{{Short description|American chess master and author}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox chess player |name=Hugh Myers |image= Myers hugh.JPG |caption=Myers in 1992 |birthname=Hugh Edward Myers |country=United States |birth_date={{Birth date|1930|1|23}} |birth_place=Decatur, Illinois |death_date={{Death date and age|2008|12|22|1930|1|23}} |death_place=Davenport, Iowa |title=National Master |rating= |peakrating=2350}}
'''Hugh Edward Myers''' (January 23, 1930 – December 22, 2008) was an American chess master and author. He won or tied for first in the state chess championships of Illinois (1951), Wisconsin (1955), Missouri (1962), and Iowa (1983), as well as the USCF Region VIII (Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska) championship (1983). He played {{chessgloss|first board}} for the Dominican Republic in the 1968 and 1976 Chess Olympiads.
Myers is best known for his writings on unusual chess openings such as the Nimzovich Defense (1.e4 Nc6). The eccentric opening 1.c4 g5{{chesspunc|!?}} is known as Myers' Defense because of his advocacy of it in his writings and games. Myers wrote numerous editions of his book on the Nimzovich Defense, as well as three other books on the openings. He edited and published the ''Myers Openings Bulletin'' in 1979–1988 and the ''New Myers Openings Bulletin'' in 1992–1996.
Myers also involved himself in the controversy over FIDE President Florencio Campomanes' termination of the 1984–85 World Championship match between Karpov and Kasparov, and was instrumental in helping Campomanes secure reelection in 1986.
==Chess career== Myers was born in Decatur, Illinois on January 23, 1930. At age 10, he learned to play chess from ''Lasker's Manual of Chess'', a famous treatise by former world champion Emanuel Lasker.<ref>Hugh Myers, ''A Chess Explorer'', Myers Openings Bulletin, 2002, pp. 5-6.</ref><ref name="Savagep.9">Allan Savage, "Hugh Myers: 1930-2008", ''Chess Life'', March 2009, p. 9.</ref> The book had a lasting influence on him, including Lasker's "encouragement regarding the openings, 'the ground trodden above is yet rather new, and you may explore it as well as anyone else.' "<ref>Myers 2002, p. 6. The language quoted by Myers concludes Lasker's analysis of 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.d4 d5{{chesspunc|!?}} Emanuel Lasker, ''Lasker's Manual of Chess'', Dover, 1960, pp. 100-01. The book was first published in English in 1927. David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld, ''The Oxford Companion to Chess'' (2d ed. 1992), Oxford University Press, p. 219. {{ISBN|0-19-866164-9}}.</ref> After his father brought home the December 1943 issue of ''Chess Review'', Myers began visiting the Decatur Chess Club weekly.<ref>Myers 2002, p. 6.</ref> In 1946, he played in his first chess tournament, finishing second in the Decatur high school championship.<ref>Myers 2002, p. 8.</ref>
Myers majored in history and political science at Millikin University, graduating in 1951.<ref>Myers 2002, pp. 2, 8-9.</ref><ref name="bio">Chess Note 5909, [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter53.html#5909._Hugh_Myers Myers autobiographical sketch]. Retrieved on 2009-01-06.</ref> While in college, he became obsessed with chess.<ref>Myers 2002, pp. 8-9.</ref> In 1950–52, he won the Decatur city championship thrice consecutively by lopsided scores, scoring 14.5 out of 16 possible points, 15 out of 16, and a perfect 14 out of 14, respectively.<ref>Myers 2002, p. 10.</ref><ref>''Chess Review'', April 1950, p. 100. Also available on DVD (page 114 of "Chess Review 1950" PDF file).</ref><ref>''Chess Review'', June 1951, p. 165. Also available on DVD (page 189 of "Chess Review 1951" PDF file).</ref><ref>''Chess Review'', April 1952, p. 101. Also available on DVD (page 115 of "Chess Review 1952" PDF file).</ref>
In 1951, Myers tied for first in the Illinois championship with Kimball Nedved and John Tums, each scoring 6 out of 7 possible points in the Swiss system tournament, but Nedved won on Sonneborn–Berger tiebreaking points.<ref>''Chess Review'', November 1951, p. 324. Also available on DVD (page 368 of "Chess Review 1951" PDF file).</ref><ref name="Myersp.12">Myers 2002, p. 12.</ref> Myers then challenged Nedved to a match, which Myers won in 1952 with 3.5 out of 4.<ref name="Myersp.12"/><ref>''Chess Review'', September 1952, p. 260. Also available on DVD (page 294 of "Chess Review 1952" PDF file).</ref> Myers won the 1955 Wisconsin state championship with 6.5 out of 7, drawing in the last round with Arpad Elo.