The Roanoker Sept/October 2023 - 35
arts & culture
" Original Life Master "
Roanoke's
written by Clayton Trutor
Longtime Roanoke Valley resident Walter Muir helped make postal chess a national phenomenon.
T
he address of 1722 Orchard Drive, Salem, Virginia, became familiar to thousands
of chess players throughout North America and throughout the world.
It was the home address of Walter Muir, a man who spent the second half of
his nearly century-long life building a genuine society of letters among people
that played chess games through the mail. The game they played was referred
to as correspondence chess or postal chess.
Correspondence chess is a game of pondering and patience. Players have three days to
respond with the notations for their countermove. Correspondence chess tournaments can
take as long as three years to complete.
" It's social and the games are well researched and well played, " International Correspondence
Chess Federation (ICCF) Grandmaster and current ICCF champion Jon Edwards says.
Edwards played Muir in correspondence chess on several occasions. Like many correspondence
chess players, Edwards started playing because he had a young family at home and couldn't take
the time to travel. " There's a meaningful competition with the possibility for advancement, but
above all, each game is a supreme challenge, every move like an adjournment. "
As ICCF-USA secretary, Muir mailed players a packet with information on playing against
domestic and international opponents. He assessed their skill level to place them in competitive
matches.
Walter Muir wore many hats in this world he cultivated, including as an elite player, an
administrator and a promoter. He often had 60 correspondence chess games going simultaneously.
Additionally, Muir played opponents from over 60 countries and collected the stamps
from the places around the world from which his opponents hailed.
Muir founded the United States Postal Chess Union and served for many years as the secretary
of the ICCF-USA. He contributed significantly to the global administration of ICCF,
offering thoughtful advice on which players should be given the rankings of international masters
and grandmasters. Locally, Muir served for several years as the president of the Roanoke
Valley Chess Club (RVCC), the oldest continuously active chess club in the state of Virginia.
TheRoanoker.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 35
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The Roanoker Sept/October 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker Sept/October 2023
The Roanoker Sept/October 2023 - Cover1
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The Roanoker Sept/October 2023 - Cover3
The Roanoker Sept/October 2023 - Cover4
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