James Thompson

Who was James Thompson?

James Thompson was an American chess master.

Born in London, he arrived in New York, where formed the New York Chess Club in 1839. He participated in the First American Chess Congree at New York 1857, and lost a match to Paul Morphy in the first round. He also lost other matches to him; casual in 1857, two formal in May/June 1859 and in October 1859, and casual in 1860. He drew a match with Charles D. Mead in 1857, and played several times in New York Chess Club tournaments, losing to Frederic Perrin in 1854, 1857, and 1859, and James A. Leonard in 1860/61.