John W. Collins
Encyclopedia
John William Collins or Jack Collins, was an influential American
teacher of chess
.
Collins was born and raised in Newburgh, New York, but lived most of his life in New York City
. He became a chess master
in the 1930s. He was a major figure in the early days of modern organized chess, serving as the first correspondence chess
editor of Chess Review
magazine (which later merged with Chess Life
). This program laid the groundwork for the correspondence chess conducted by the United States Chess Federation
. He was one of the few players who excelled nationally at both correspondence and over-the-board play, winning the U.S. correspondence championship and ranking as one of the top OTB players in the U.S. He remained an active tournament player through the 1960s. He represented the United States in the first World Correspondence Chess Championship.
Collins taught many of America's great young chess players. The United States Chess Federation recognized him as the top American chess teacher of the 20th century. A prolific author, he taught thousands of players through his books and articles, and was co-editor of the ninth edition of Modern Chess Openings
. Collins was a major organizer and leader in New York City, with significant impact on the U.S. and world chess scenes, especially through the Collins Kids organization
.
Collins's 1975 book My Seven Chess Prodigies included memoirs of a handful of his students who became some of America's greatest chess players, including: former world champion Bobby Fischer
, grandmaster William Lombardy
, New York Times
chess columnist Robert Byrne and International Master Raymond Weinstein
.
Collins used a wheelchair, but was assisted by his sister Ethel Boyd Collins, who was a registered nurse
and brought him to chess events.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
teacher of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He became a chess master
Chess master
A chess master is a chess player of such skill that he/she can usually beat chess experts, who themselves typically prevail against most amateurs. Among chess players, the term is often abbreviated to master, the meaning being clear from context....
in the 1930s. He was a major figure in the early days of modern organized chess, serving as the first correspondence chess
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
editor of Chess Review
Chess Review
Chess Review is a U.S. chess magazine that was published from January 1933 until October 1969 . Until April 1941 it was called The Chess Review. Published in New York, it began on a schedule of at least ten issues a year but later became a monthly...
magazine (which later merged with Chess Life
Chess Life
Chess Life is a monthly chess magazine published in the United States. The official publication of the United States Chess Federation , it reaches more than a quarter of a million readers every month. A subscription to Chess Life is one of the benefits of Full Adult, Youth, or Life membership in...
). This program laid the groundwork for the correspondence chess conducted by the United States Chess Federation
United States Chess Federation
The United States Chess Federation is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership...
. He was one of the few players who excelled nationally at both correspondence and over-the-board play, winning the U.S. correspondence championship and ranking as one of the top OTB players in the U.S. He remained an active tournament player through the 1960s. He represented the United States in the first World Correspondence Chess Championship.
Collins taught many of America's great young chess players. The United States Chess Federation recognized him as the top American chess teacher of the 20th century. A prolific author, he taught thousands of players through his books and articles, and was co-editor of the ninth edition of Modern Chess Openings
Modern Chess Openings
Modern Chess Openings is an important reference book on the chess openings, first published in 1911 by the British players Richard Clewin Griffith and John Herbert White...
. Collins was a major organizer and leader in New York City, with significant impact on the U.S. and world chess scenes, especially through the Collins Kids organization
Collins Kids organization
The Collins Kids were a group of young chess players invited by John W. Collins to play chess against teams from other countries. The international link began at the 1972 World Chess Championship in Reykjavík, Iceland between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky . John Collins was a life-long teacher...
.
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
, grandmaster William Lombardy
William Lombardy
William James Lombardy is an American Grandmaster of chess, writer, teacher, and one-time Catholic priest.- Life and career :...
, New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
chess columnist Robert Byrne and International Master Raymond Weinstein
Raymond Weinstein
Raymond A. Weinstein is an American chess master from Brooklyn, New York, who was awarded the FIDE International Master title in 1962. He has been incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital since killing a man in 1964.-Chess career:...
.
Collins used a wheelchair, but was assisted by his sister Ethel Boyd Collins, who was a registered nurse
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
and brought him to chess events.