In a century that believed that a woman's name should be published in the newspaper for only three reasons – birth, marriage and death, Ellen Gilbert made history by getting her name printed as the best woman chess player and the best correspondence chess player in the 19th century.
Ellen Gilbert was born on April 30, 1837, the same year as the chess legend Paul Morphy. The pioneer in women’s chess, Ellen is best known as the Queen of Chess who quietly and successfully won her battles of the brain in a game and a society that was essentially male-dominated.
Life and Times of the Queen of Chess
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Ellen was blessed to have a father who was liberal and progressive. Dr. A. B. Strong was a physician, writer and amateur naturalist who believed in liberal education, and chess was part of the education for his daughter.
As an educated lady in a world limited by few career choices for women, Ellen took up teaching until she met and married John W. Gilbert. A local builder, Mr.Gilbert shared with her a passion for chess.
Women and Chess: On Pride and Prejudices
Despite receiving the encouragement and support of her husband and being the strongest chess player in Hartford, Ellen’s name was not there in the membership list of the Hartford Chess Club. A typical 19th Century gentlemen’s club, the Hartford Chess Club wouldn’t even dream of having a woman member. For a woman like Ellen, whose husband was a prominent social figure and father a prominent writer, it would be scandalous to play games in a smoke-filled club.
This led Ellen and John to establish a women-friendly chess club. They founded the Queen's Chess Club that permitted both genders, encouraging participation of women chess enthusiasts.
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As Ellen settled down in family life, with their only child born in 1867, chess took a back seat in life. But restricted by social norms and familial responsibilities, Ellen found a way to engage her talents. She turned to correspondence chess – the correspondence contests that were quite popular those days.
Games that defined Mrs.Gilbert
One of the earliest recorded experiences of Ellen in correspondence chess was her leading a Hartford team against Springfield, Massachusetts for an 1870 telegraph match. Hartford, owing to Ellen, won both games to become the unofficial champions of New England.
In 1875, Ellen announced a claim of mate in 19 moves in a correspondence match with William J Berry.
However, the challenge that engraved her name in the history of chess was the International Postal Card Match that was held between the American and British teams in 1878.
Mr. John G. Belden, chess editor of the Hartford Times was the match organizer and being very familiar with Ellen’s analytical skills, he invited her to participate as a member in the American team. She – the only lady in the team - was set against George Hatfield Dingley Gossip, the British player and chess writer. She was paired with him in a series of four games.
The other players in her team were skeptical about pairing Ellen with someone far above her caliber and feared that Belden had made a regrettable mistake. But Mr. Belden strongly believed in her skills.
Gossip, a player who was capable of first-rate play may have underestimated his relatively unknown female opponent. He was thoroughly crushed in the four games by a clean score. Ellen came out triumphant, proving her love of analysis by announcing mate in 35 moves in one of the games, and 21 moves in another – a rare feat for a chess player in those days. She was presented with a gold watch for her outstanding victory that found a place in many printed chess columns.
Ellen’s triumph over South Carolina champion Isaac Edward Orchard and Hotchkin invited mention in chess columns of newspapers with detailed notes on her game. The mentioning reveals how much respect and attention her play achieved in those days.
The little woman who won the battles of brain against men
Ellen rose to fame when she defeated George Hatfeild Gossip in all four games in 1877, in the British and the American correspondence tourney. Ellen’s gain led her team to victory, winning against the British team by a margin of 27 to 23. The two announced mate positions (35 moves and 21 moves) are frequently discussed even today in chess books and online.
Ellen Gilbert was also one of the two guest contributors in the New York Clipper when Miron Hazeltine's chess column marked its one thousandth column.
Ellen’s and John Gilbert’s house was in those times a hub for chess enthusiasts. In 1876 she became the elected president of the Hartford Chess Circle, a club that later became one of the largest and prominent chess clubs in America.
It was yet another milestone for Ellen to establish the "Queen's Chess Club" in Hartford along with her husband in the 1860's. The club, one of its kind, allowed female members as well who were allowed to meet and practice the Royal Game with their male counterparts.
The queen of chess also played blindfold chess.
Conclusion
Ellen Gilbert was internationally renowned and remembered for her keen analytical skills in correspondence play and long mate announcements. Her absence from OTB tournaments owing to the cultural restrictions of her times often underrated her skills in over-the-board experiences and her talent in blindfold play.