My chess history:

I played with my father as a youth (age 6-7) , but he wasn't able to tone down his play, and he kept pasting me into the ground. I lost interest.

Come Highschool, I joined the chess team my freshman year - it was a four year high school. My softmore year, I joined the Junior Varsity team as 4th board out of five. Our varsity team took State the first two years I was there, and our Junior Varsity team took the JV State championship as well. I ended up with a 1376 rating.

Then our entire Varsity team graduated, and most of our Junior Varsity team. I ended up as 2nd board, then was moved to 1st in a sacrificial attempt to get our scores up - I'd end up playing the tough players, while our "2nd" board would play easier players. Since I was outclassed at 2nd board as well, it didn't matter - but my self-worth disentigrated, and my opinion of my instructor, etc. I dropped out of the club my Senior year.

My play can be very good, but I'm erratic and forget to protect myself sometimes. I've got training in various openings current through 1989 - when I stopped studying - and I've forgotten most of it. I can still play a pretty good game, though.

The last game my father ever won against me was December 1972, when I was 10.

Won the Illinois grade school championship in 1976, after narrowly missing it the previous year.

Took best score in the SICA (I think I'm remembering the initials correctly) Illinois high school league from 1976-1980. (Yup, every year. Didn't get the lifetime league record because the league had cut back on games, and because I lost a couple of stupid games my final year, but I did beat the recordholder in my one-on-one confrontation.)

Tied for first (5-0) in the 1981 Chicago Open. $270 prize money. Took second place in the 1981 or 1980 Illinois Open.

Played in a couple of Midwest Masters events, with limited success. Didn't win anything but didn't disgrace myself. Won a price in the 1989 US Open. (snort, what a prize, something like $5.00 - nine way tie for second place in my class.)

Played in a couple of World Opens (I think 1986 and 1987) - again didn't win anything, but beat some good players. Beat an IM, even.
Haven't played much since 1990.

I am most proud of my Homewood-Flossmore club championship of 1981, where I scored 8 wins and one draw against master-level competition. That took my rating to 2350-something, which I quickly managed to re-adjust to sub-2200 levels. :=(

Welcome to IWETHEY!