<ref>''Chess Review'', July 1955, p. 196. Also available on DVD (page 222 of "Chess Review 1955" PDF file).</ref><ref>Myers 2002, p. 25.</ref> Myers was a natural chess teacher demonstrated by the impact of his 1957 short lesson at the Manhattan Club to Michael Morrisroe who used the exact technique to defeat Erich Marchand in the quarter finals of the 1960 New York State Championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter53.html|title=Chess Notes by Edward Winter}}</ref> In 1962, Myers won the Missouri Open championship on tiebreak over J. Theodorovich of Toronto, each scoring 5 out of 6.<ref>''Chess Review'', August 1962, p. 228. Also available on DVD (page 256 of "Chess Review 1962" PDF file).</ref>
From 1965 to 1968, Myers was the top-rated player in the Dominican Republic.<ref name="bio"/> He played {{chessgloss|first board}} for its national chess team at the Chess Olympiads at Lugano 1968 (scoring 4 {{chessgloss|wins}}, 5 draws, and 6 {{chessgloss|losses}}) and Haifa 1976 (scoring 3 wins, 3 draws, and 5 losses).<ref>Myers 2002, pp. 102-05, 140-41.</ref><ref>Árpád Földeák, ''Chess Olympiads 1927-1968'', Dover, 1979, p. 397. {{ISBN|0-486-23733-8}}.</ref><ref>R.D. Keene and D.N.L. Levy, ''Haifa Chess Olympiad 1976'', The Chess Player, 1977, p. 71. {{ISBN|0-906042-02-X}}.</ref>
In 1983, Myers tied for first with Mitch Weiss in the Iowa State Championship, a round robin, each scoring 3.5 out of 4.<ref>Myers 2002, p. 170.</ref><ref>[http://www.iowachess.org/champions.asp Individual Iowa State Chess Champions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203231321/http://iowachess.org/champions.asp |date=2009-02-03 }}. Retrieved on 2008-12-27.</ref> Later that year, Myers and Weiss also tied for first in the USCF Region VIII (Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska) championship, each scoring 4.5 points in the 5-round Swiss.<ref>Myers 2002, pp. 174-75.</ref> In 1994, Myers played third board for "Fear Itself", the team that won the U.S. Amateur Team Championship.<ref>''Chess Life'', June 1994, pp. 36-37.</ref><ref>Myers 2002, pp. 209-10.</ref>
Myers died in Davenport, Iowa on December 22, 2008.<ref>[http://www.qctimes.com/obits/new/index.php?section=profile&id=128698 ''Quad-City Times'' obituary] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120911125245/http://www.qctimes.com/obits/new/index.php?section=profile&id=128698 |date=2012-09-11 }}. Retrieved on 2008-12-30.</ref>
==Chess strength== Myers achieved an Elo rating of 2350 while living in the Dominican Republic.<ref>Myers 2002, p. 86.</ref> In the United States, he first attained a rating over 2200 (National Master level) in 1983 and kept it over 2200 for ten years.<ref>Myers 2002, p. 172.</ref> Between 1993 and 2003, his rating fell from 2219 to 2054.<ref>[http://main.uschess.org/datapage/ratings_graph.php?memid=10350671 USCF Regular Rating History for Hugh E. Myers]. Retrieved on 2008-12-26.</ref>
==Chess writing and contributions to opening theory== left|thumb|200px|Myers' ''A Chess Explorer'' (2002) {{algebraic notation|pos=secright}}
Myers is best known for his writings on unorthodox chess openings.<ref name="ChessBaseobit">ChessBase.com, [http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5113 Hugh Myers (1930-2008), opening theoretician] (2008-12-25). Retrieved on 2008-12-27.</ref> He published the books ''New Strategy in the Chess Openings'' (1968), ''The Nimzovich Defense'' (1973; French edition 1979; revised editions 1986, 1993, and 1995), ''Reversed King Pawns, Mengarini's Opening'' (1977), and ''Exploring the Chess Openings'' (1978).<ref>Myers 2002, pp. 99-100, 115, 150, 177, 202, 209.</ref> His most important opening work was on the Nimzowitsch Defense, on which he was considered the foremost authority.<ref name="Savagep.9"/> Myers' autobiography, ''A Chess Explorer'', was issued in 2002.<ref>Savage 2009, p. 10.</ref>
From 1979 to 1988, Myers edited and published 38 issues of the ''Myers Openings Bulletin''. Nine double-sized issues, called the ''New Myers Openings Bulletin'', came out in 1992–96.<ref>Myers 2002, p. iv.</ref> The ChessBase.com obituary of Myers observes that in the ''Myers Openings Bulletin'', Myers offered:<ref name="ChessBaseobit"/>
"...a remarkable diet of deeply-researched openings articles (no opening seemed too abstruse for consideration), historical features, book reviews and topical commentary. He included contributions from many writers who later gained prominence in their own right, and the Bulletin built up a loyal, affectionate readership throughout the world."
