Hugh Myers

Who was Hugh Myers?

Hugh Edward Myers was an American chess master and author. He won or tied for first in the state chess championships of Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Iowa, as well as the USCF Region VIII championship. He played first board for the Dominican Republic in the 1968 and 1976 Chess Olympiads.

Myers is best known for his writings on unusual chess openings such as the Nimzovich Defense. The eccentric opening 1.c4 g5!? is known as Myers' Defense because of his advocacy of it in his writings and games. Myers wrote numerous editions of his book on the Nimzovich Defense, as well as three other books on the openings. He edited and published the Myers Openings Bulletin in 1979–88 and the New Myers Openings Bulletin in 1992–96.

Myers also involved himself in the controversy over FIDE President Florencio Campomanes' termination of the 1984–85 World Championship match between Karpov and Kasparov, and was instrumental in helping Campomanes secure reelection in 1986.