Just and Clark Publish Tell-All Book On Competitive Chess

Illinois chess stalwarts Tim Just and Wayne Clark have published a hilarious and insightful look at the world of tournament chess.

The e-book is entitled My Opponent Is Eating a Doughnut (what else would you call such a book?) and it is available for a don't-think-twice-about-it price at Amazon.com as of October 2015.

The long-awaited easy-read chronicles dozens of amusing anecdotes from the hundreds of events organized or directed by the two US Chess National Tournament Directors (NTD's).

Besides the entertainment value, the book offers extremely valuable insights on the challenging art of directing -- and the science of playing in -- formal tournaments.

Often there is more than one way to address situations which arise during competitive chess events and TD's -- and players alike -- would be well-served to avail themselves of some of the lessons within.

For those reading the book, this reporter would love to hear about your own favorite passages within Doughnut and I hope to add those insights to this article. I can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

It does appear that the authors gently changed the names to protect the guilty but many of the stories will ring familiar to regulars of the Illinois chess circuit.  Even if one was not present at the specific incident, the scenarios -- and the related US Chess rules -- seem to come up frequently at tournaments.

With over 70 intriguing chapter titles such as "Black Three Times in a Row" and "The Thousand-Move Rule" and "Fifty Eight Minutes Late", every page will remind readers of something they've encountered during their chess career.

As I advise my own students, long after others have forgotten who won or lost a game -- or what white's seventh move was -- folks will remember how players comported themselves at the board.  Doughnut is sure to help many tournament entrants to save face by avoiding some of the scenarios explored within.

You don't want to be featured in Volume Two as a what-not-to-do, do you?

Congratulations to Tim and Wayne for this long-overdue publication. The American chess community is profoundly enriched by this essay collection.