Theophilus Augustus Thompson (April 21, 1855 - after 1940?) is the earliest documented African-American chess expert recognized in the United States.[1] In addition to competing in tournaments, he wrote a book Chess Problems: Either to Play and Mate published in 1873.

Early life

Thompson was born into slavery in Frederick, Maryland,[2][3][4] as were his parents.[3] After emancipation, in 1868, he worked as a house servant in Carroll County, Maryland,[3] but returned to Frederick in 1870.[5]

Career

In April 1872, Thompson witnessed the game for the first time, in a match between John K. Hanshew and another man.[5] Hanshew, who was the publisher of The Maryland Chess Review, gave Thompson a chessboard and some chess problems to solve. Thompson showed an immediate ability to learn the game and master its rules.[4][1] Thompson's fame grew and he competed in a number of tournaments.[6]

He gained lasting fame for his book of endgame positions: Chess Problems: Either to Play and Mate (1873).[4] It was published by Orestes Brownson Jr., the editor of the Dubuque Chess Journal, for whom Thompson also worked as a servant.[3]

Thompson faded into obscurity soon after gaining prominence with his book,[2] and there is some uncertainty about the remainder of his life. The Dubuque Chess Journal closed in 1875 and Brownson Jr. died soon after, leaving Thompson without a job. There were rumors that he may have been the victim of a racial lynching.[4] However, the 1880 U.S. Census shows a Theophilus Thompson, 24 years of age, in his home state of Maryland working as an oysterman in Anne Arundel County.[7] Later on, the 1920 census lists this person as a waterman in the oyster industry, overestimated as 69 year old, married to Alice C. (39 years old) and with two children (Dorene and Ellsworth) age 10 and 9.[3] In the 1930 and 1940 censuses, he lived in Churchton, Maryland, with increasingly overestimated ages of 80 and 91 years.[7]

The U.S. Chess Center in Washington D.C. hosts the Theophilus Thompson Chess Club in his honor on Saturday afternoons.[2][8]

References

External links

• Chess Problems by Theophilus A. Thompson at Google Books
• The games of Thompson at ChessGames.com