3. James Madison, like many presidents, enjoyed the game of chess
The Virginians among the first five presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe) were all avid chess players, though Madison may have been the most appreciative of the game as a distraction from the cares of office. Madison was not a social lion, disliking small talk and the elaborate mannerisms of formal affairs. Once, during a levee hosted at his White House, he spent the entire evening involved in a chess match with John Quincy Adams, oblivious to his guests and the entertainment. Madison was a neighbor of Jefferson’s in Virginia, and often played games with him that lasted four hours or more.
Madison played with several members of the Constitutional Convention, including Benjamin Franklin, who gave the Virginian a chess set made from ivory, a replica of which is on display at Montpelier, Madison’s Virginia plantation. Madison’s love of the game impelled him to frequently play on Sundays, a violation of the Sabbath in 18th century Virginia, which he justified by calling the activity an intellectual exercise rather than a game for pure amusement. Madison’s favorite chess set was red and white, rather than the traditional black and white commonly found today.