Jeff

I found some old media clips from my childhood. It's interesting and understandable to see from the footage in the gallery, how a lot of people, including Bruce Pandolfini, were concerned for my future. Soon after the last footage in these clips my family (well my dad) hit a bunch of legal issues and that was officially it for chess, allthough at that time I was allready being taken away from N.Y.C. and the game I loved. My life was turned upside down and I was caught between a difficult family situation and a horribly beauraucratic legal system which was even worse. My family went underground and led a quiet life in different countries. I adapted as we were wanderers, and learned how to speak French, German and Dutch. I devoted a lot of my unused energy during my adolescence to long backpacking trips and learning about different cultures.
I also knew the connection between mind and body and applied my strategy's to sports, which led to my transition into being an athlete. I swam 15km a week until my hair was starting to turn blond from chlorine! But since swimming endless laps was boring I turned into a Water-Polo player.
I kept my love for chess during all those years, and to this day love to play the game. I have not played that much serious chess in my life, but I still manage to play at a strong master level, as training in life and business gives you a mature and quick mind :)