Ya Gotta Love Small-Town Newspapers

I found this link on ChessCafe's "Daily Chess News Links".

http://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/article_78f6ceb0-c484-11df-9c0e-001cc4c002e0.html

Pocatello, Idaho. Around 50,000 population, in the middle of nowhere, USA.

You city slickers who've never lived in the boondocks have no idea how small town reporters operate. Sometimes to fill column space, they really have to beat the bushes for a story.

OK, so a nice writeup of a local player, who has a good pedigree. Five decades as an avid chess player, the last ten years in organized tournaments. President of the Idaho Chess Association. Local tournament director.

Out of idle curiosity, I wonder what his rating is. Someone with that history, I figure at least 1500, probably more like 1800 or 2000. So I look him up on the USCF rating page...

USCF regular rating 693 (quick rating a bit better at 751). This guy clearly isn't in the hobby for an ego boost. He must truly love the game. And I respect him for that.

Originally posted by Mad Rook
I found this link on ChessCafe's "Daily Chess News Links".

http://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/article_78f6ceb0-c484-11df-9c0e-001cc4c002e0.html

Pocatello, Idaho. Around 50,000 population, in the middle of nowhere, USA.

You city slickers who've never lived in the boondocks have no idea how small town reporters operate. Sometimes to fill col ...[text shortened]... n't in the hobby for an ego boost. He must truly love the game. And I respect him for that.

I like the story, and I respect what your saying but ...

The combination of this guy not being able to get his rating over 800 after ten years of tournament chess AND his handling of toxic waste removal for the state kind of scares me a little.

This is scary and true.

I played in the same team as this guy whose sense of direction was
totally zilch. He would get lost in his own house.

He really was a case. Every time we went anywhere he would get lost.

His job? When he told me I nearly cried laughing.

He designed the guidance system for air to air missiles.

Edit 1

The SUN, a British National Newspaper, is doing a feature on some
released murderer. Part 2 is tomorrow (well today actually).
The feeder for part 2 is;

"I don't play chess anymore. I killed the last person I played chess with."