Charles Henry Stanley (1819 - 1901) was the first chess champion of the United States. He became the champion in 1845 after defeating Eugène Rousseau of New Orleans in a match for the championship.

Stanley was an Englishman who came to the USA in 1843, and his English ideas had a great influence on American chess.

One of his ideas was to have a regular newspaper column devoted to chess, which he started in 1845 in The Spririt of the Times. He also started the American Chess Magazine in 1846, but others copied the idea (which originated in England), and competition forced the magazine out of business.

In 1855 he organized the first World Problem Tournament.

In 1846 he published the first US book on a chess match, 31 Games of Chess.

Stanley is a little known figure who has been eclipsed by the achievements of the world famous Paul Morphy. He played Morphy in 1857, losing the title of US Chess Champion to his much better opponent.

He was married and later had a daughter Pauline, who was named after Morphy.