Elson, Jacob




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1859  80  2317 (76) 19
1860  74  2352 (69) 2
1861  62  2373 (61) 8
1862  67  2362 (61) 13
1863  64  2354 (68) 0
1864  72  2346 (72) 0
1865  76  2339 (73) 0
1866  75  2331 (72) 0
1867  81  2323 (69) 2
1868  92  2308 (65) 1
1869  96  2302 (58) 13
1870  85  2318 (53) 45
1871  84  2324 (59) 0
1872  87  2329 (61) 0
1873  84  2334 (58) 0
1874  77  2340 (51) 4
1875  60  2383 (39) 35
1876  49  2407 (38) 69
1877  48  2403 (53) 0
1878  52  2399 (60) 0
1879  54  2395 (63) 0
1880  63  2391 (62) 3
1881  67  2396 (62) 0
1882  66  2401 (58) 10
1883  67  2403 (60) 5
1884  69  2404 (63) 6
1885  76  2393 (71) 0
1886  84  2382 (76) 0
1887  92  2371 (79) 0
1888  101  2360 (81) 0
1889  106  2349 (81) 2
1890  119  2337 (84) 0
1891  123  2326 (85) 0
1892  141  2315 (85) 0
1893  153  2303 (84) 0
1894  168  2292 (82) 0
1895  185  2281 (78) 1
1896  186  2276 (74) 1
1897  197  2270 (70) 4
1898  228  2260 (69) 2
1899  241  2251 (69) 5
1900  274  2233 (75) 0
1901  306  2215 (78) 0
1902  348  2197 (80) 1
1903  379  2184 (83) 1
1904  431  2167 (87) 2
1905  463  2158 (93) 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