Here is a very interesting article about Tom Murphy, a homeless man who has an amazing talent for chess:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ihch6cnhaZToAdkkiDcJOfyqLutQ
Tom Murphy, who is currently homeless has ambitions to reach the master level in the near future. He finished 15th in the 2005 World Blitz Championship. Currently he is a successful chess tutor, charging $20-30 per hour.
It is great to see that the game of chess can bring success to people of all social and economic levels.
Wonder what drove him to drink with a science and math major he must have been doing well in life at some point.
Some people can drink throughout their lifetime without a problem. At the other end of the spectrum are those with a strong propensity for alcoholism, who land in the gutter after a short time. Also, having once been a math and/or science major in the United States is not as great an accomplishment as it might be elsewhere. Anyone can declare themselves a math major. Actually matriculating to grad school--where you'd better be headed if you want a job--is another matter entirely.
He's an unusual and interesting character. I hope he achieves master one day.
Until such time when many people around the world adore talented chess-players as they do with great soccer , golf or tennis stars, there will always be poor talented chess players around us. Great golfers, tennis stars or soccer-players become millionaires because theirs' is a spectators' sport. Can we make chess a spectators' sport too?
I agree. It doesn't really matter where you start - it's where in life you end up. He should achieve Master.
Yes it saddens when we see someone with such talent having to live in certain demeaning situations. Hence two things we need to consider: 1. Is there anything which the chess community can do to help this situation? 2. Is this a self-imposed state of affairs?
I live in a different country but it would be nice to see someone undertake to investigate the situation and help to determine what if anything can be done in an organised way to assist.
Unclemike
What are you, an attorney? :-)
Everybody else posts how heartwarming the story is, or how maybe this guy can be helped, or "I hope he makes it"!
That is all
Can we make chess a spectators' sport too?
That would probably require good oral annotation by TV commentators, since people of my level would probably become bored watching a game being played at a level where I can't understand why the players chose the moves they did. Also, I've heard that in the past, there have been some successes getting TV audiences for speed chess.
Same for me. Sometimes I log in after having a few, but I don't trust myself to make any decent moves, so I just leave myself notes. Usually in the morning the notes are useless lol.
absolutely with him. however when i am drinking (like right now) i do enjoy playing (which i am), and i dont see a problem. its not like id drink during or before a tournament.
Who knows where he would be now if not for his addiction to alcohol? He is obviously very good at chess even with the issues that he has to deal with as a result of his addiction.
I wish him well and hope that things work out for the best for him and that he is able to achieve the title of master.
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