FIDE Master Allan Savage observes that the ''Bulletin'' "became a cause celebre for practitioners of unusual openings, a forum for airing of opinions of diverse chess writers, and a target for those conformists who would malign the very existence of offbeat ideas."<ref name="Savagep.9"/> Savage calls Myers "a trailblazer, iconoclast, original thinker, curmudgeon, and at his peak, a strong master".<ref name="Savagep.9"/>
Probably Myers' best-known contribution to opening theory is the eccentric line 1.c4 g5{{chesspunc|!?}}, a sort of Grob's Attack (1.g4) with colors reversed.<ref>Watson remarks, "Note ... how White (by his shockingly committal first move) has forfeited his chance for [c3], the key move in several of the most effective defences to Grob's Attack". John L. Watson, ''English: Franco, Slav and Flank Defences'', Batsford, 1981, p. 103. {{ISBN|0-7134-2690-X}}.</ref> It has become known as Myers' Defense because of his advocacy of it.<ref name="ChessBaseobit"/><ref>Stefan Bücker, [http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss05.pdf The Impoliteness of Ice Age Openings] (PDF). Retrieved on 2009-01-01.</ref><ref name="Kennedy">Rick Kennedy, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20051214101512/http://www.chessville.com/reviews/AChessExplorer.htm Review of ''A Chess Explorer'']}}. Retrieved on 2008-12-26.</ref> When Myers discussed it in ''New Strategy in the Chess Openings'' his publisher, without consulting him, inserted in the book the remark, "I can't believe that 1.c4 g5 is good for Black. There is no need to even give the reasons for my opinion; the move 1.-- g5 violates chess principles as I learned them."<ref>Myers 2002, p. 100.</ref> International Master John L. Watson, an authority on the English Opening, wrote that this variation "has become the theoretical property of Hugh Myers, who has both played it and published proposed improvements."<ref name="Watson 1981, p. 103">Watson 1981, p. 103.</ref> Watson opined that the line "seems {{chessgloss|playable}}",<ref name="Watson 1981, p. 103"/> but it is largely ignored in general opening manuals. It is not mentioned at all in the current edition of ''Modern Chess Openings'' (2008), the ''Encyclopedia of Chess Openings'' (1996), or ''Batsford Chess Openings 2'' (1989), and it receives only a brief footnote in ''Nunn's Chess Openings'' (1999).<ref>Nick de Firmian, ''Modern Chess Openings: MCO-15'', Random House Puzzles & Games, 2008, pp. 716-17. {{ISBN|978-0-8129-3682-7}}.</ref><ref>''Encyclopedia of Chess Openings'', Volume A (2nd ed. 1996), Šahovski Informator, p. 60.</ref><ref>Garry Kasparov and Raymond Keene, ''Batsford Chess Openings 2'', Collier Books, 1989, p. 27. {{ISBN|0-02-033991-7}}.</ref><ref>John Nunn, Graham Burgess, John Emms, and Joe Gallagher, ''Nunn's Chess Openings'', Everyman Publishers, 1999, p. 19 n. 1. {{ISBN|1-85744-221-0}}.</ref> In the first edition of ''Batsford Chess Openings'' (1982), future World Champion Garry Kasparov famously dismissed 1...g5 with the remark that, "Chess is not {{chessgloss|skittles}}."<ref name="Kennedy"/><ref>Garry Kasparov and Raymond Keene, ''Batsford Chess Openings'', Batsford, 1982, p. 11. {{ISBN|0-7134-2112-6}}.</ref><ref>Edward Winter, [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/openings.html Old Opening Assessments] (July 19, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-12-26.</ref> {{clear}}
