Who's the Oldest Competitive Amateur You Know? Why Does He Play?

Why do old men play tournament chess?  With classical time controls and rating points at stake. That's really my question.  And I'm an old guy myself.  But not that old (still shy of 60).  And I don't mean to be sexist, but seriously, you're not going to see many older ladies playing OTB rated games.  Let's just be real, and dispense with political correctness.

The focus, and as it should be, is on the youth, on the chess prodigies, and the breaking of "youngest to make ....." records.  These prodigies are the future!  And they're truly amazing.

So why do the old guys do it?  And who is the oldest amateur chess player you know who's doing it?

I'll answer my own question in a subsequent comment.

For years there was a guy from Idaho who was 94 years old, that always played in Reno.  He wore a big ole knit wool cap, and used a magnifying glass to see the board.  Goood guy...havent seen him for a few years, so i assumed he has died, or cant travel anymore.  

I played a guy last night at chess club.  Hes 91, and has dementia.  He doenst speak English, but according to his son, years ago when he was much younger, he was very good.  

Wow!  Just wow.  I don't know if that's the record, but he's certainly a contender.  I mean, the fellow has to pay his USCF dues (which shouldn't be a big deal money-wise), but why did he continue to play?  I think it's kinda cool in a way.  Do you remember, roughly, what his rating was?

P.S.  One good thing about having dementia and playing chess... it's easy to forget your losses, lol.

I used to see him on the A section.  He wasnt an A player at that point, but he still chugged along.  He was playing a local guy (I think you said you know him?  PM me if youre curious) The old guy hung his queen to a night fork, and says loudly "G** D**** it!"  People start shushing him, and he again says loudly: "I'm sorry...Im 94 years old"

John Curdo turned 85 last November, and he still plays at a week night chess club in my area.  At his peak, he was rated over 2500, I believe, but now he he is just over 2200.  In his 70 year (!) playing career, I believe he has finished 1st (including ties) close to 1000 times!  He is still the strongest player at the club, although a handful of experts give him a run for the money during most monthly events.

Curdo never got an international title, even though, at his peak, he routinely held his own with IM's and often secured a GM scalp.  He was 40 years old when Fischer won the World's Championship in 1972, and greatly opened up the opportunity for US players to secure IM/GM norms.  But, in 1972, Curdo was still raising his family and could not make the financial sacrifice to travel.  Instead, he continued being the King of the weekend Swisses well into his 60's.

"The old guy hung his queen to a night fork, and says loudly "G** D**** it!"  People start shushing him, and he again says loudly: "I'm sorry...Im 94 years old""

That's a funny story.  Aaaaaaah, one of the benefits of getting old.  You can say stuff that others would get in trouble for.

John Curdo is amazing.  But he doesn't fit the profile that I was thinking of.  I mean, he's had great glory in the past.  I was thinking more of the older fellows who's never had the success of John Curdo, yet they still keep playing.  Why?

There was a guy at my locals who as 104 and still maintained a rating in the 1500s.  He was the founder of the club back in the 40s.

I have belonged to the same  chess club for 33 years.  I have known some of the same players for that length of time.  I have seen many of them die.  I have seen young kids, grow up, leave for college, and then come back to the club to play 10 years later -- sometimes bringing their own children to the club.  There is something to be said for continuity.  And a lot to be said for OTB chess, as well.

I have known one player since the 70s.  He was already a long-time veteran, when I was just a kid.  At some point, in the 1980s, I passed him in strength, and in the same tournament, I beat him and his son, who was a  bit of a phenom, at the time.  Last weekend, we played in the same tournament -- he is in well into his 80s.  He had my brother on the ropes in the last round, but the time limit was G/60, d5, and my brother swindled him in the old guy's time trouble.  But this fellow can still play close to his peak strength (1900) at classical time controls -- there just aren't that many tournaments left, that use slow time controls.

There are players here in their 70's - and I've got only three and a half years to get there myself.

