Eckhard Schmittdiel is a German chess Grandmaster. Born on the 9th of August, 1954, he began playing competitive chess as a child and quickly rose through the ranks.
Schmittdiel attended Dortmund University where he studied logic and game theory, earning his degree in 1983. He returned to competitive chess shortly after graduation. In 1984, he became one of the youngest FIDE International Masters and in 1990, he was promoted to the rank of International Grandmaster, becoming the 19th German to achieve the title.
Schmittdiel increased his standing in the chess community by maintaining a steady tournament schedule throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, playing at an elite level. One of his greatest achievements is winning the 1991 German Chess Championship in Bad Neuenahr. Other notable successes include runner-up in the 1990 and 1998 German Championship and first place in the 1996 Lippstadt Open.
Beyond playing, Schmittdiel has contributed to the chess world through his writings. He has authored several books on chess and contributed to various chess magazines. These works include deep analyses of games and discussions of opening theory.