Here is information about me and my chess career.

My very first chess tournament was a beginner's (Under 1200 USCF or unrated) that I played in November of 1974. I was 16 years old then. I lost my first 3 rounds and won the fourth. That win came in only 1 move! I know what you may be thinking, but my opponent did actually show up. I played 1. N-KB3 and he stopped the clock while saying, "Oh no! I can't take it!" When I asked him why he resigned after only one move he stated that he didn't know how to defend against that move! Still, he could have tried to. I have had some forfeit wins since this game, but none since about 1980.

I began playing chess while a student at Henry B. Plant High School in Tampa, Florida in 1974 and continued to play for the chess team there until I graduated in June of 1976. In my senior year of high school I was both first board on the chess team and the vice president of the chess club. I took fourth place in the Hillsborough County High School Chess Championship, which my brother and I helped to organize, and our school ran in 1976. Plant High won the Florida State High School Chess Championship every year from 1973 to 1978. I think that we won in 1979 too, but I'm not sure of that. We won the Southeastern HS Championship from 1973 to 1975 and the Novice Section in 1976.

While stationed in Giessen, Germany from 1983 to 1986 I played in several tournaments that were held at the US Air Force Base that was in Frankfurt, Germany. I also organized and directed several chess tournaments in the Giessen community, including the Giessen Area Chess Championships which I won in 1986. I was selected to play in the Fifth Corp Championship of 1985 and again in 1986. In 1986 I was selected to play in the US Army Europe Championship, but my commander (Captain Dale Pierce) would not let me go. Why is a long story.

Shortly after my discharge from the US Army I started attending classes at the University of South Florida (USF), and while there I met a USCF Life Master named Tom Stiers. He was playing speed chess for a quarter a game and winning every game! We ended up becoming friends and I eventually ended up taking chess lessons from him. The sad thing is that my USCF rating actually dropped several points as a result of Tom's lessons! He changed my opening repertoire and created too much confusion in the process. I couldn't remember what he had shown me and didn't fully understand the theory behind the moves that he wanted me to play.

I also helped Tom run some tournaments in the Tampa and Brandon areas and I ran a few at Hillsborough Community College (HCC) while a student there in 1998 and 1999. I haven't run any tournaments since graduating from HCC in 1999. I was certified at the Local Tournament Director level, but I 'm not sure about that because I let my USCF membership expire for a few years.

Currently, my longest winning streak and my longest losing streak are both 8 games. The losing streak came while I was stationed in Germany and was playing USCF rated games at the Air Force base at Frankfurt (Rhine Main). My longest winning streak included the Florida State Chess Championship of 1986. I won the Novice section with a perfect 6-0 score! I have been unable to get a perfect score like that ever since :-(

Click here to view my current standings at ICC. Click here to get my current standings at Stan's NetChess. You can also view my certificate from the USCF showing my first place win in a correspondence chess tournament.

My favorite chess sayings include:

Once a King always a King, but once a Knight is enough!
Chess players make better mates
Grand masters make the best mates because they know all of the best positions
Some chess players make stale mates!
Working on my Knight moves, trying to end those awkward endgame blues
Chess players know the best moves
Chess is a moving experience

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Here is information about me and my chess career.

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