Bill Wall
Chess Archive

William Dale Wall, better known as Bill Wall, was born in Raymond, Washington on May 11, 1951. He is a retired computer security scientist and systems engineer, an avid chess and tennis player, and author of several chess books. A graduate in physics and electrical engineering, he served in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) from 1970 to 1995. In the years 1985-1991, he was assigned to NASA Ames Research Center as a computer security engineer and supported Space Shuttle missions. He ended his career with the USAF with the rank of Major, and since 1995, he has worked as a senior scientist and Information System Security Engineer (ISSE) for the L3Harris Corporation, based in Melbourne, Florida. He provided information assurance security for DoD, NASA, Department of Commerce, NOAA, and National Weather Service programs.

As a delegate and certified tournament director for the United States Chess Federation (USCF), Bill Wall has led numerous chess tournaments in the United States. He was also Secretary/Treasurer (1976-1978) and President of the North Carolina Chess Association (1978-80), Secretary/Treasurer (1981-1983) and President of the Ohio Chess Association (1980-81), President of the Dayton Chess Club (1982-85), President of the Palo Alto Chess Club (1986-91), and President of the Melbourne Chess Club (1999-2002). In the 1980s he was Secretary of the Chess Journalists of America (CJA). In 1982, he was nominated as USCF Volunteer of the Year.

He is best known as a prolific chess author, chess journalist and chess researcher who has published over 30 chess books. He is known for his "500 Miniatures" series (20 titles), each dedicated to a specific opening, and is currently working an updated "600 Miniature" series as well as his "Oddities" Series.

He has written over 1,000 chess articles for various US newspapers and magazines and contributed biographical and historical material.

He currently lives with his wife, Lois, in Palm Bay (the Space Coast), Florida.