John L. Watson

John Watson, Seattle 2003
Surname	John Leonard Watson
Association	United States
Born	September 5, 1951 Milwaukee , United States
title	International champion (1979)
Current  Elo rating	2178 (March 2020)
Best Elo rating	2430 (January 1981)
Tab at the FIDE (English)

John Leonard Watson (born September 5, 1951 in Milwaukee ) is an American chess player and writer.

Life

Watson was born in Milwaukee in 1951 and grew up in Omaha , Nebraska . He graduated from the University of California at San Diego , where he received his degree in engineering. He won many chess tournaments, including the first US National High School Championship and the American Open. He has held the title of International Master since 1979 .

Watson is best known as a chess theorist and author. He has published more than 30 books on many aspects of the game of chess. His book Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy (Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy) in 1999 won the prize for book of the year the British Chess Federation , as well as the prize for book of the year the United States Chess Federation . The successor work Chess Strategy in Action was named Book of the Year by Chesscafe. These two books address the changes that chess strategy has undergone since the beginning of the 20th century and have been translated into several languages. Watson reviews books for The Week in Chess , the online publication of the London Chess Center. In addition, Watson moderates the weekly internet radio program "Chess Talk with John Watson" on Chess.FM, the radio station of the Internet Chess Club (ICC). In 2015, he played for the San Diego Surfers in the United States Chess League .

Watson also works as a chess trainer. His students include a. Tal Shaked , 1997 World Youth Champion, FIDE Master Patrick Hummel and FIDE Master Abby Marshall.

Watson is married to Maura Giles-Watson; they live in San Diego, California .

Books (selection)

• Play the French . Cadogan Chess Books, ISBN 1-85744-337-3 .
• Chess strategy in action . Gambit Publications, ISBN 1904600123 .
• The Unconventional King's Indian . ISBN 1-84382-150-8 .
• The Gambit Guide to the Modern Benoni . ISBN 1-901983-23-4 .
• Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy . Gambit Publications, ISBN 1901983757 .
• English 1… P-K4 . ISBN 1-84382-144-3 .
• Dangerous weapons - French . Everyman Chess, 2008, ISBN 9783932336157 .
• Secrets of modern chess openings . Gambit Publications (4 volumes)
  • Volume 1 (1.e4): ISBN 1904600743
  • Volume 2 (1. d4): ISBN 1904600751
  • Volume 3 (1. c4): ISBN 1906454108
  • Volume 4 (Gambits, Preparation, Fianchettos and Symmetry): ISBN 1906454221

Web links

• Photo of John L. Watson in the Colorado Chess Informant ( February 6, 2015 memento on the Internet Archive )