My Bizarre Chess Experiences

Almost 15 years of experience have convinced me that in competitive chess games, the bizarre is commonplace. Truth is often stranger than fiction. Under the excruciating pressure of tournament play, with the clock relentlessly ticking, and under the hypnotizing stare of one's opponent, some astonishing things can happen on the board. The list below is only a tiny sampling of these kinds of happenings. Anybody who enjoys this section should definitely check out The Fireside Book of Chess, which is surely among the most entertaining chess books ever written.

Some amusing youthful games I won, and my opponents' horrified reactions.

Playing against computers:

Please note that these pages date from the late 90s, so the computer programs play much better these days. However, the overriding points are still relevant.

Spectacular displays of chessic incompetence (blunders, astonishing oversights, quickly lost games, and premature resignations). (coming someday!)

Future plans include writeups of funny endgames, dramatic games, and problem-like situations.

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