
Glenn Petersen in an undated photo reviewing Chess Life.
US Chess has received notification that our former long-time employee Glenn Petersen has died at the age of 72 in New Jersey. Glenn began work at US Chess in 1989 and continued until 2017.
Glenn held a number of positions at US Chess: Assistant Director, Chess Life Editor, Director of Publications, Publications Consultant, and Scholastic Editor. He started as Chess Life editor in 1990, continuing in that position until 2000. He served as editor again briefly in 2003 and in 2005-2006. He was the initial editor of Chess Life for Kids (now named Chess Life Kids).
A longer obituary will appear in a future issue of Chess Life. We extend our condolences to Glenn Petersen's family, friends, and colleagues.
Categories
Archives
- June 2023 (4)
- May 2023 (36)
- April 2023 (45)
- March 2023 (37)
- February 2023 (28)
- January 2023 (31)
- December 2022 (23)
- November 2022 (32)
- October 2022 (31)
- September 2022 (19)
- August 2022 (39)
- July 2022 (32)
- June 2022 (35)
- May 2022 (21)
- April 2022 (31)
- March 2022 (33)
- February 2022 (22)
- January 2022 (27)
- December 2021 (36)
- November 2021 (34)
- October 2021 (25)
- September 2021 (25)
- August 2021 (41)
- July 2021 (36)
- June 2021 (29)
- May 2021 (29)
- April 2021 (31)
- March 2021 (33)
- February 2021 (28)
- January 2021 (29)
- December 2020 (38)
- November 2020 (40)
- October 2020 (41)
- September 2020 (35)
- August 2020 (38)
- July 2020 (36)
- June 2020 (46)
- May 2020 (42)
- April 2020 (37)
- March 2020 (61)
- February 2020 (37)
- January 2020 (45)
- December 2019 (36)
- November 2019 (35)
- October 2019 (42)
- September 2019 (45)
- August 2019 (56)
- July 2019 (44)
- June 2019 (35)
- May 2019 (40)
- April 2019 (48)
- March 2019 (61)
- February 2019 (39)
- January 2019 (30)
- December 2018 (29)
- November 2018 (51)
- October 2018 (45)
- September 2018 (29)
- August 2018 (49)
- July 2018 (35)
- June 2018 (31)
- May 2018 (40)
- April 2018 (31)
- March 2018 (26)
- February 2018 (33)
- January 2018 (30)
- December 2017 (26)
- November 2017 (24)
- October 2017 (30)
- September 2017 (30)
- August 2017 (32)
- July 2017 (27)
- June 2017 (32)
- May 2017 (26)
- April 2017 (37)
- March 2017 (28)
- February 2017 (30)
- January 2017 (27)
- December 2016 (29)
- November 2016 (24)
- October 2016 (32)
- September 2016 (31)
- August 2016 (27)
- July 2016 (24)
- June 2016 (26)
- May 2016 (19)
- April 2016 (30)
- March 2016 (37)
- February 2016 (27)
- January 2016 (33)
- December 2015 (25)
- November 2015 (23)
- October 2015 (16)
- September 2015 (28)
- August 2015 (28)
- July 2015 (6)
- June 2015 (1)
- May 2015 (2)
- April 2015 (1)
- February 2015 (3)
- January 2015 (1)
- December 2014 (1)
- July 2010 (1)
- February 2002 (1)
- October 1991 (1)
- August 1989 (1)
- January 1988 (1)
- December 1983 (1)
- July 1978 (1)
Comments
Very sorry to hear this…
Very sorry to hear this. When I was active in OTB play, Glenn directed many of the events I played in. I always though he was a very nice man.
Never a kinder soul existed…
Never a kinder soul existed than Glenn.
He will be missed by many and always remembered
Never a kinder soul existed…
Never a kinder soul existed than Glenn.
He will be missed by many and always remembered
I worked for Glenn and was a…
I worked for Glenn and was a friend of his. The chess community lost a friend as well. This will be hard to get over as he has been a fixture in the national scene as well as New Jersey. I will also always remember his First Sunday of the Month Quads which he organized for a long time. You will be missed, Glenn. Prayers to his family and Rest in peace, Glenn.
I worked with Glenn on a…
I worked with Glenn on a number of "Chess Life" articles I authored, and was always very impressed with his professionalism, knowledge, and gentlemanly qualities. His diplomatic skills effectively navigated the often turbulent USCF political waters during the times he served, such that he retained the respect of all. He was one of my favorite people in chess. John McCrary, past USCF President
He went to the hospital last…
He went to the hospital last week for a long scheduled operation. I last talked with him on 8/14 at home, He was having pain in his legs still. He had morphine in the hospital. He had taken percocet for 2 & 1/2 days at home. His painkiller was switched, but he didn't remember its name offhand.
Glenn & I, both old movie fans, had a running search for actors & actresses, who had reached 90 years old. We compiled the last for about five years now.
I will sorely miss our calls, which were about every other day. He was a dear friend and confident.
Glenn was Chess Life editor…
Glenn was Chess Life editor when I was Executive Director. He was great to work with and one of the nicest guys in the entire US chess community. Very sad to hear the news.
