Josh Waitzkin Biography

Josh Waitzkin first saw a chess set when he was 6 years old and walking with his mom in Nyc City's Washington Square Park. He was going to be playing on the monkey bars, but rather he fell in love with the art that would influence much of his younger years. Josh's first lecturers were down-and-out hustlers—street virtuosos who did take Josh under their wings and tidied up their acts when their apprentice came to play. The park dudes taught Josh their assertive, instinctive style of competing, which became his signature look for coming years. Josh started classical study of the game at the age of 7 with his first official teacher, Bruce Pandolfini. Josh occupied the US scholastic chess scene from the age of 9. He won the National Primary Championship in 1986, the National Junior High Championship in 1988, as well as the National Elementary Championship in 1989 while still in grade 5. In a synchronous exhibition, he did draw a game with World Champion Garry Kasparov at the age of 11. Josh earned the title of Nat'l Master when he was 13 years old. In 1990, he won a National Junior High Championship for the 2nd time, as well as the Senior High Championship and the United States Cadet Championship (under 16). Josh also led Nyc City's Dalton School to 6 National team championships between the 3rd and 9th grades. Searching for Bobby Fischer, based on the widely renowned book of the same name written by Fred Waitzkin, was published by Paramount Pictures in 1993, capturing Josh's journey to having won his 1st National Championship. Josh has become a Global Master and the United States Junior (Under 21) Co-Champion that year, at the age of 16. He managed to win the US Junior Championship in 1994 and finished 4th in the Under-18 World Championship. Josh has become the spokesperson and creator of the Josh Waitzkin Academy for Chessmaster, the world's biggest computer chess programme, since 1997.

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