I began playing chess when I was about twelve or thirteen. My father had just undergone back surgery, and I needed a babysitter. That babysitter, my Uncle Johnny, became my first chess teacher. I took to the game immediately and progressed quickly. One day, he showed me an old issue of Chess Life from the early 1980s with Karpov and Kasparov on the cover. That single image changed everything. From that moment on, I was captivated by the phenomenon of Soviet chess dominance. How did they produce such a depth of talent? What were they doing differently? Why were they always the best? Those questions shaped what eventually became a lifelong admiration, and, admittedly, an obsession with Soviet chess.

Throughout my teens, I had the privilege and honor of studying under the late Alfred Blake Carlin, one of the finest human beings and finest teachers I have ever known. His influence lives on in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to learn from him. Around the same time, I also took lessons from John Parsons, another New Orleans legend whose guidance left a lasting mark on my understanding of the game.

I was also fortunate enough to be welcomed into the home of Grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov, where I spent unforgettable hours studying chess in his basement in Lexington, Kentucky, and learning Russian from Ana and Boris. Not long after, I found myself at the Marshall Chess Club, where Asa Hoffman took the time to share a few lessons of his own. Good man, Asa Hoffman.

Trevor Jackson, the strongest player to come out of Louisiana at that time, graciously educated me on how NOT to play against the French Defense many, many times. Trevor was a machine; I'm sure he still is! And Ramon Tagorda and RJ are just fantastic people. Love them both. And who knew that little Nick Matta, barely waist high and running around the tournament hall, was right on our heels! He certainly proved it. I am proud to be from the same state as Nick. Congrats, dude.

The About Me section ends there. The rest of my story belongs to another website.

Sincerely,
Drew