National Master David Timberlake returned to the area last year after 18 years in Arkansas.   He submitted the following:

     If you have never been to the Florence Civic Center, just ask anyone in downtown Florence where the Florence Library is: it shares the same parking lot.  The three round tournaments held there are a delight! (Altho I have yet to capture clear 1st place.)

     Tony Sillars was kind enough to ask me to explain ATHOL SUNDAY SERVICES: It's a Novag Grand Prix series with low Entry Fees sponsored by Kingsmen's Chess Club.  I crazily donated the $300 minimum top prizes to qualify it under Grand Prix rules.  Why not?  A trip to the World Open costs a lot more!  On October 4, 1998 SERVICES II is at Athol American Legion, so please attend.

     My Western Mass. chess career began in the summer of 1969 with the Eastfield Mall tournaments.  Oldtimers will recall those.  I was also board 1 for Turners Falls High School, runners-up to the Springfield Classical team.   Moving to Arkansas for the years 1979-1997, I edited the state newsletter: go over hundreds of carbon scoresheets from tournaments; make diagrams of crucial positions; cut diagrams out of old books and with Elmer's Glue carefully paste the tiny pieces in place.  This aspect of chess activity (journalism) is very enjoyable.  I encourage everyone to annotate and analyse their games for publication in THE SKITTLES ROOM or even CHESS HORIZONS.