Eric Hallsworth

Personal Background

• Born November, 1942
• Educated at Manchester Grammar School. Though I passed their Entrance exams as a 10 year old (through natural talent!?), laziness as a teenager, and preference for sporting pursuits, meant that I was something of an under-achiever, to put it nicely!
• My first career was in insurance - I managed to pass exams there but, after becoming an 'inspector' and also doing some University lecturing on insurance, left to be involved in full-time Christian Ministry.
• I am married to Christine (Chrispy) - we have no children, but have always had a German Shepherd. Our present one is Connor - he's a rescue dog so we're not sure how old he is - we'd guess he was born in 2006. He was chained up to a kennel outdoors as a guard dog before we got him, but was too friendly! We got him from a nearby German Shepherd Rescue Centre, and he's very different to our previous dogs as he's our first male! Before Connor we had Sky, my blonde bombshell!
• When, in the early 1980's, the finances in our Christian work stopped managing to meet necessities, I started teaching myself about computers, particularly in the field of chess-playing machines. These were the early days when the best you could get were computers like the old Fidelity Sensory8 or Morphy Encore for which the advertised strength claims were well over the top. Sometimes I think the gradings we show today remain a little optimistic, but I think we're nearer the figures we claim today than we were to the 1800 figures claimed back then!
• I published the first Issue of my Chess Computer Magazine in 1985... Chess Mag, and moved to Wilburton, near Ely, Cambs in 1989 to work as manager at Countrywide Computers. However the national (worldwide) financial difficulties of 2009-2011 have hurt the games industry in particular, and then the rise to 20% VAT added to the problems, so Countrywide was incorporated into Chess & Bridge in London in 2011, and I am now retired from all but my Computer Chess magazine, at least for now!

Main interests include:

• Our Christian Faith which is very important to both of us... I believe there is a God!
• Music - I love good old Rock 'n Roll (Elvis Presley), the Blues (Bob Dylan, Mississipi John Hurt), Trad Jazz (Sidney Bechet) and the Classics (Tchaikovsky). I'd class myself as a reasonable guitarist, folk style, and play in our Church worship team from time to time
• Sport - Football . I support Manchester United... I was raised in the Manchester area and used to go to Old Trafford week in, week out, my dad was on the turnstiles! So I have been very fortunate and enjoyed many successful years watching them, especially in 1999 celebrating the Treble. Chris and I are also keen American Football fans - I support the Chicago Bears whilst she chose the San Francisco 49'ers 'cus she liked their name... and had been laughing ever since until they started a major collapse in the early 2000's. We also used to have a local English team we liked to support, the Cambridge Cats, who play around 6 to 8 games during the Spring and Summer months.
• Relaxing. When we've exercised our dog (or is it the other way round?), relaxation is to enjoy an occasional glass of wine while we catch up on some worthwhile reading, a bit of guitar practice, preparation for Sunday events at Church (I play guitar and preach occasionally), or we watch a decent film or some sport on the TV/Video.

Index of related Christian information & stories:

My Faith I Believe there is a God
Chess in the Bible?! An Easter Allegory... Chess in the Bible?
An Unusual Meeting... Daniel's Story
An Easter Painting, one of my famous Family Service sketchboard stories! The Great Exchange
A set of fascinating One Line Bible verse messages, designed to make you think... Bible Answers

For more information, or a free Booklet, write to: Eric Hallsworth, 45 Stretham Road, Wilburton, Cambs CB6 3RX, England, or e-mail...  erichallsworth@gmail.com