Summary:

• Chief Tournament Director for over 200 rated chess tournaments in Georgia

• USCF Senior Level TD, directed over 1000 tournament sections

• GCA President, 1994–1997, 2006–2011;total 18 years as board member

• Founding board member of Castle Chess Inc., 2008

• 2006 Georgia State Senior Champion

Scott Parker has been a leader in Georgia chess for decades. He has been the Chief Tournament Director(TD) for over 200 rated chess tournaments in Georgia, including fifteen Georgia State Championships. He served on the Georgia Chess Association (GCA) Board of Directors for 18 years, including eight years as President (1994–1997 and 2006–2011, as 1stvice president, 1998–2000 and 2006–2011, and as treasurer,2003–2006). Parker was a founding board member of Castle Chess Inc., which has run the Castle Chess Camp at Emory since 2008. The USCF website shows his highest over-the-board rating(since 1991) as 1900.

In addition to his work in Georgia, Parker’s resume includes national events. He served as the US Chess’ Regional Vice President (Southeast) from 1999–2000 and received the US Chess Outstanding Career Achievement Award in 2011. Parker was also a USCF delegate for Georgia in 2000 and from 2003–2009. Since 1991 alone, this US Chess Senior Level TD has directed over a thousand tournament sections total.

For many years,Parker wrote many articles and served as Copy Editor for Georgia Chess magazine for editors Dan Lucas, David Woolf, and Mark Taylor. He was extremely reliable in providing printable crosstables, selecting games, and he brought a snap to his tournament reports.

When asked about his chess achievements as a player, Parker gave only two: the 2006 Georgia State Senior Champion, and that he “once lost a US Chess rated game in three moves as White.” His self-deprecating answer will be unsurprising to those who know him, as Parker is known for modesty in his leadership. He has served Georgia Chess in times when few were willing to do so, and his service has been exclusively in the interest of Georgia’s chess community. His dedication and altruism are second to none, and are worthy of our highest praise.

Scott Parker has made significant contributions to Georgia chess in the areas of over-the-board competition, promotion, teaching, journalism, organization, service, and leadership. He has bettered chess in the State of Georgia.

Sources:

Georgia Chess magazine electronic collection.

Scott Parker, personal communication.

US Chess website (ratings, tournament director, yearbooks).