Summary:

• Tournament Director for over 2,300 tournaments

• GCA Outstanding Contribution to Georgia Chess award, 2001

• USCF Expert

• The genial face of the Atlanta Chess Center

David E. Spinks was the long time day-to-day face of the Atlanta Chess and Game Center (ACC).  He was a player, organizer, and prolific tournament director (TD) in Georgia.

Spinks ran day-to-day operations at the ACC from 1992 to 2012. During that time, he rarely missed a day.  He ran tournaments several weekends each month in addition to multiple weekday evening tournaments each week.  Since 1991, Spinks acted as TD for over 2,300 tournaments, almost all in Georgia and most at the ACC.  The GCA awarded him a plaque for “Outstanding Contribution to Georgia Chess” in 2001.

As a player, Spinks was no slouch either, with a peak USCF rating of 2122.

Spinks occasionally volunteered his time to open the ACC for various chess-related events, including offering a central playing site for Atlanta Elementary School League in the later 1990s.  Spinks enjoyed and respected any chess player who walked through the doors of the ACC, and that admiration and respect was mutual.  It would be impossible to find anyone with a bad thing to
say about him.

Unfortunately, when the ACC closed in 2012, Spinks had to retire due to health issues. The chess world lost him shortly thereafter.  He has been and continues to be sorely missed.

This excellent record of service to the Georgia chess community for almost two decades shows
a real dedication to the game of chess, and the chess community in Georgia.

Sources:

L. Thad Rogers interview, December 2023.
Steve Schneider interview, December 2023.
Ted Wieber Sr. interview, December 2023.
Georgia Chess magazine, June/July 2001, p.3.
U. S. Chess Federation, https://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtDir.php?11179410.
U. S. Chess Federation, https://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtHst.php?11179410