==Chess controversy and politics== In 1985 and 1986, Myers wrote in the ''Myers Openings Bulletin'' about FIDE President Florencio Campomanes' controversial decision to terminate the 1984–85 Karpov–Kasparov World Championship match after 48 games, and schedule a new match later in 1985.<ref name="Myersp.179">Myers 2002, p. 179.</ref> Myers argued that the decision to stop the match and start afresh was in Kasparov's interest, since he had been trailing and would have needed three more victories to win the match, while Karpov needed only one.<ref>Myers 2002, p. 178.</ref> Chess historian Edward Winter later wrote, "This reasoning, originally voiced by hardly anyone except ... Myers, is now gaining ground."<ref>Edward Winter, [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/termination.html The Termination] (1988, updated in 2006, 2007 and 2008). Retrieved on 2008-12-27.</ref> Myers also asserted that Kasparov's statements, which suggested that Campomanes had terminated the match at Karpov's behest and over Kasparov's opposition, were duplicitous.<ref name="Myersp.179"/>
In 1986, Campomanes hired Myers to write the bulletins at the Chess Olympiad later that year in Dubai, and to work for Campomanes' reelection as FIDE President.<ref>Myers 2002, pp. 184-85.</ref> Campomanes' opponent was Lincoln Lucena, whose running mate was Raymond Keene, a candidate for General Secretary of FIDE.<ref>Edward Winter, [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/fidefacts.html The 1986 FIDE Presidential Election]. Retrieved on 2009-01-16.</ref><ref>Myers 2002, pp. 179, 194.</ref> Myers wrote a series of ten bulletins for distribution to national chess federations, entitled ''F.I.D.E. Facts'', that criticized Keene, as well as Lucena supporters such as Kasparov and David Levy.<ref>Myers 2002, pp. 186, 188, 193-94.</ref><ref>All ten issues of ''F.I.D.E. Facts'' are reproduced in Edward Winter, [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/fidefacts.html The 1986 FIDE Presidential Election]. Retrieved on 2009-01-16.</ref> The November 1986 issue of ''CHESS'' magazine contained a written response, drafted by Myers and signed by Campomanes, to Keene's charges against Campomanes.<ref>''CHESS'' magazine, November 1986, pp. 323-25.</ref><ref>Myers 2002, p. 188.</ref> Myers also created a cartoon that portrayed Lucena as a marionette controlled by Keene and Levy.<ref name="Myersp.194">Myers 2002, p. 194.</ref> Just before the election, Lucena withdrew, ensuring Campomanes' victory.<ref name="Myersp.194"/> Myers took credit for Campomanes' reelection, writing, "It could be reasonably argued that Campomanes was either a good guy or a bad guy, but I'm proud that discovering the truth and telling it proved that his opponents were worse."<ref>Myers 2002, p. 193.</ref>
==Notable games== {{algebraic notation|pos=secleft}} {{Chess diagram small |floatright |Myers vs. Lombardy, 1957 | | |rd| | |rd|kd| |pd|pd|qd|bd| |pd|pd| | | | | |pd| | |pd | | | |nd|pl| | |ql | |pl|nd| |nl| | | |pl| | | | | |pl| | | | | | |pl|bl|pl |rl| |bl|rl| | |kl| |Position after 19...Qc7 }} * Myers won the following game against an extremely strong American junior who won the World Junior Chess Championship later the same year with the only perfect score in its history and was awarded the Grandmaster title by FIDE in 1960.<ref>Hooper & Whyld 1992, p. 232.