Albert Hodges


Albert Beauregard Hodges was an American chess master who was born in Nashville, Tennessee.

Chess career

Hodges was one of the better-known American chess masters of the late 19th century.
In 1894 he lost a match to Jackson Whipps Showalter, and won a rematch, both in New York. Hodges became U.S. Champion, but announced that his ambitions in chess had been fulfilled, and that he was retiring to pursue a career in business. In addition to his reign as U.S. Champion, Hodges main claim to fame was playing inside Ajeeb, the 19th-century chess automaton.
At the beginning of his career he lost a match to Max Judd at St. Louis 1887, won at Chittenango 1890, shared second place, behind Hanham, at Skaneateles 1891, won a match against Eugene Delmar at Skaneateles 1892, drew a match with Adolf Albin at New York 1893, won at New York 1893, took second place, behind Harry Nelson Pillsbury, at New York 1893, won the New York State Chess Association Championship in 1894 ahead of J. W. Baird and Showalter, took third place at Skaneateles 1895, took second place at Thousand Islands 1897, took third place at New York 1900, and tied for 14–15th at Cambridge Springs 1904.
Hodges participated in all thirteen cable matches between the US and England, and played several times for Manhattan Chess Club in friendly matches against Chicago Chess Club and Franklin Chess Club of Pennsylvania in the early 20th century.
He tied for ninth/tenth at New York 1911, tied for fifth/sixth at New York 1914, tied for seventh/eighth at New York 1915, took fourth at New York 1921, and took 11th at Lake Hopatcong 1923.
Hodges died in New York City in 1944.