Born in the city of New York in 1955, Eric Schiller emerged as the Illinois Junior Champion in 1974. Schiller showcased his chess skills on behalf of the University of Chicago, where he pursued his Ph.D. in linguistics, in the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship and emerged victorious in 1986. He was also the champion of the Hawaii action and blitz for the year 1988/89. Schiller was instrumental in organizing the Hawaii International chess festivals from 1994 to 1998, which included the 1998 US Open. He also held the title of California Champion in 1995. Later that same year, he collaborated with the music band Phish at the beginning of their “Chess Tour”, during which they incorporated an ongoing game of chess into each tour stop.
Several prominent games and tournaments, including the Chess Olympiad and the World Chess Championship, have seen Schiller as a judge. He holds the titles of USCF Life Master and FIDE Master. As of April 2009, his FIDE rating stands at 2166. Additionally, he is an International Arbiter and International Organizer. Schiller’s knowledge and writings on the Flohr-Zaitsev Variation have made him a much-requested authority, particularly when Gary Kasparov employed that opening during the second game of the World Chess Championship 1990. During this event, Schiller fulfilled the role of Chief Press Officer, a position he also occupied in 1986 and 1993. He served as the Associated Press correspondent for the 1984 match and was also featured on PBS coverage.
Schiller has orchestrated several significant chess competitions. Often, he has acted as a journalist, covering events like Chess Olympiads and World Chess Championship matches. He served as the referee for the Staunton Memorial tournament in London in the years 2005, 2007, and 2008, as well as the 2006 Gibtelecom International Chess Festival in Gibraltar. He made a comeback as a player in the same event in 2012.
With over 150 chess books to his name, Schiller outnumbers all other authors in the genre during the 20th century, with the exception of Fred Reinfeld and Raymond Keene. John L. Watson, who has collaborated on three books with Schiller,[4] believes that Schiller’s work is particularly well-suited for its amateur readership. Watson praised Schiller’s Complete Defense to King Pawn Openings and Complete Defense to Queen Pawn Openings, stating that “these books are specifically designed for the emerging student, not the seasoned player, and I believe they both excellently guide a novice player through a new opening… Although Schiller may deserve some of the criticism directed towards him, due to his rapid production of numerous books, he should also be acknowledged for his commendable work.” International Master Jeremy Silman commended Watson and Schiller’s The Big Book of Busts, admitting that “I must put aside my prejudiced view of Schiller’s work (or is this just reinforcing my opinion of Watson?) and confess that this is an exceptional book”. Schiller’s “World Champion Openings”, a catalog of opening moves from renowned chess champions, was recognized as a non-fiction classic by designer George Lois.
He also contributed to various significant chess software initiatives such as Kasparov’s Gambit (Electronic Arts) and Chessmaster.
As a result of declining health, Dr. Schiller is no longer participating in international competitions, yet he continues to write and educate in schools, as well as coach some of the country’s leading players.
