Cdr R.Ganapathi Auto-Chess-O-Graphy Editor's Note:On 11th August Cdr Ganapathi had a fall at home and is now recovering in hospital. He is well and will resume his ICCF games after he returns home.

Full Name: Cdr R Ganapathi

Native Place: Chennai

Mother Tongue: Tamil

Languages known and spoken: Tamil, English, Hindi, French

Family Details: Wife: Vijaya Ganapathi. Two Daughters - Dr Priya Ravi (Dentist), Uma Suresh (Math Teacher) and a son - Sriram Ganapathi (Architect)

Education: Science Graduate, Madras University

Profession: Retired Naval Officer from the Indian Navy

Current Employment/Profession: A Retired ex-serviceman

How I learnt Chess: At the age of 8. Learned chess from the avid chess players in the family - grand father, father, uncle, elder brother.

Experience in OTB Tournaments: Loyola College Championships 1946, 1947, Tal Chess club, Chennai 1950s, The first Madras state championship 1952(?), Rathnam Memorial Tournaments, Madras 1950s, YMCA Open, Chennai 1960, Kerala State championship 1967, Grandmaster's Simultaneous Chess tournament at Soviet Tal club, Chennai 1986 (?), Veterans tournament by Classic Kudumbam 2010.

Prizes Received: Winner - Loyola College Championships 1946, 1947, Runner-up - Rathnam Memorial Tournaments, Madras 1950s, Winner (without defeat) - YMCA Open, Chennai 1960, Third - Kerala State championship 1967, Drew game with Grandmaster (Rodriguez ?) - Grandmaster's Simultaneous Chess tournament at Soviet Tal club, Chennai 1986 (?), Winner - Veterans tournament by Classic Kudumbam 2010

How I joined Correspondence Chess: I started CC (CCAI) in the early 1950s - in the postcard era. I joined AICCF in the 1980s again, still using postcards.

How I joined AICCF: Referred by other postal players

My experience in CC: As mentioned above, and enjoying it still in the internet era

Performance in ICCF: I have played a few games - not of much note

My ambition in AICCF: To continue to play and enjoy the game

My ambition in ICCF: To continue to play as much as I can

Playing style: I like to play an attacking game - keen to take the initiative at an early stage.

Favourite openings: King's Pawn as W, Niemzo defence, Sicillian defence as B

Chess books that influenced me most: Tarrasch, Alekhine's best games, My System (Nimzowitsch)

My strengths in CC (and OTB): Middle game and End game

My weakness: Openings

My favourite CC player: There are many - it will be a big list !

My favourite OTB players: R.B.Sapre, S Venkatraman, M Aaron, V Anand. All time favourites: Alekhine, Kasparov and Carlsen

Quality of service provided by AICCF: Excellent

Quality of service provided by AICCF Webserver: Very Good

Quality of service provided by ICCF: Excellent

Quality of service provided by ICCF Webserver: Very Good