</ref> Annotations are based on those by Hans Kmoch in ''Chess Review''.<ref>''Chess Review'', March 1957, p. 89. Also available on DVD (page 99 in "Chess Review 1957" PDF file).</ref> Myers included the decisive moment of the game on the cover of his autobiography ''A Chess Explorer''. {{parabr}}Myers–William Lombardy, Manhattan Chess Club championship semifinal, New York, 1957:<ref>Annotations are based on those by Hans Kmoch in ''Chess Review''.</ref> <br />'''1.g3 Nf6 2.Bg2 d5 3.Nf3 Bf5 4.c4 c6 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Qb3 Bc8 7.0-0 e6 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.d4 Bd6''' Here and on his next few moves Black plays strangely, initiating complications before having {{chessgloss|castling|castled}}. Normal was 8...Be7 9.Rd1 0-0. '''10.Rd1 h6 11.a3 Na5 12.Qc2 Bd7 13.b4 Nc4 14.e4{{chesspunc|!}} dxe4 15.Nxe4 Rc8 16.Ne5! Bxe5 17.dxe5 Nd5 18.Qe2 0-0 19.Qh5 Qc7''' (diagram) '''20.Rxd5{{chesspunc|!!}} exd5 21.Nf6+!! gxf6''' Black must capture, since 21...Kh8 22.Bxh6! is even worse. '''22.exf6 Nd6 23.Bxh6 Bf5 24.Bxd5 Qc2 25.Bxf8 Rxf8 26.Qh6 Ne8 27.Re1 Bg6 28.Rxe8 Qd1+ 29.Kg2 Qxd5+ 30.f3 Qd2+ 31.Qxd2 Rxe8 32.Qh6 {{chessAN|1–0}}''' Black resigned.<ref name="here">The game can be played over [http://www.chessbase.com/news/2008/games/myers01.htm here].</ref> {{clear}}
{{Chess diagram small |floatright |Myers vs. Leon, 1969 | |nd| | |kd| | |rd | | | | |pd| |bd|pd | |ql|nd| |pd| |qd| |pl| | | | | |nl| | | |rl| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |pl|pl| | |pl|pl| | | | |rl|kl| | | |Position after 28...Ke8 }} * Myers considered the following game one of his best.<ref name="Myersp.106">Myers 2002, p. 106.</ref> It shows his unconventional approach to the openings, with both of his rook pawns moved by move six.<ref>Myers wrote of his sixth move, "I love it when I can get away with early advances of both Rook pawns!" Myers 2002, p. 106.</ref> This game was also annotated by Kmoch, in ''Chess Life & Review''.<ref>''Chess Life & Review'', October 1970, pp. 564-65. Also available on DVD (pages 564-65 in "Chess Life & Review 1970" PDF file).</ref> {{parabr}}Myers–Juan Leon, San Juan, Puerto Rico Championship, 1969:<ref>Unless otherwise specified, annotations are based on those by Kmoch in ''Chess Life & Review''.</ref> <br />'''1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.h4 Bg7''' 3...h5 is better. '''4.h5 d6 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.a4 gxh5{{chesspunc|?}}''' 6...Nf6. '''7.Rxh5 a6 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.d3 Nf6 10.Rh4 Nc6 11.Nc3 0-0-0 12.a5 d5 13.Na4! Kb8?''' 14...Qd6. '''14.Bf4+ Ka7 15.Nxc5 Qe8 16.Bc7 Rc8 17.Bb6+ Ka8 18.Qe2 dxe4 19.dxe4 Nd7 20.Nxa6! bxa6 21.Qxa6+ Kb8 22.e5!''' Threatening 23.Rb4.<ref name="Myersp.106"/> '''Rc7 23.Bxc7+ Kxc7 24.e6! fxe6 25.Ng5 Qg6 26.Rc4 Ndb8 27.Qb6+ Kd7 28.Rd1+ Ke8''' (diagram) '''29.Qxb8+! 1–0'''<ref name="here"/> If 29...Nxb8, 30.Rc8{{chessAN|#}}. {{clear}}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{chessgames player|id=92435|name=Hugh Myers}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers, Hugh}} Category:1930 births Category:2008 deaths Category:American chess writers Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:Chess theoreticians Category:Writers from Decatur, Illinois Category:20th-century American chess players Category:20th-century American male writers