Tai chi push hands josh waitzkin biography

American chess player, martial arts competitor, and author

Joshua Waitzkin (born December 4, 1976) is an American former chess player, martial arts world champion, and author.

As a child, he was recognized as a prodigy, and won the U.S. Junior Chess championship in 1993 and 1994. The film Searching for Bobby Fischer is based on his early life.

Tai chi push hands josh waitzkin biography

Early life and education

Waitzkin first noticed the game of chess being played while walking with his mother in New York City's Washington Square Park at the age of six. At age seven, Waitzkin began studying the game with his first formal teacher Bruce Pandolfini.^[2] During his years as a student at Dalton he led the school to win seven national team championships between the third and ninth grades, in addition to his eight individual titles.

In 1999, Waitzkin enrolled at Columbia University, where he studied philosophy.^[3][4]

At ten years old, Waitzkin played a notable game featuring