Posted on 02/03/2011 8:28:43 AM PST by Daffynition
Edited on 02/03/2011 9:19:36 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
ORANGE, Va. (AP) - Archaeologists have unearthed a few pieces of history at former president James Madison's country estate: portions of two pawns from his chess set.
Montpelier officials think the pieces are likely from the same set Madison and Thomas Jefferson used in their frequent matches during Jefferson's visits.
(Excerpt) Read more at wtop.com ...
That looks like the set at Monticello.
And it is set up wrong!
There is only *one* apertif glass?
Looks like a chess set George Jetson would use—sleek, modern pieces! Nice!
“Archaeologists have unearthed a few pieces of history at former president James Madison’s country estate: ...two pawns”
Maybe Madison is trying to send a message from beyond the grave?...we are pawns.
I was just thinking they are very classical looking.
Is it? Queen on its color, right? It looks like both sides castled.
-PJ
Very sharp. I wouldn’t mind owning a set like that actually.
The board is turned 90 degrees from its proper position.
Even pawns can topple kings. Just a reminder.
Any records as to who was the better player, or was it evenly matched?
Thanks!
-PJ
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), 3rd U.S. President, played chess. It was one of his favorite games. He started playing in his 20s and owned at least six nice chess sets. Dr. William Small probably introduced chess to Jefferson around 1762. Dr. Small was a professor of mathematics at the College of William and Mary who taught Jefferson. He usually played chess in the evenings with his friends.The earliest dated reference from Jefferson came from his diary on August 18, 1769, when he wrote "gave James Ogilvie to buy me a set of chessmen 45/." Friends gave him chess sets or he gave them chess sets as presents. When he moved into Monticello, he was concerned about his ivory chess sets that had disappeared in the move.
He collected chess books as well, and one of his favorites was Philidor's "Analysis of Chess." He also had chess books by Greco and Stamma. Jefferson's hobby was book collecting and he had over 6,000 books in his library. His books later became part of the Library of Congress when the original Library of Congress was burned by the British in 1814.
In his later years, he played Benjamin Franklin, also a keen player. He would write letters about Franklin and how popular he was in France because he played chess with beautiful or powerful women.
Benjamin Franklin
Jefferson would tell friends that he and Franklin were equal in chess playing strength. He also told friends that he played four hour games of chess against James Madison.
In 1784, Jefferson moved to Paris. Before leaving, he sold some of his chess books to James Monroe. When Jefferson was in Paris he joined the Salon des echecs chess club for 96 francs in 1786. He did not renew his dues in 1787, saying he was too busy. David McCullough, in his book on John Adams, says that Jefferson was so decisively beaten at the chess club that he never went back. Jefferson left Paris in 1789.
Jefferson was elected President in 1801. His vice president was Aaron Burr, also an enthusiastic and strong chess player. They may have played chess together. Jefferson taught his grandchildren how to play chess at Monticello. Jefferson left two undated sheets of paper concerning chess. The sheets of paper were how to play an endgame with a Rook and Bishop against a Rook. The analysis came from Philidor's "Analysis of Chess" book. A letter of December 4, 1818 was his last writing on chess. It was about the recollection of Franklin and chess.
Chess first of all teaches you to be objective. ~ Alexander Alekhine
A quick Google search found this:
BLOG, or DIE. An historian's journey through the Revolution.
Scroll down to the entry called "Franklin's Morals of Chess." It doesn't mention Madison, but it does mention Jefferson.
Most experts believe that Jefferson and Franklin were the most evenly-matched opponents. Both men wrote much about the game in their personal writings and Franklin actually penned the first chess article ever published. His “Morals of Chess” presented Franklin’s own philosophies on the game as well as practical advice and behavior tips for players.
A fragment of Franklin's "Morals of Chess" are also included in the blog entry.
Also, from the story in this thread:
Thomas Jefferson's granddaughter, Ellen Wayles Coolidge, once remarked that the third and fourth presidents often engaged in epic chess matches. She wrote that her grandfather was a very good chess player in his youth."There were not many who could get the better of him," Coolidge wrote in her recollections, compiled in 1853.
-PJ
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