Joel Johnson, unlike nearly all other chess masters, started playing tournament chess at the advanced age of 17. But it did not take long before success struck, in just his third chess tourney, Joel won the 1972 Merrimack Valley High Chess Championship (Lowell, MA area). Less than six years later, Joel earned the National Master title, raising his USCF rating from 1342 to 2320, followed shortly thereafter, by earning the Life Master title. As a player, Joel is a tactical chess player that has won many chess tournaments during his roughly fifty years of playing chess at the Master Level. During the summer of 2007, Joel won the 2007 U.S. Senior Chess Championship.

For many years, Joel was the most active chess player in the state of Arizona, playing more than triple the number of USCF rated games, than the next most active player. In addition to playing, Joel was an award winning Editor of "Chess Horizons", the official state chess magazine for the state of Massachusetts.

During his career, Joel has been involved in all aspects of chess, from organizing and directing chess tournaments, serving as a chess magazine editor, serving as a games editor, creating chess clubs, writing chess books (including the best selling "Formation Attacks", "Formation Attack Strategies", "Positional Attacks", "Attacking 101: Volumes #001-#005") and his latest book "A Lifetime of Attacking Chess", winning many chess tourneys, to being a very highly sought after chess coach, possessing great communication skills and many successful students (seven Chess Masters and counting).

What people are saying about my books:

Life Master Brian Wall (USCF: 2213)
2 time Colorado State Champion ======================================================
I think I've died and gone to heaven. It's terrific to see Joel succeed with another instant classic.

Randall Hoch (USCF: 1891) - Texas
==================================
I am finding it as enjoyable as your first one. The games you have chosen are not only instructive, but also very entertaining. Your books have given me appreciation and motivation to play attacking chess from move 1. ... So I have to credit you with showing me the way!

Michael Stewart (USCF: 2267) - Mississippi ===========================================
I got your new book, outstanding work!!! Better than the first if that's possible. Both books are attacking classics and should be on every chess players shelf.