Highlights: 1983 & 1984 US Junior Open Champion, five time Missouri State Open Champion

Bio: Doug Eckert achieved his FIDE Master title in 1986, after competing in a host of state, national and correspondence tournaments from coast-to-coast. He is an International Master in Correspondence chess.

Eckert said he has been drawn to work on his chess game because he loves the competition.

He first began playing chess at Lindberg High School in suburban Saint Louis. While learning the basics of the game in 1980, he met St. Louis native and 2009 U.S. Chess Championship competitor Charles Lawton. Eckert trained under Lawton for some time, competing in high school and local tournaments. Eckert won the U.S. Junior Champion Open back-to-back in 1983 and 1984.

While attending the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1986, Eckert authored a book entitled, “Sicillian Schevenigen: Keres Attack,” featuring a personal favorite move of GM Gary Kasparov. One year later he received his bachelor’s in accounting.

Eckert is currently the Vice President of Corporate Taxation for Gardner Denver. He has traveled the world extensively for work, and enjoys the analytical parallel that exists between his favorite sport and his career.

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