I used to play (and direct) OTB tournaments at the Seattle Chess Club back in the 80's and 90's. Then life responsibilities sharply curtailed that due to time demands. I am now approaching retirement in the next couple of years and plan to get back into OTB chess again.

I founded and coached a scholastic chess club (grades K - 6) back in the 90's. My proudest moment was when the Kindergarten section won the USCF National Championship.

Josh Waitzken (of Searching for Bobby Fischer fame) was in attendance and signed T-shirts for my team.

A few of my other favorite chess memories are-

1) Being on stage with GM Anatoly Karpov and GM Johanne Hjartarson during their 1989 quarterfinal candidates championship match in Seattle. I was working the demo board so the audience could follow the game from the auditorium. (This was before digital boards. )

2) Visiting New Orleans and seeing the mansion where Paul Morphy grew up. I sat in the chess room and replayed his famous opera game.

3) Attending lectures given by GM Yasser Seirawan at the Seattle Chess Club back in the 80's when he still lived in Seattle and headed up Inside Chess Magazine

4) Attending a coaches clinic taught by GM Maurice Ashley. Even though it was many many years ago, I still recall the most important points he instructed us to drive home to our students - focus on Tactics & Endgames. Don't spend so much time on Openings. NOTHING will improve your play faster than working on Tactics & Endgames!

5) Playing in a Simul (and getting trounced) with (the then Woman's World Chess Champion) Maia Chiburdanidze when she visited Seattle.

6) Meeting Actor, Director, and Producer Ron Howard at a Scholastic Chess (USCF Nationals) event he attended with some of his kids who played chess the same time my children did.

Capabotvikhine