Elson, Jacob




Ratings

Year       Rank    Edo    Dev.   Games 
1859  79  2313 (76) 19
1860  72  2348 (69) 2
1861  59  2370 (61) 8
1862  62  2358 (61) 13
1863  61  2350 (68) 0
1864  71  2342 (72) 0
1865  72  2334 (73) 0
1866  72  2326 (72) 0
1867  80  2318 (69) 2
1868  91  2302 (65) 1
1869  94  2296 (58) 13
1870  84  2313 (53) 45
1871  83  2318 (59) 0
1872  84  2323 (61) 0
1873  80  2328 (59) 0
1874  74  2333 (51) 4
1875  60  2377 (39) 35
1876  50  2400 (38) 69
1877  51  2397 (53) 0
1878  53  2394 (60) 0
1879  54  2390 (63) 0
1880  63  2387 (62) 3
1881  67  2392 (62) 0
1882  66  2397 (58) 10
1883  67  2400 (60) 5
1884  68  2401 (63) 6
1885  76  2389 (71) 0
1886  82  2378 (76) 0
1887  90  2367 (79) 0
1888  98  2356 (81) 0
1889  103  2344 (81) 2
1890  117  2333 (84) 0
1891  122  2321 (85) 0
1892  139  2310 (85) 0
1893  150  2299 (84) 0
1894  164  2287 (82) 0
1895  182  2276 (78) 1
1896  183  2271 (74) 1
1897  190  2265 (70) 4
1898  224  2253 (69) 2
1899  240  2245 (69) 5
1900  271  2226 (75) 0
1901  300  2208 (78) 0
1902  340  2189 (81) 1
1903  376  2175 (83) 1
1904  426  2158 (87) 2
1905  462  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