With each move completed in less than five seconds, chess legend and New Orleans' native Jude Acers simultaneously competed against 15 opponents at a special event held at Metairie Park Country Day School in Old Metairie.

Children ages 4 to 11 along with their parents attended Acers' lecture on January 27 followed by the competition, which offered valuable chess tips.

Acers earned the title of chess master by age 17.  He holds two Guinness World Records for simultaneous chess play--117 opponents in Portland, Oregon in 1973 and 179 opponents in New York City in 1976. "Everyone laughed at (the records), but they made my career," he said.

Acers has given over 1,000 lectures in 46 states and five countries around the world.  He is also co-author of The Italian Gambit System.

"I've done about 100 exhibitions in prisons," Acers said.  "That's where I really developed my ability to lecture, to present a show quickly so people can see."

Acers began playing chess when he was seven, and since then, Acers said chess has influenced everything in his life.

"I've just had so much luck." Acers said.  "I don't drink.  I don't smoke.  I don't do dope.  But I'm the wildest person you've ever met."

At the Country Day event, Acers demonstrated chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer's three-move chess lesson that had not been presented since Fischer's death on January 17, 2008.  "I prepared that lesson just for this event.  I knew about it for half a century, but that's the first time I've ever presented it."

Acers often hosts free exhibitions for children because he wants every child to have the opportunity to play chess, he said. Elementary students from various schools in the area attended, including Lake Castle, Newman and Metairie Academy.

Gwen Lynch, a mother of three, is encouraging her children--ages 3, 5 and 7--to learn to play chess. "Chess is a big part of our household," Lynch said. "It's great that the kids aren't sitting in front of the TV."

Acers will challenge 100 chess players on April 6, his birthday.  [Editor: see Jude's 64th birthday report.]

Acers was awarded an honorarium from Country Day, which was used to buy 20 new chess sets for the school.

Marilyn Pelias, the chess coach at Country Day, organized the event.  "The kids had a great time (with Acers)," she said. "He truly is an American legend. It was really great to have him here."