When I toured China in 2001, we did cruised the Three Gorges (a year before the Dam covered up the magnificent canyons and we also motorboated through the Little Three Gorges.  All through that low-income area, the big deal of the day for little farm kids was to watch the tourist boats go by. But you also saw advertising signs for "China Mobile" etc. all over.  My guess is that a lot of aged people around the world who need low-cost entertainment play chess, Candy Crush, Go, etc. on the Internet into their 90's.

I'll answer my own question.  But I'm slightly wavering.

This old guy still has chess dreams!  Lol!  I want to break the 2000 barrier!  I don't think you get to keep the Expert title, unlike the Master title, but still... to break 2000 would be cool.  But seriously, I would be like the only one who cared.  So then it's just a self-satisfaction ego thing.  That sounds kinda selfish.  I could be using all that time to help out my fellow man.  So that's why I'm wavering on whether to pursue OTB tournaments again.

My step-brothers grandpa is 84 and rated 1380...don't think he will win but he should make the leader board

So far, this guy is the winner!!  Wow, to be 104, still physically and cognitively healthy, and playing at a 1500 Level!!!  Triple Exclam!!!

Why does he do it?  Because as Mickey1943 says, it's fun.  

Chess is good for the mind and it brings fulfillment to many people. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to challenge yourself and bring home some trophies. As the saying goes: It's hard to make others happy if you're not happy yourself. If you like volunteering, I read that some retirement homes have asked chess players from clubs to come to the retirement home and play chess with the residents so that might be fun.

Yeah, he's on the leaderboard.  So far, the winner is a 104-year old guy, then a 94, a 91, an 85 year old former 2500 Senior Master, then your 84-year old.

At least it's better than watching tv all day.  What if USCF sponsored a Super Senior Open?  Minimum Age:  70 years old.  Then you can age out when you hit 80 and play in the Major Old Farts Open, open only to 80 years old and above.  You win the Super Senior Open or the Major Old Farts Open, you automatically earn National Master title and free lifetime Diamond Membership!  Lol!

Some grey headed men play. A few are 1400. A few are 1900-2200. One is a GM. I don't know how old, because that's rude, but they're all at their rating floors. Every once in a while it goes up a bit, but then they're floored again. So they're not many 100s of points lower than their ratings.

Yes, most players over the age of 75 often hit their rating floors, but, sometimes they play like they did at their peaks for a tournament and you see them rise 40-80 points above their floor.  I think that is part of their motivation -- to be able to play like they used to, for even a few games in a row, 

The recently deceased GM A Bisguier, played his last chess at my chess club up until 2 years ago.  He was often at his floor of 2000 and no longer was the fierce agressor that he was in his younger years.  But if he could get you to an endgame where long-term strategy was more important than tactics, his pieces and pawns magically migrated to the proper squares.  Well into his 80s he just loved to push that wood around.

Victor Pupol....who won Bobby Fisher once.

I. AM. ROOTING. FOR. YOU!!!!  

I would love to see you set the national record for the oldest player to ever, EVER! to make National Master!!!!    That would be so spectacular, so awesome.  

13-year old GM's ... happens more and more nowadays.  But to make National Master in your 70's for the first time!!  C'mon, who ever hears about that!?  That, my friend, is a seriously great accomplishment.  Change your name from Philidor's Legacy to Tony's Legacy.  ;-)

1.  Thanks Tony for providing this list.  I didn't even know about it.  I read this part at the bottom:  "Only current US Chess members with established ratings and ratings activity in the last year are shown."

These guys are active!  They have played at least a couple of rated OTB games with classical time controls in the past year!

2.  I have quite a few years before I hit 65.  Seeing that list you provided gives me significant incentive to make that list when I hit 65, lol!  If I make 2100 when I'm 65, and my name is published on the top 100 list, I will know that I'm one of the best active chess seniors in America!

3.  Congratulations Tony for being on the list!!  That's a great accomplishment, sir.