John Collins
Born in 1912, John Collins is justly famous as perhaps the most influential chess teacher in history, with Bobby Fischer and many other great players among his pupils. It is an unfortunate irony that his well-deserved fame in that respect has eclipsed his achievements in other phases of the game.
Collins was a major figure in the early days of modern organized chess, serving as the first postal chess editor of Chess Review; all USCF correspondence players thus owe him a debt. He is one of a very few who have excelled nationally at both correspondence and OTB play, winning the U.S. correspondence championship and ranking as one of the top OTB players in the U.S.
A prolific author, he has taught thousands of players through his books and articles, and was co-editor of Modern Chess Openings, 9th edition. Collins has been a major organizer and leader in New York City, with significant impact on the U.S. and world chess scenes.