Co. II, page 42
   Winter, Kings, Commoners and Knaves, page 386
Web
   Harding, Tim.  [Who was the strongest Irish player of all time?]
   Hayes, Jim.  [James Mason 1849-1905]
   Sarah.  [James Mason]
   Sarah.  [Monte Carlo 1902 - The Players]
   Sericano, C.  [Maestri di scacchi dal 1900 al 1944]

Match data  (f=formal; c=casual; s=soft)

Mackenzie, G.H. - Mason, Ja. 1869         (f)     5.5   -   3.5      Mackenzie, G.H. gave odds of pawn and move
Elson, J. - Mason, Ja. 1870         (c)     1   -   0
Mason, Ja. - Delmar, E. (1) 1873 (1)         (f)     7.5   -   1.5
Mason, Ja. - Delmar, E. (1) 1873 (2)         (f)     8.5   -   5.5
Mason, Ja. - Martinez, D.M. 1874         (f)     5   -   4
Mason, Ja. - Elson, J. 1874         (c)     3   -   0
Reichhelm, G.C. - Mason, Ja. 1874         (c)     3.5   -   2.5
Hosmer, H. - Mason, Ja. 1874         (c)     3   -   2
Delmar, E. (1) - Mason, Ja. 1874         (f)     2.5   -   1.5
Mason, Ja. - Martinez, D.M. 1875 (1)         (f)     4   -   0
Mason, Ja. - Martinez, D.M. 1875 (2)         (c)     1.5   -   3.5
Mason, Ja. - Elson, J. 1875         (c)     6.5   -   2.5
Mason, Ja. - Judd, Max 1875         (c)     1   -   1
Mason, Ja. - Alberoni, E. 1875         (f)     8.5   -   2.5
Bird, H.E. - Mason, Ja. 1875         (c)     15   -   3
Mason, Ja. - Bird, H.E. 1876 (1)         (f)     13   -   6
Mason, Ja. - Bird, H.E. 1876 (2)         (c)     4   -   6
Mason, Ja. - Judd, Max 1876         (c)     3   -   2
Mason, Ja. - Blackburne, J.H. 1879         (f)     2   -   1
Mason, Ja. - Potter, W.N. 1879         (f)     10.5   -   10.5
Mason, Ja. - Barnes, A.P. 1881         (c)     1.5   -   0.5
Mason, Ja. - Mackenzie, G.H. 1882         (f)     2   -   1
Mason, Ja. - Fisher, B.W. 1883         (f)     5   -   2      Mason, Ja. gave odds of a knight
Mason, Ja. - Rynd, J.A.P. 1888         (f)     2.5   -   2.5

Tournament data

New York 1869 (5)     4th Cafe Europa Tournament    
  Mason, Ja. - Mackenzie, G.H.     0.5 - 2.5    
  Mason, Ja. - Brenzinger, F.E.     2 - 0    
  Mason, Ja. - Delmar, E. (1)     2 - 0    
  Mason, Ja. - Wernich, H.     1 - 1    
  Mason, Ja. - Perrin, F.     2 - 0    
  Mason, Ja. - Stanley, C.H.     2 - 0    
New York 1870 (2)     Brooklyn Club Tournament     11.5  /  15
New York 1875 (1)     Cafe International Tournament     44  /  50
New York 1875 (5)     Cafe International Tournament - First Class Section    
  Mason, Ja. - Alberoni, E.     0 - 1          Mason, Ja. gave odds of pawn and move
  Mason, Ja. - Alberoni, E.     2 - 0    
  Mason, Ja. - Marache, N.     1 - 0          Mason, Ja. gave odds of pawn and move
New York 1876 (1)     Cafe International Tournament     19.5  /  27
Philadelphia 1876     4th American Chess Congress     12.5  /  16
New York 1876 (2)     Clipper Tournament     16  /  19
Paris 1878     Paris International Chess Congress     8.5  /  22
London, England 1879 (1)     Lowenthal Tourney, 1st Class     1.5  /  3
Wiesbaden 1880 (1)     Wiesbaden Meisterturnier     9.5  /  15
London, England 1881 (1)     City of London - Saint George's Club Match    
  Mason, Ja. - Hirschfeld, P.M.     1 - 0    
Berlin 1881 (1)     2nd German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     9.5  /  16
London, England 1881 (4)     City of London Club First Class - Fourth Class Match    
  Mason, Ja. - Wills, E.     1 - 0          Mason, Ja. gave odds of a knight
Vienna 1882 (2)     Vienna International Tournament     21  /  32
London, England 1883 (5)     London Tournament     21  /  38
Nuremberg 1883 (5)     3rd German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     11  /  17
London, England 1884 (10)     Simpson's Divan Handicap - Section B     7.5  /  8
London, England 1884 (11)     Simpson's Divan Handicap Play-off    
  Mason, Ja. - Guest, A.A.G.     2 - 1          Mason, Ja. gave odds of pawn and move
Hamburg 1885 (6)     4th German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     11.5  /  17
Hereford 1885 (7)     15th Counties Chess Association Meeting - Master Tournament     5.5  /  10
London, England 1886 (2)     British Chess Club Master Tourney     3.5  /  7
London, England 1886 (5)     2nd British Chess Association Congress - Master Tourney     7  /  12
London, England 1887 (4)     3rd British Chess Association Congress - Master Tournament     3  /  9
London, England 1888 (7)     Simpson's Divan Handicap Tournament     13.5  /  15
Bradford 1888 (1)     British Chess Association Tournament - Master Section     12  /  17
Dublin 1889 (1)     3rd Irish Chess Association Congress     5.5  /  7
New York 1889 (2)     6th American Chess Congress     26.5  /  47
Breslau 1889 (3)     6th German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     9  /  17
Amsterdam 1889 (2)     Amsterdam International - Meisterturnier     5.5  /  8
London, England 1889 (5)     5th British Chess Association Tournament     5.5  /  10
London, England 1890 (4)     Simpson's Divan Handicap     10  /  14
Manchester 1890 (1)     6th British Chess Association Tournament - Master Section     11.5  /  19
London, England 1892 (4)     7th British Chess Association Congress - Master Tournament     7.5  /  11
London, England 1892 (5)     British Chess Club Invitational Tournament     4  /  8
Dresden 1892 (1)     7th German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     10  /  17
Belfast 1892 (1)     North of Ireland Congress     5.5  /  9
London, England 1893 (1)     Black and White Tourney     3  /  5
Leipzig 1894 (1)     9th German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     4.5  /  16
Hastings 1895 (7)     Hastings International Congress - Master's Tournament     9.5  /  21
London, England 1896 (4)     Divan Chess Association - City of London Club Match    
  Mason, Ja. - Bellingham, G.E.H.     1 - 0    
London, England 1899 (3)     London Major Tournament     11  /  26
London, England 1900 (1)     City of London Club Invitational Tournament     9  /  12
Paris 1900     Paris International Tournament     8  /  23
Monte Carlo 1901     Monte Carlo Tournament     6.5  /  17
London, England and New York 1901     6th Anglo-American Cable Match    
  Mason, Ja. - Showalter, J.W.     1 - 0    
Monte Carlo 1902     Monte Carlo International Tournament     11  /  23
London, England and New York 1902     7th Anglo-American Cable Match    
  Mason, Ja. - Barry, J.F.     0.5 - 0.5    
Hanover 1902 (1)     13th German Chess Federation Congress - Meisterturnier     5.5  /  17
Monte Carlo 1903     Monte Carlo Tournament     10.5  /  26
London, England 1904 (4)     City of London Club Tournament     5  /  16


Player information updated: 30 Jul. 2023