JustinTime4GM

I have high functioning autism. This profile 12/18/24 will touch upon my interpersonal communication challenges, my personal discovery and how I'm able to give something to the chess community with my approach - without coaching. I often struggled to discuss a chess game I just played or saw, but am sharing my journey in the hopes to inspire you or help you to best understand me.

I've been playing chess for over 3 decades but only recently discovered how much I love to give or receive brief friendly greetings - without talking very much. I feel young at heart and particularly enjoy greeting younger players. As an introvert who used to be quite shy, this works great for me. I believe my true self comes out more through these seemingly little greetings and being a "man of few words".

While being lucky in many ways, I struggle with the basic question of how I plan to make ends meet. Overcoming my challenges with autism is no small feat. It's a wide spectrum - we all have our own challenges and support needs. Know the person... and know thyself! My "magic pill" or tranquilizer consists of brief friendly greetings to youth. If a new greeting has enough context, it feels great... there's usually less context outside of the chess world. With a rising number of young players I have continued opportunities to greet more people, keep an eye out for their progress and congratulate them in the future on great results. This way I can give a small gift and be in their corners - without even teaching. I just focus on briefly greeting or congratulating... generally no longer conversations.

Due to my condition and unconventional study habits, I find it hard to teach much at the moment yet am working around this obstacle by giving in other ways to a new generation of rising talents, taking interest in their results. My focus on briefly greeting or congratulating others (while mostly not conversing) is like a drug. It can soothe the soul. 2024 was a strong year of chess and improved results for me, under handicaps. Hopefully 2025 will be even better. In person tournament play is a privilege... I live about an hour and a half away from the world famous Marshall Chess Club located in Greenwich Village, NYC, where I'm a member and get plenty of chances to play in person. My friendly greetings so far seem to have impacted a number of younger players, parents or coaches.

Another reason I don't seek to converse much, despite being a detailed writer, is because I'm working on a big project of storing games I played throughout my chess career. One day I may write a book!

The joy in giving brief greetings was a key discovery because my written messages are typically long. My response rate to brief, friendly in person greetings is better and they provide a sense of purpose.

As for my chess, I have as many as 4 GM norms but never made ELO 2500. I've played thousands of games and almost every opening variation at least once. My autism can handicap me in speed chess, but I experiment with things like Titled Tuesday and US Chess Blitz/Rapids. Thank you for reading this.

In conclusion, the main thing I'm doing to improve is unrelated to chess but requires a chess playing atmosphere. This personal touch of proactively greeting new faces is my "new wine in an old bottle". It explains why I have to go out and play in person; I can't give the same face to face greetings online.