Welcome to my biography page for fellow chess players and fans. I am an Engineering and Mathematics graduate with a logical brain who enjoys acquiring knowledge (Science, Mathematics, History, Current Events, Sports) and playing chess while cruising around in a motorized red and black wheelchair. I teach chess to intermediate and advanced students in Northern California, many classes online and sometimes face-to-face. Whenever I can, I partake in the thrill of pushing wood at tournaments.

Germany

I was born in Munich, Germany in 1974, home of the original Oktoberfest! Indeed, I am a bona fide Münchner Kindl. My parents and I lived in the shadows of the stadium for the 1972 Olympic Games. I also spent a good deal of time with my paternal grandmother, growing up in the shadows of the beautiful Bavarian Alps.

Florida

My family moved to the United States in 1980, shortly after my 6th birthday. Dad worked as a bridge engineer for the Seven Mile Bridge on the Keys and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge across the mouth of Tampa Bay.

Starting 1st grade, I quickly learned to speak English and attended regular classes. For grades 3 through 12, my family lived in St. Petersburg and I went to Bay Vista Elementary (3rd to 5th), Transfiguration Catholic School (6th to 8th) and St. Petersburg High School (9th to 12th). I graduated summa cum laude from the highly ranked International Baccalaureate program at SPHS in 1992, with higher level subjects Mathematics, Physics and English. Go Green Devils!

I learned to play chess at a young age, approximately 7 or 8 years old. My Dad showed me how to play, but he never let me win. Eventually, I beat my chess computer at the weakest levels and gradually moved up in skill. Finally, I beat Dad on a family vacation. He hates to lose, and soon he refused to play me! Smart guy...

At SPHS, I joined the chess club run by my favorite Algebra teacher. Although I was the best player at the school, I doubt that I was more than 1000 level, if even that. Looking back today, I am shocked by my old chess motto: When in doubt, push a pawn!?

One summer weekend, my Dad and I visited the St. Petersburg Chess Club at their building on the other side of town. Unfortunately, only two old guys were present when we dropped in. They played blitz, talking trash, cussing and (the worst for Dad) chain smoking. The first impression was negative and I never found out about organized chess or the US Chess Federation until years later. We did not have the Internet and Google back then! Today, I surmise there may have been a major tournament nearby that fateful weekend. Sadly, those old wood-pushers at the club were not friendly to visitors.

California

Upon graduating from high school in 1992, I followed my Dad across the country to Northern California. I began studying at the University of California at Davis. Five years and 230 units later, I graduated with highest honors in Mechanical Engineering with a double major of Mathematics and earned the M.S. Ghausi Medal. These five years were some of the best of my life. Let's Go Aggies!

Midway through the first year, I stumbled across a newspaper story announcing the formation of a local chess club. I visited the group, joined the USCF, and played in my first rated tournament. My initial ratings were 1602 quick and 1023 regular. At the end of 1993, I was an established player rated 1682 quick and 1535 regular. By then, I began attending the much larger Sacramento Chess Club and established my roots.

For graduate school, I turned down UC Berkeley and moved across the Bay to Stanford University. My primary academic and research interests were modeling and simulating Mechanical Systems, such as the human body. I studied a computational model of human muscle incorporating concepts of Continuum Mechanics, Distributed Control, and the Finite Element Method. I hoped to complete a Ph.D. within a few years, but the stress became too much. At least, I learned a lot about science and life in general, and ended up with a M.S. in Biomechanical Engineering. Go Cardinal! Beat Cal!

At Stanford, I was honored to play on the Cardinal Chess Club Team. I sat mostly on board 3 or 4 at Intercollegiate competitions, including the Pan Am Intercollegiate each December and the Final Four in April. We played tournaments in Bowling Green, Toronto, Dallas, Milwaukee and Miami, plus a much-hyped match against superpower UMBC in Baltimore (we drew). My master teammates included Adrian Keatinge-Clay, Etan Ilfeld, Philip Wang and Jordy Mont-Reynaud.

One non-academic highlight of my years at Stanford was advertising the visit by reigning World #1 Garry Kasparov in 1999. The 13th World Champion spoke about the "Limits of Human Performance" at a symposium, drawing an overflow crowd to the largest lecture hall on campus. I sat next to the Greatest Of All Time (in my opinion) at a formal dinner the night before, with representatives of the Stanford Administration and Russian Department also attending. The following afternoon, I introduced Kasparov to local juniors at a fun Q & A session.

Teaching Chess in the 21st Century

Since 2002, I teach private chess instructions to many talented youngsters, most living in Northern California. During a typical class, I share a chessboard on my computer using the Zoom platform. My first student, Sacramento native Daniel Schwarz, rose through the ranks from 1500 to master, setting an example for others to follow. I have been fortunate to teach many future masters over the years. Some reached for the stars and achieved success on the World Stage, winning the World Youth Championship for their age. With the help of professional coaches, a few earned the official FIDE title of International Master and Grandmaster. See the Honor Roll for a list of my elite proteges.

Not all of my students reached 2200, but most found some degree of success at their skill level. A few picked up big prize checks at tournaments in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. They won 1st place in Elementary, Middle School and High School at the annual CalChess Scholastics; indeed my students conquered all three in the same year. The Saratoga High School team, comprised mostly of private students, dominated the High School division, taking home a half dozen state championship titles in a row. Check out my Photo Albums, many pictures taken at tournaments with students.

I enjoy the challenge of teaching elite children, in part because they force me to remain sharp in my own games. I share my appreciation and love for the royal game. In order to improve, it is critical to have fun while playing on the 64 squares. As a teacher, my Student Goals include refining chess analysis skills and developing the confidence, patience and psychological toughness to success at chess and life.

Unlike many coaches, I continue to feel the burning desire to challenge myself at tournaments. I became a master, and beat my first IM, on the same day at the old Chicago Chess Club in 2000. My playing strength and ratings increased to a peak of 2341 USCF and 2298 FIDE. I won club titles at Sacramento, Burlingame in San Mateo County, and the historic Mechanics' Institute in San Francisco. The biggest success came at the 2006 US Open, again in Chicago, where I tied for 2nd place overall and qualified for the US Championship. I had a great time, but was overmatched at the 2007 US Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Sadly, I sank into a slump that continues today and, while just 2 rating points away at one point, tragically never reached the threshold of the FIDE Master title.

Disability

While my disability stands out from my physical appearance, I try not to dwell on it much. Yes, I was born with four short limbs, a condition technically named Quadrilateral Phocomelia. I drive a motorized wheelchair around the house and the world. Certainly, the birth defect restricted my life from the start, but I coped it quite well for 36 years, attending regular schools and even living a mostly independent life.

Alas, my life turned upside down in 2010 with the onset of a mysterious neurologic condition. Before Thanksgiving, I doctors operated on my spinal cord to stop the rapid deterioration of my bodily functions. The surgery was an apparent success because my symptoms stopped worsening, but the gradual restoration of leg and abdominal muscle control did not follow as expected. Over the years, improvement has been painfully slow and incremental. One day may feel OK, and the next could be full of discomfort and spasm. It is terrible! I lost my independence and must rely on a caregiver for a lengthy morning medical routine plus additional care every 3-4 hours round the clock. The days of traveling around the West Coast abruptly ceased.

After so many years, now I am truly disabled! I deal with this reality every day and it is difficult to accept. My old life is gone and buried. Chess is both my competitive sport and my lifeline to the world. While I try to educate students on the finer points of the royal game, their enthusiasm also provides me energy.