So sad by this news. Glenn…
So sad by this news. Glenn was a mentor and a friend, and my biggest regret was not following all of his advice to a T. Glenn saved the 1986 US Open here in NJ and did an absolutely great job in directing that event and he was unselfish in giving me some great advice in trying to get the 1994 US Open for St. Louis when I first moved there in 1991. After my failed bid presentation in 1991 in Los Angeles, Glenn came over to me and said, "You Led to the Best of Your Ability" and I took that to heart. Of course, Glenn was synonymous with the First Sunday of the Month Quad events in Edison and eventually, Somerset and can remember keeping Glenn at one of those events until 2 in the morning. That day, I won all 3 of my games and it took me 16 hours to do it, given the 2 adjournments in the first 2 rounds.
Glenn was very dedicated to our game, and was an absolutely, down to earth person. He always was unselfish in imparting his words of wisdom, and am forever greatful. Thank you Glenn, for all you did.
Respectfully Submitted,
David A. Cole
Part of me has died with…
Part of me has died with this news.
I played in his events. I was proud to work with him.
He was one of the few people in chess who I trusted completely.
Glenn -- we are at 323 and counting in Allentown. You know what I mean.
To anybody in New Jersey…
To anybody in New Jersey Glenn WAS everything good about chess. He and Pete Tamburro delivered the best state newspaper in the country-Atlantic Chess News.
He was a tireless tournament director at the first Sunday of the Month Quads in Edison and became an excellent editor of Chess Life.
New Jersey was lucky to have such a dedicated nice person keeping our state as the best chess state in the country. He will be greatly missed.
I have known Glenn since the…
I have known Glenn since the 70's when he ran his monthly First Sunday of the Month Quads. I also had the pleaure of attending his Dunellen Chess Club. as well as our many meetings at the old Westfield Chess Club that met on Friday nights and played hours of Blitz with him till the wee hours of the morning.
Years later he had some health issues landing him in a Rehab center in Eatontown, New Jersey which was right across from where I used to live and close to where I worked, so I was able to pay him some much needed chess visits during his 6 week stay there.
After that, he became a member of our team for the US Amateur Team Championship from Feb 2006-2016.
We became good friends.
For a few years we were able to meet with others on Saturday nights for games of Blitz until Covid ended that in March of 2020. After that it was contact by phone for most of that time.
He had some recent surgery and I was able to speak with him on Tuesday of August 11 2021.
During all these years I found Glenn to be a warm and caring friend who was loved by many. He was kind , giving and supportive along wih being one of the best chess directors that I'v come across.
He touched 100's if not 1000's of people in the chess world.
Glenn will be missed by many friends and aquaintances who had the pleasure of knowing him .
He will be sorely missed.
RIP my good friend.
Thank You, Glenn, for your…
Thank You, Glenn, for your many years of selfless service to Chess and to the Chess World.
As a freshman at Dickinson…
As a freshman at Dickinson College in 1968, I met Glenn at the Chess Club. We all went to New York city for a tournament and stayed at his house. He was always so helpful and kind to me. He did all of the organizing for our Chess matches, including a match at the Lewisburg State pen. He was a gift to the game.
Glenn ran the first Sunday…
Glenn ran the first Sunday Quads in Dunellen when I played there around 1980-82, and at the Dunellen Chess club, upstairs on Friday nights across the street from a New Jersey transit train station. His welcoming nature is the reason I started to play competitively, and part of the reason I continued to play there for several years. They are definitely fond memories now.
I remember how the Quads would be scheduled to start at the hotel at ten in the morning, or maybe at 9, but Glenn wanted to serve all comers right, so the games often started an hour late.
He was tournament director, so had to adjudicate disputes. He would go right by the book, but add a little personal flair too. I remember incidences where players would leave the playing room for awhile, and their opponent got suspicious, so Glenn would track them down. Chess players include some disputatious types, and Glenn would get in there to determine whose flag fell and when, etc. or rack up an analysis board to get back to a position where the disagreements occurred. I do remember that you could tell when Glenn was getting frustrated. His temper was visible.
Glenn ran the first Sunday Quads in Dunellen when I played there as a high schooler during 1980-82, and at the Dunellen Chess club, upstairs on Friday nights across the street from a New Jersey transit train station. His welcoming nature is the reason I started to play competitively, and part of the reason I continued to play there for several years. They are definitely fond memories now.
I remember how the Quads would be scheduled to start at the hotel at ten in the morning, or maybe at 9, but Glenn wanted to serve all comers, so the games often started an hour late. I recall there being a lot of players there, so the range of ratings in your quad might be only a hundred points. It was a great place to get some level competition. I think that speaks to Glenn's efforts.
He was tournament director, so had to adjudicate any disputes. He would go right by the book, and add a little personal flair too. I remember incidences where players would leave the playing room for awhile, and their opponent got suspicious, or maybe worried (no chess computers were good in those years) so Glenn would track them down. Chess players include some disputatious types, and Glenn would have to get in there to determine whose flag fell and when, or rack up an analysis board to get back to a position where a disagreement occurred. (That's where I learned how unlikely it is that each player has correctly recorded all the moves... especially when they get into time trouble). I do remember that you could tell when Glenn was getting frustrated. His temper was visible and he would get red.
He had to adjudicate any long games in the first or second round so that a later round could start. I remember once playing someone who, having met time control, at the end of the third game on a long Sunday, signalled his intention to wait out his new thirty minute control, thinking maybe I would leave and he could win by forfeit. I was annoyed, even though that was legal if unsportsmanlike, and boy did Glenn give him the eyeball, asking if that was really what he wanted to do. After all he was also keeping Glenn late too!
Add new comment