In 2018 I lost a good friend and excellent coach, Eric Schiller. Eric was a true gentleman and scholar who during his journey through life acquired a PhD in Linguistics and FIDE Master title in chess. Most will probably remember Eric as the most prolific chess author in history (he wrote over 100 chess books) or for being the arbiter for the 2000 FIDE World Chess Championships. I will always remember Eric for the way he inspired scores of chess students at our chess camps and classes.

Some of Eric Schiller’s books on display at a chess camp.
Below is a game between Eric Schiller and Emory Tate (another friend who has since passed.) Eric and Emory showed this game to a packed house in our Fremont Chess Camp at MSJE. All notes are Eric’s. Enjoy…
[Event "US Masters"] [Site "Chicago"] [Date "1997.??.??"] [Round "1"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Emory Tate"] [Black "Eric Schiller"] [ECO "C41"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 a6

Position after 4… a6
5.Bg5 Nf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.O-O-O Nc6 8.Qd2 Be6 9.Kb1 O-O

Position after 9… 0-0
10.Qe1 Nd7 11.h4 Bf6 12.Be2 Re8 13.Nd2 {! ?} 13... b5 { 13...Bxg5 14.hxg5 Qxg5 15.g3 scared me a bit. }

Position after 13… b5
14.f4 b4 15.Na4 Nd4 {!} 16.g4 c5

Position after 16… c5
17.b3 { 17.Rh2 Nxe2 18.Qxe2 h6 19.Rdh1 ! ? } 17... Bd5 18.Qf1 Bc6 {18...Rxe4 19.Nxe4 Bxe4 Black is clearly better. }

Position after 18… Bc6
19.Nc4 {? Way too ambitious.} 19... Bxe4 20.Bd3 Bxh1 21.Qxh1 Nb5 22.Bf5 Nf8 23.Ncb6 h6 {? ! 23...Ra7 24.Nd5 Bxg5 25.hxg5 Nd4 }

Position after 23… h6
24.Nxa8 Na3+ 25.Kc1 hxg5 26.N8b6 {? ! 26.fxg5 ! Be5 27.N8b6 Bf4+ 28.Kb2 g6 29.Bd3 Be5+ } 26... gxf4 {!}

Position after 26… gxf4
27.Nd5 Bd4 28.Bd3 f3 29.g5 {29.Qxf3 Qxh4 } 29... f2

Position after 29… f2
30.Qf1 Re5 31.Nf4 {? 31.c3 was needed. } 31... Be3+

Position after 31… Be3+
32.Kb2 Bxf4 33.Qxf2 Be3 34.Qf3 Qe7 35.Nb6 Rxg5

Position after 35… Rxg5
36.c3 Re5 37.Nc8 Qxh4 38.Rc1 bxc3+ {? 38...Bxc1+ 39.Ka1 Bb2+ ! 40.Kxb2 bxc3+ 41.Kxc3 Qd4+ 42.Kd2 Qb4+ 43.Kc1 Qc3+ 44.Kd1 Qe1# }

Position after 38… bxc3+
39.Ka1 Bf4 40.Bb1 {White resigned.} 0-1
Tags: chess, chess games, chess lessons, Chicago, Emory Tate, Emory Tate chess, Emory Tate games, Eric Schiller, Eric Schiller chess, Eric Schiller games, MSJE, Tate-Schiller, US Masters, US Masters chess
January 13, 2019 at 11:25 pm |
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May 6, 2019 at 4:37 am |
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December 20, 2019 at 5:03 am |
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Remembering Eric Schiller (1955-2018) | Chess Musings
July 12, 2020 at 5:25 pm |
I was saddened to learn of Mr. Schiller’s death. He wrote a book on my late godfather, Bill Colias and was kind enough to share memories with me several years back.
July 14, 2020 at 6:09 am |
Eric was a gentleman and a scholar the likes of which do not come around very often. He will be missed.