AROUND THE U.S.A. IN SPADES

Yesterday I related how difficult it can be to break into the chess business whether, selling, publishing, or running events. Often the "old guard" (of which I am now one, sort of) wants you to stay 10-15 years away. Dan Kennedy also writes about this in one of his books about when he lived in Arizona and was also on the "speech giving" tours. Problem was, he was making a lot more $$$ than the people keeping him down... so that only made it worse (for them).

All this reminded me of how vicious the internet can be at times (not to mention those who pass on lies via word of mouth). I remember browsing through the net looking for something when I came across a link for a Mr. X. Years ago I remembered him whining about how he never got feedback from what he wrote on his "Chess Blog." I think he was into correspondence chess... something like that. He wasn't getting readers because he wasn't interesting. That simple.

Like I said above, I came across him years later when I saw a link so I thought, "Hey, let's see what X is up to these days... maybe more readers, more feedback!"

Instead it was a harangue about ME!!! The main thesis was that I had undeserved popularity. I hadn't been anywhere, done anything, and yet I was getting undeserved PR. This guy was not too bright apparently and as bad as politicians are (and chess politicians are usually worse), he should never consider politics.

I never wrote to this dipshit for obvious reasons. But, never been anywhere? Let's see, at 27 I was in Iceland when everything was hitting the fan over the Fischer - Spassky match. I attended meetings, got photos, met some really cool people, made a lifelong friend (Bragi Kristjansson), and wrote many articles about my time there, meeting Euwe, Al Horowitz, Bill Lombardy, Larry Evans, Harold Schoenberg (NY Time music critic and chess bon vivant), and who knows who else including meeting Bill Wheeler (more about him in my book The Chess Assassin's Business Manual, still available from me for $30).

I've sold from Las Vegas to Pittsburgh. to Minneapolis to St. Louis, and in between including Chicago, Denver and Des Moines. I've sold and marketed out of Davenport, IA, Iowa City, Macomb, IL, and Savannah, GA. I've played in events from the US Open in Boston (1988) and Chicago (1994), several National Opens in Las Vegas, etc. and held 4 Chess Festivals, 6 chess clinics, and I have never been anywhere or done anything!!? This guy is an ass who knows nothing about me at all.

Publication wise Thinkers' Press has done nearly 150 books and journals, mostly on chess. I've published SQUARES, Chessstamps Informant, Chess Atlas, The Chess Gazette, Lasker and His Contemporaries, The Chess Reports, Chess EXTRAS, and now Purdy's Chess Chronicles. I suspect the reason this yahoo complained about lack of feedback to his writings is that HE hasn't done anything and wouldn't know what that kind of work looked like!

I've even ghost written stuff for others! And all that was in the realm of chess which didn't include my years in magic and the typesetting business and computer sales conferences. Most of this stuff I haven't written about except loosely and I didn't even include 10 years working for DoD as an applied mathematician. So, don't believe everything you read on the internet. Maybe best is checking the credentials of the person slamming someone else. He gave MY name in print. I ignored him. I will not give his name in print because he hasn't done anything of value. He's probably still around because I think the last time I checked he was head of The Narcissists League of America.

If you have a choice between whining and doing something, doing something always wins out.

bob@thinkerspressinc.com