Hi,

I'm Geoff Chandler, a chess bum, hacker and cheapo merchant.

Blog 4 is the blog I do for RHP where I use games played on RHP.

I learned how to play chess when I was 6 or 7 by watching
my father. He was playing dominoes at the time and I kept
telling him what to play. Eventually he locked me in a cupboard
under the stairs where I found an old chess set, a torch and
a Fred Reinfeld book on Opening Traps.

I was in that cupboard for 18 years, when I came out I was a chess genius.

Somehow round about the Fischer boom I got good.
My first ever rating was 1720 (that was 1974).

I ran my own chess magazine 'Capatal (sic) Chess', full of
jokes, games from local players and other such nonsense.

Joint wrote a book with Danny Kopec and friends. 'Master Chess' I did the Tactics section.

I then tied first for the Scottish Open. Grade up to 2200 something.
(with todays rating inflation that's 2900 something!)

My picture appeared in a paper and some man who opened up a shop selling games,
jigsaws and chess computers wanted me to promote his chess computers.

I said 'No', he said £100 a week. I said Yes! (in 1984 £100 p/w was good money.)

Alas no more weekend chess so practically gave up the game, including
the magazine though played in league matches and wrote a few articles.

Wrote 'Rampant Chess' with Keith Ruxton, and awarded Scottish Player of the Year 2010.

Favourite Books: Catch 22, Three Men in a Boat and Treasure Island.

Favourite Chess Book: 'Tarrasch's Best Games' by Reinfeld.

There I can only tell you what book I know gave me a leg up.
Not sure about GM's recommending new books for students,
how do they know it will do any good. They are already good!

The Student has to come back in 40 years and tell us if it was any good.

Every Chess player is my friend.

Develop, Check all Checks and watch those unprotected pieces.