March 2000, New Orleans Louisiana. Columnist of New Orleans Times Picayune, Chris Rose reviewed Matt Teague/Oxford American story on Jude Acers -- and one million readers woke up this morning to the color photo of Jude Acers, our resident chessmaster.
In section  Local Sightings and Strangeness : check it out (Acers photo with red beret and tie) "A New Orleans character is featured in The Oxford American". From Times Picayune: "The Oxford-American, Mississippi novelist John Grisham's pet literary magazine, has a hilarious article this month on Jude Acers, the red-bereted chessmaster whose frumpy gaze greets thousands of French Market dwellers each day. You've probably seen Acers; he sits chain drinking coffee outside the old Gazebo restaurant on Decatur. For a few dollars he'll give you a lesson in chess and maybe in life also. Writer Matt Teague paints Acers on the far side of eccentric; it's a tonic look at one of the city's resident street carnival performers with his strange rituals and secret residence and incessant  treatises on Worldly Matters, women, conspiracies, and sweet potato pie.  But after all the strangeness has passed, Teague has this to say in the magazine's liner notes : Acers 'is the first person I have ever met who is totally satisfied with himself'".  I have one word of advice after having seen Teague in action for 72 hours straight: hire him even if he wants to cover Mickey Mouse in Disneyland. You have to see him in action to believe it: smooth, attentive and able to capture the essence. Strictly world class.

Jude Acers. New Orleans jacers@chesslab.com