A National Master (2306 rated in 1990), Robert Snyder became better known as a chess instructor for children and teenagers under the rubric "Chess for Juniors," and also as an author of beginner's books. I was one of his pupils in the the mid-1990s for about a year, when he was located in Garden Grove, California. He later moved to Colorado. Looking up his name at sites such as this one fifteen years later, I'm not really surprised. From his puns about "ill eagle" moves to everything else, he seemed very creepy.

There's probably no point in bringing this up. In any case... in a couple weeks I will be playing rated chess again for the first time in over ten years, and for the first time ever in a non "scholastic" context. The most active club in Orange County seems to be the "Chess Palace" in Garden Grove. I will be checking it out this Saturday and possibly playing in a tournament on June 27th or 28th. 

Well, that was a pretty creepy post.  There's something preternaturally icky about making puns, is there...?

You had to be there I guess.

The only thing I remember about Robert Snyder (I assume it's the same one) is from the Paul Masson tournament in 1975 (or 1976).  I had been analyzing a game I'd just played with friends; and after we came back from Jack in the Box (or wherever our lunch was) I found Robert Snyder (2303) in the midst of analyzing his adjourned game with Walter Browne on my board.  He seemed to be thinking he had drawing chances (he did wind up losing the game)--and all I could think of was that a master had actually touched my pieces and board!  It seemed like some kind of consecration.  And he'd been analyzing his game against a GRANDmaster...my 1600-rating head was spinning.

Do you have a more credible link to confirm the allegations against Snyder? In the mid 1990s he coached some kids in my town, mostly through ICC, but he visited a school where many of our local scholastic tournaments are held. His books are well known.

 Lots of people "seem" creepy, but criminal conduct is another matter. Did Snyder go to prison? Is he there now? Does he still teach chess?

You can look for links. When I mentioned his name at the club I visited yesterday (the Joe Hanley chess academy in Huntington Beach), they knew the story already. From what I understand, he plead guilty, he started serving two years, and he is prohibited from teaching minors.

Yes, several accounts say that he pled guilty, is serving a two-year sentence and after that will be on probation for up to (but not more than) the rest of his life, having to stay away from children and being closely watched. I think he busted me in some Southern California tournament, or at least I saw him many times. His opening specialty of note was 1.e4 c5 2. b3, which he had a pamphlet on. He seemed ok as a person, but did have a somewhat creepy vibe.

Wow, I was just playing the snyder sicilian for the hell of it to do something different even though its a totally bad idea for white. I use to be a student of his in the 80's so I did a google search and I found the news articles.

 Anyway I went to several tounaments with Robert almost every sat and sunday and friday night at the Garden grove chess club and or La Palma Chess club etc He never said anything weird to me and I never saw anything weird but its no surprise because he was creepy that is the perfect word to describe him most of his students including me thought he was gay or still a virgin he was the stereo typical chess nerd. The article I read said he beat sexual charges in another case in 1983 in California. I never heard anything about this I was a student from 86-88. Maybe thats why he quit playing rated otb tournaments. Its too bad despite all this he was a good teacher and I had alot of fun at that time going to all the tournaments and being in the background of a chess movie.