![]() ![]() I still remember how humbled I was when Jennifer Yu’s parents allowed her to visit with some Girl Scouts here in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2015. I hope every parent, grandparent, community leader, business person, educator and so many others will work to increase the scope of K-12 chess for the K-12 community across not only Virginia but the entire USA. The memories I have and the ones I am building now through chess mean more than I can share. I could see the joy in her face as she spoke of her father and what playing chess with him meant to her and how much she was missing those days. She said that her father had taught her how to play and she loved playing him. I told her I did and was helping to bring the game to K-12 students in our area. The lady, cashier (whose name I unfortunately did not get), inside noticing my door sign asked me if I played chess. I carry a magnetic sign on my truck about Playing ACES CHESS. ![]() I was near exit 154 on Interstate 64, I think, going east the other day on my way to Richmond for a meeting when I discovered I needed gas. In closing, I want to leave you as the reader with one final thought! After about our 1st ten moves in each game I’ll post the positions here so people can follow the games. In any event, we have started two games that we will play by email. ![]() He still follows chess online and we spoke briefly about the current World Champion Magnus Carlson, especially his Blitz game strength. I am so glad Robert answered my phone call this morning! After 10 years of trying to figure out what had become of him I was over joyed to know he was living a quiet life and was still in Alabama. But, this is what it is! Fischer, despite his character flaws, will be, from a pure chess perspective, one of the game’s greatest players of all time! But, had other interventions taken place earlier in is life his legacy would not be viewed in such disarray as some have now portrayed him. Fischer in his later life had serious character flaws. We remembered his greatness and how everyone of us were enamored with his mystique as a player. We grew-up during the era of Bobby Fischer. But, now I am hopeful to make a trip back to Alabama to play my old friend!īelow is a page from our HS Yearbook as Seniors. Frankly, I feared that my old friend had passed and we would never again get the chance to play another game of chess together. ![]() About 10 years ago I had contacted the Alabama Chess Federation looking for Robert, but he had gone “dark” as it were, retiring if you will, from active chess to take care of family! They had not heard from him in some time. Then we started on a near 3 hour reminiscence. Robert my old chess buddy!” He responded “ Yes, Nate its me“. I was stunned, saying “ Is this my old buddy Robert Pruitt from our days at Sidney Lanier HS. The voice said “ This is Robert Pruitt is this Nate“. I had just sat down at my computer in my home office when the phone range. At the end of the message I said “If this is my old friend Robert then P-Q4 ( aka d4). You see, I had just found, what I hoped was Robert’s number calling it leaving a message and a clue. It had been 40 years since I had the chance to speak with my old friend and our #1 board player whom I played behind as #2 board.īut, this morning around 8:30 am I got the surprise of a life-time. He came close to being the Alabama State Chess Champion one year tying for 2nd place. I had been looking for an old chess friend from my high school days! Robert Pruitt was a brilliant mathematical mind and a tough chess player. Every now and then the world is a surprising place. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |