American Legion Petaluma Spotlight is on Thomas Boyd

The Texas Armed Forces and Military Veterans Open Chess Championships held in Hillsboro Texas on September 29 & 30 2018. Almost as many words in the title of the chess tournament as there were players (18). A nice event and the title should make it clear there were no kids, well almost, but in this event the kid was about 35.

Some Interesting Aspects

• None of the 18 (16 men, 2 women) appear to have been Vietnam veterans. They were veterans of Dessert Storm and the Gulf Wars since along with those who served in Korea and Germany.
• Three, including the two women players, were playing in their first or second tournament. Appears was on their bucket list to play rated chess. Two of them I beat which was regrettable for all of us. I show and expect no mercy over the chess board. The games were poor. The disaster would be similar had I taken up golf. I hope they continue to play chess. At least no tears here.
• There were tears (mine) in my loss to the kid as I was up a piece but got in time trouble and rushed. Bummer.
• I did draw with the tournament director (TD) the only one I played who was older and also rated higher than me, and again being in time trouble I offered the draw while slightly better.
• My score of 2 1/2- 1 1/2 did get me award for being the best player from California. It helped that I was the only player from California.
• I also got the Route 66 award for  longest distance as Hillsboro is 1,792 miles from Petaluma. Thank you Southwest Airlines.
• The officers, retired and active, rated higher and played better than the enlisted men, retired and active. I guess I should have gone to officers school and if I had survived Vietnam I would be playing better chess now.
• The TD, retired Army major, must have been a Boy Scout leader when younger as  he managed to give an award to every player. He also provided free lunches. It was a nice well run friendly event.
• Hillsboro is 70 miles from Dallas Love Field and 33 miles from Waco. The funny thing is that tomorrow I will again be landing at Love Field and will be driving to Waco.
• Hillsboro has four museums and over 30 churches for less than 9,000 people. A nice old community, largely vacant downtown, but it has a Walmart ( did that help  cause the vacant downtown ?).

Have a hobby, have a bucket list, have fun

Tom