Volume 40, Number 1 Colorado Chess Informant January 2013
The Wall family- Dad and the band of brothers, circa 1985
As the years passed Brian played many world class players gaining draws against Soviet GM Anatoly Lein, ex-US Champion GM Arthur Bisguier, ex-US champion GM Shulman, GM Dashzeveg and has 3 wins against 2500 rated Igor Foigel. Brian also drew against current super GM Nakamura when he was a 2400 rated IM.
Brian shares a story about a simultaneous exhibition held in Denver in 1978 against former world chess champion Tigran Petrosian. After he teamed with Jeff McGuire to lose a long tough game, he got to visit with the GM. Brian asked Petrosian if he would continue to fight to regain the world chess title. Petrosian smiled at Brian and said“ I have no right not to continue trying.” Tragically, Petrosian died in 1984, 6 short years later at the too early age of 55. Some 25 years later, Brian played then U. S. Champion, Alexander Shabalov to a draw in another GM simul in Denver.
Brian also told me about watching world chess champions Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov play while he was in Massachusetts and hanging out with ex- US champion GM Patrick Wolff. During this time, he also got to watch a young Susan Polgar play blitz chess. Later Susan became the first female GM in history and 4 time women ' s world chess champion.
During the 1990s Brian became close friends with one of the world ' s top GMs, Roman Dzinzichashvili, during his time in Denver and was rewarded by adding a depth and understanding to his own game that he carries today and for the rest of his life.
Brian shared one of his concepts of play as coming from past World Champion, GM Mikhail Botvinnik, who developed the concept of looking at every possible move after an adjournment. Brian expands on this idea by looking at every move- during the course of the game. Even the most seemingly absurd move can become the deep hidden brilliancy that becomes an immortal achievement.
I asked Brian why over the past years he has moved away from mainstream theoretical openings and into the irregular and unsolved realm. It seems that with Brian ' s huge experience and knowledge that he could almost automatically win many games. Brian ' s explanation was a revelation about the creative artist he is,“ I want to play new ideas and keep the creativity of my chess thinking always moving forward.” www. colorado-chess. com
To his many students, Brian demonstrated the Fishing Pole, Full Metal Jacket and recently, the Frazer Defense to the Ponziani as his original and powerful opening ideas. Many strong chess players call Brian Wall their mentor- Tyler Hughes, Robert Ramirez and Chris Peterson to name only a few that are dear to Brian.
Like no other Colorado player of his generation, Brian has adapted to the computer age, playing over 250,000 online games in the past 12 years. An example of the international respect Brian has attained, he had a world level chess analysis assignment in 2006 working for ICC and being the only non-GM or IM member contracted to analyze during the world championship Topolov-Kramnik match.
Brian is known by many as a genius and to others as the world ' s oldest 14 year old. He probably makes people laugh and laughs more than anyone I ' ve ever known. Although he can hurl out some witty zingers, he always means well, he just lives for humor. He currently teaches chess in 2 Denver Public Schools. Watching him interact with his students, one is struck by his all-encompassing chess knowledge, his kindness and that special Brian Wall humor in everything he does.
He has competed in over 600 tournaments during his chess career. Brian has won both the North American Open Championship and the Kansas Open. He is a 6 times Colorado State or co-champ, 6 times Denver Champion, 2 times Wyoming State Champion and has won countless strong tournaments. He has a huge score against GMs and IMs on ICC, scoring particularly well at short time controls with his pet opening systems. Brian has shared his unique insights about every aspect of chess on his online site for the past 12 years. At one time he had over 250,000 hits and led the then # 7 ranked Yahoo site. Brian has composed over 15,000 email chess lessons and stories. Brian says he sees it as his job to record chess history so future generations can know what we did during our time. He is a chess historian but also a person that takes an interest and becomes a friend to any person that crosses his path.
Downtown Denver’ s, 16th Street Mall, just off Arapahoe and the Clock Tower Building has an
( continued on next page)
Page 45