Will I be Remembered in Huddersfield Chess History as a Famous Player?
Welll.....
I guess this is a bit like over confident maybe but just felt like writing it...
Been reading a lot about chess history chess players and writers in general...
So.......
Thought I'd type a few things out.....
I was born in Huddersfield...
Learnt chess age 4...
I'm sure there are lots of player more naturally talented than me in fact I know there are but......
From like 7 playing at lunch ag QEGS every day, played a few matches...
I was playing chess for like cubbbbbbbbs at 9 and beating people...
Actually and this is only v distant memory I think I went to Huddersfield chess club once ot twice at 9...
Anyway...
Left QEGS, joined BGS... still played a lot... aged 13 joined Netherton chess club then started playing for Yorkshire for my age... at age 15 I was playing for Yorkshire under 18s...
Won Netherton junior champs that had been won by players like IM Dunnington...
I've casted my mind back and even at the age of like 13/14 I was playing Roger Keely lols... I lost but I think he said I put up a good fight...
Won all matches on board 1 for BGS beating top boards of Bradford Grammar, Leeds Grammar, St Bedes Board one first time before draw with Wainwright etc....
Anyway I still wasn't that good really but just a bit of history... aged 17 was graded 117 on old gradings...
My grade has been messed up quite a bit.
Think I got a draw with Mick Newsome aged about 20 who's bearten an IM...
You know the whole thing is...
When I joined the Yorkshire setup we were told to give an estimate of our grades... Marcus Coupe said the southern juniors just made up any number and they believed them. I was quite like cautious at that age and I think I said 70...
But anyway...
Even when I was like about 16 I knew I wasn't going to be pro etc but still liked playing...
Got up to 129 YCA grade... yeah people have been chatting about Rob Sutcliffe and he was partly the reason I left Hudds chess club I guess but remember I played for Netherton again after that...
Didn't play too much in 2007 or that much in 2008 due to good sales job...
After Dec 2008 people were still RINGING ME UP asking me to play but was still doing job and playing poker... having a partly illegal house being built right opposite me didn't help with that!
Even Matthew Parsons who I drew with in 2006 was asking me to come back in a job we worked in in 2011...
But yeah started doing financial goals in 2011... I still kinda have them but bit less money focused now...
Obvs chess is NOT a good way to get money but it's interesting in a way...
Like I've said played over 2000 games online... I don't know how many... before I had better conditions to play online than I do now but still may play online etc maybe even do streaming...
In terms of coaching I've coached loads of people informally and a few people formally. I like coaching my niece and nephew... I actually have another niece but she's 2 so that's a bit young to start chess...
Worldwide selling chess novel giving promotion to Huddersfield chess came out in 2005. Chatted to many GMs and quite surreal Keven Spraggett has featured articles by me and linked to my site. GM Davies also links to my site etc...
Anyway...
Since 2008 came back to chess club for first time in June 2023...
Won OTB game in Sep 2023. Still unbeaten otb since Jan 2007...
Hopefully there's still more to come... I think there is
