John L. Watson

John L. Watson is a chess International Master and author.

Watson was born in 1951 and grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and was educated at Brownell-Talbot, Harvard, and the University of California at San Diego, where he took his degree in engineering. His picture was on the cover of the May 1969 issue of "Chess Life" magazine after he won the first US National High School Chess Championship.

Watson is best known as a chess author, and has written more than thirty books on many aspects of chess. His 1999 book "Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy" won the British Chess Federation's "Book of the year" award, and has been translated to several languages. His four volume work on the English Opening has been a best seller for more than twenty-five years.Fact|date=September 2008 He also wrote the Chessman comic book series. He has a regular book review column at The Week in Chess.

Watson is also a chess coach, and his students include Tal Shaked, the 1997 World Junior Champion.

Watson is married to Maura Giles-Watson, and lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Selected Books

*"Play the French", third edition, (Cadogan Chess Books) ISBN 1-85744-337-3
*"Chess Strategy in Action" ISBN 1-901983-69-2
*"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: Advances since Nimzowitsch", Gambit Publications, 1999, ISBN 1-901983-07-2
*"Chess Strategy in Action", Gambit, 2003, ISBN 1-901983-69-2
*"English 1...P-K4" ISBN 1-84382-144-3
*"Mastering the Chess Openings", Gambit Publications. Volume 1 (1. e4): ISBN 1-904600-60-3 (2006), volume 2 (1. d4): ISBN 1-904600-69-7 (2007).

External links

*fide|id=2000768|name=John Watson
* [http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/jwatson9.html Book Reviews by IM John Watson]
* [http://www.colorado-chess.com/History/photoshow.php?photoname=John_Watson.jpgPhotograph on Colorado Chess Informant]