chessloser and Me

As I noted a week ago in my first report on the Western States Open:

I got to spend some supremely enjoyable time with chessloser and his lovely and talented wife, which was a much finer experience than the chess playing itself.

Indeed. Let me just expand a little on that; tournament chess players are a dynamic, interesting, self-selected and sometimes prickly bunch. In the cauldron of intense intellectual competition all of the player's flaws and strengths are revealed, and always there's a special kind of camaraderie between those who step up, throw their hat in the ring and put their ego on the line in the glaring light of public chess play.


Now into this arena steps chessloser (he only uses CAPS on select occasions). He and his wife are indeed dynamic, in the original sense of the word; they do things, have been to many places and gotten involved in shaping the world in the kind of ways most of us only read about. And now, after years of intensity, on the front lines of the action in a World-historical sense, they are entering a new phase of life, one that includes for him an entry into tournament chess as an adult. A difficult thing, but having observed him and his wife firsthand I wouldn't be surprised at all to see chessloser move rapidly up the ratings chart--seldom does one find such a combination of self-discipline, humor and energy in one person.

In the big picture chess is a small, but enjoyable and significant part of life; outside of chess, I'll tell you wholeheartedly that chessloser and his wife would be the first people I would hope were around if the shit hit the fan, the rubber met the road, if things got serious. If they'd have my back, I'd have theirs.

My personal endorsements don't come any stronger.