Famous Chess Players

Here is a growing list of famous people who played chess:

Benjamin Franklin[edit]

Benjamin Franklin, one of the most prominent Founding Fathers and prolific inventor, was an enthusiastic chess player who even wrote a book about the game. He played often in the colonies, in England, and in France, where he was particularly beloved.

None of his games were historically recorded, so his skill level is unknown. But he promote the game widely to others and appreciate its benefits.

Thomas Jefferson[edit]

Thomas Jefferson, the man who penned "all men are created equal," was a chess enthusiast. He spoke about playing "four hour games" against James Madison. When Jefferson went to spend time in Paris after his wife died, he visited the chess club there, but the level of play was very high and he felt he could not compete with players who spent time every night playing chess.^[1]

See also[edit]

• Famous people who played chess

References[edit]