Bill Wall

William Dale Wall, better known as Bill Wall (born 11 May 1951), is an American engineer and chess player. He is best known as a chess author, chess journalist and chess researcher in the United States.

Wall was born on 11 May 1951 in Raymond, Washington, to William Raymond Wall and Bobbie (Brown) Wall, both chess players. He learned chess from his parents when he was around 10 years old in San Francisco. 

He attended Clover Park High School in Lakewood, Washington and Lakes High School in Tacoma, Washington. After graduating from high school, he joined the Tacoma Chess Club in downtown, Tacoma Washington. Later, in 1969, he joined Northrop Institute of Technology in Inglewood, California; he was the President of the college chess team.

A graduate in systems engineering, Wall was an officer in the US Air Force from 1974 to 1995. In the years 1985-1991 he was also a consultant to the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). He ended his career with the US Air Force with the rank of major, and since 1995 he has worked as an engineer for the Harris Corporation, based in Melbourne, Florida.

As a referee for the United States Chess Federation, Wall has led numerous chess tournaments in the United States. He was also first secretary and then president of the "North Carolina Chess Association" (1976-80), president of the "Ohio Chess Association" (1980-81), the "Dayton Chess Club" (1982-85) and the "Palo Alto Chess Club "(1986-91). In the 1980s he was secretary of the "Chess Journalists of America" ​​association.

He currently lives with his wife Lois in Palm Bay Florida.

Bill Wall has published about 30 chess books. Those in the "500 Miniatures" series (16 titles), each dedicated to a specific opening, are particularly well known. He has written over 1,000 chess articles for various US newspapers and magazines, and contributed biographical and historical material to the Chessgames.com website and other websites dedicated to chess.

Some books published by Bill Wall:

• 700 Opening Traps Jun 1, 1998
• Oddities in Chess (Bill Wall's Oddities Series Book 1) Mar 2, 2020
• Chess Opening Blunders Jan 14, 2020
• Mate in Three Dec 16, 2019
• 500 Center Counter Miniatures Jan 1, 2002
• 500 Ruy Lopez Miniatures Jun 1, 1986
• 500 Italian Miniatures Jun 1, 1987
• Grob's Attack Jun 1, 1988
• 500 French Minatures Collection II  (2002-01-01) Jan 1, 1656
• 700 Opening Traps Nov 17, 2019
• 500 Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Minatures Jan 1, 1999
• 500 King's Gambit Miniatures Collection II Jan 1, 1996
• Five Hundred Kings Gambit Miniatures Jun 1, 1986
• Oddities in Chess (Bill Wall Oddities Series) Feb 4, 2020
• Five Hundred French Miniatures May 1, 1984
• 500 Indian Miniatures Jun 1, 1990
• 500 Queen's Gambit: Miniatures, Collection II Jun 1, 1988
• The 1990 World Chess Championship, Kasparov vs. Karpov Jan 1, 1991
• Five Hundred Pirc Miniatures Apr 1, 1993
• 500 English Miniatures Jan 1, 1990
• 500 Queen's Gambit Miniatures Jun 1, 1985
• 500 Scotch Miniatures Jul 1, 1997
• 500 French Minatures Collection Ll Jan 1, 1995
• 500 Pirc Miniatures Jan 1, 1993
• 500 Caro - Kann Miniatures Jan 1, 1991
• 500 Sicilian Miniatures, Collection II Jun 1, 1987
• Larsen's Opening Apr 1, 1986
• 500 Sicilian Miniatures by Bill Wall (1983-04-02) Jan 1, 1887
• 300 King's Gambit Miniatures Jan 1, 1982