Do you men keep yours in a safe like I do?? Or have an armed guard posted?

I remember being impressed enough to order books from Jim, especially his book on the 1895-96 St. Petersburg four masters’ tournament and a small pamphlet on the Ponziani by Ludek Pachman. (Jim edited this one and added original analysis not included by the grandmaster.)

Jim admired players and writers with classical, clear styles, such as Gerald Abrahams, Siegbert Tarrasch, Max Euwe and Edmar Mednis. I often thought of him as “America’s Tarrasch” as I read his acerbic, entertaining, dogmatic and often-controversial “Confidential Chess Lessons.” Like Bobby Fischer, who Jim met on the famous 1964 nationwide tour, he firmly believed in 1 P-K4 as the best opening move in chess. (And, like Fischer, he preferred descriptive notation and detested playing against the French Defense.)

I first met Jim in person at a book table he was running at the 1991 Oregon Class Championships. He was totally approachable and affable. We chatted a bit and I bought a copy of Abrahams’ The Chess Mind from him.

When Jim moved from Cleveland to Portland, Oregon in 1987-88, he was still strong enough to be invited to play in an Oregon state championship. Jim retained his strength even at an advanced age, as demonstrated by his defeat of GM Roman Dzindzichashvili in a 50-board simultaneous display given in Portland in 2000.

In those days, I went to Jim’s apartment many times to play 5-minute chess games with him (and buy more books!). He won about 90 to 95 percent of those encounters and his typically blunt assessment of my play (“your attacking skills are woeful”) spurred me to play in a more aggressive style.

In spite of his self-admitted irascibility, Jim was a friend and coach to players well below his own strength (such as I am, a lifetime USCF Class B player). He was generous with advice and insights on how to improve, and also gave away many of his books to other players. I especially treasure his signed copy of his book on AVRO 1938, for which Dr. Euwe wrote the Foreword and in which he complimented Jim’s analytical work.

Jim founded the Prison Chess Project, and devoted much time, money and resources in helping chess-playing prison inmates across the United States with advice, books and equipment.

I will miss Jim.

It also should be noted that he was a strong player, especially when he was teen -ager.>

I heard a young player ask Jim one weekend how to become a good chess player. Jim replied: You get the Golden Treasury of Chess. It has 500 master games. Play through each game. Study every move. When you're done you'll be a strong player.