James Eade author page

James Eade biography

James V. Eade (born 23 March 1957) is an American chess player, author and organiser who holds the FIDE Master title. Active across competitive play and chess administration since the 1990s, he is widely recognised for writing accessible instructional guides for adult learners.

Eade is the author of Chess For Dummies (first published 1996; multiple revised editions) and The Chess Player’s Bible (2004). He also founded Hypermodern Press, a niche chess publisher that operated in the 1990s. As a tournament organiser he directed high-profile events including the 1995 Pan Pacific International in San Francisco and the 1996 Hall of Fame tournament.

He has served in governance and policy roles within organised chess. Eade was a member of the United States Chess Federation Policy Board from 1996 to 1999, and American Zone President of FIDE from 2000 to 2002. He later served as president of the U.S. Chess Trust (2010–2019).

Eade is chief executive of The Eade Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes chess education and supports programmes by supplying equipment and scholarships internationally.

His peak published FIDE rating was 2340 (January 1995). In 2016 he was named Chess Educator of the Year by the University of Texas at Dallas.