Charles Edgar Walter (1953-Living)
1970, 1972 (co), 1973 (co), 1974, 1990 (co) South Carolina Chess Champion
Charles Walter, born August 16, 1953, is a Senior Life Master and one of South Carolina’s most distinguished chess players, achieving remarkable success in a competitive career from 1968-1975 and a return after a hiatus in 1990 until finally retiring from chess in 1992. With a peak USCF rating of 2432, Walter is the highest-rated player in South Carolina history, a mark that would still place him over 100 points ahead of the state’s top active players today. He also had a reputation as the strongest blitz player in South Carolina, and he left an indelible mark on the state’s chess history as the youngest state champion at age 17.
Walter burst onto the chess scene in 1968 as a high school freshman, winning his section at the Aiken Chess-In, the Spartanburg Quadrangular, and the Charleston Open in 1969, going undefeated in his first year of tournament play. That same year, he drew Grandmaster Larry Evans in a simultaneous exhibition and claimed the Columbia-Area Co-Championship, earning the Peter Grant trophy. His dominance continued through the early 1970s, with victories including the 1970 South Carolina High School Championship (anchoring Dreher High School), the 1970 Columbia Championship, and the 1970 South Carolina State Championship held at the YWCA in Columbia from Oct. 30-Nov. 1, where he finished a full point ahead of a field that included former and future champion Lee Hyder. In 1971, Walter represented South Carolina at the National High School Championship in New York City, where he played several five-minute blitz games against Bobby Fischer. Other notable wins included the Spartanburg Open, Camden Chess Tournament (High School Division), Gaffney HS Open, South Carolina Junior State Championship (1971), Savannah Coastal Empire Open (1972), and Dogwood Open (1972). He repeated as State Champion in 1972, tying Otto Estenger at the State Championship held at the Heritage Room of the Farmers & Merchant's Bank in Aiken, SC. Again in 1973, he held the title of state co-champion with Jeff Smeltzer at the State Championship held at the Wade Hampton Hotel in Columbia from Nov. 16-18, 1973.
He was sole champion in 1974 and title holder for three years running after defeating the field at the State Championship held at the South Carolina National Bank Building in Columbia from Nov. 1-4, 1974. Other notable achievements in Walter's early career included a draw against Grandmaster Pal Benko in a simultaneous exhibition, and a tie for first in the Southeast Region (Region IV) USCF Tournament, where he also won the Region IV Speed Chess Championship. He claimed the Edelsburg Memorial Tournament in 1974 and 1975, the March Wind Open in 1975, and tied for first in the Georgia Open Championships.
After a hiatus, Walter returned to competitive chess in 1990, quickly reasserting his dominance by winning the Clock Special, the Midlands Open, and sharing the 1990 South Carolina Co-Champion title at the Tremont Motor Inn in Columbia from Oct. 5-7, 1990. In 1991, he tied for first in the South Carolina Open. His notable achievements also include drawing Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan in a 1988 simultaneous exhibition and defeating US Women’s Champion Anna Achsharumova in a 1989 simul.
Beyond his competitive success, Walter contributed to South Carolina’s chess community as Vice President of the Palmetto Chess Club, the predecessor to the Columbia Chess Club, and authored the “Charles Walter Chess Quiz” in SCCA News. He also gave simultaneous exhibitions and lectures to various clubs, gave simultaneous exhibitions to prisoners, and provided live commentary during the 1974 Korchnoi-Mecking match in Augusta.
A graduate of Midlands Technical College with an Associate’s degree in Computer Technology (1994), Walter also pursued advanced mathematics at the University of South Carolina and worked as a computer consultant until his retirement. His extraordinary achievements in a relatively short competitive career, combined with his contributions to the chess community, cement his legacy as a legend in South Carolina chess history.
Dr. Otto Estenger y Valiente, Sr. (1931-1998)
1971, 1972 (co) South Carolina Chess Champion
Dr. Otto Estenger, born August 8, 1931, was a Cuban-born educator, chess champion, and political refugee who made significant contributions to South Carolina's chess community in the early 1970s. A native of Santiago, Cuba, Estenger learned chess as a young boy from his father, who was inspired by the legendary Cuban World Chess Champion José Capablanca. He and his wife Vilma held Ph.D.s from the University of Havana, yet were forced to resign their positions from the University and flee to the United States in 1963. The Estenger family packed belongings that would fit into a single suitcase and sailed to Miami as political refugees, where they remained for seven months before securing Spanish teaching positions in Terre Haute, Indiana. There, Dr. Estenger received his M.S. from Indiana State College and then took a teaching position at East Carolina University. In 1966, Estenger joined the faculty at Lander College in Greenwood, South Carolina, where he taught Spanish.
Estenger began competitive chess in 1970, quickly establishing himself as a top player in South Carolina. His notable victories included the 1970 Spartanburg Castle Club Open, the 1971 Wade Hampton Open in Greenville, the 1971 Aiken Chess Festival, and the 1972 North Augusta Winter Open. He claimed the South Carolina State Championship in 1971, held at the Heritage Room of the Farmers & Merchants Bank in Aiken from October 29–31. The following year, he shared the State Champion title at the 1972 Championship, hosted at the North Augusta Recreation Center from November 10–12. Estenger also competed nationally, participating in the 1972 U.S. Chess Open, where he earned his master title from the U.S. Chess Federation.
Beyond chess, Estenger was recognized for his achievements as a Cuban émigré, receiving the Lincoln-Marti Award from the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for outstanding contributions by Cubans living in the country. He was active in the Greenwood Music Club and remained a dedicated member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church after relocating to central Florida in 1978.
Estenger passed away on February 27, 1998 at the age of 66 and is buried at Osceola Memory Gardens in Kissimmee, Florida. His legacy endures as a scholar, champion, and ambassador for chess in South Carolina.
Jeffrey Robert Smeltzer (1944-Living)
1973 (co), 1975 (co), and 1981 South Carolina Chess Champion
Jeff Smeltzer, born November 27, 1944, in Taylors, South Carolina, is a distinguished figure in South Carolina’s chess community, celebrated for his competitive achievements and leadership in promoting the game. A lifelong South Carolinian until his later years, Smeltzer’s contributions were marked by his success as a player and his roles in the Greenville Chess Club and the South Carolina Chess Association (SCCA).
Smeltzer began playing chess in 1963, advancing to a peak USCF rating of 2165. His competitive highlights include multiple South Carolina State Championship titles: he shared the co-champion title in 1973 at the Wade Hampton Hotel in Columbia, November 16–18, and again in 1975 at Recreation Center No. 2, Fort Jackson, Columbia, October 31–November 2. Smeltzer was sole champion in 1981 at the SC Championship held at the Siebels-Bruce Building, Columbia from September 25–27. Additionally, he achieved a notable second-place finish in the 1976 U.S. Amateur Tournament in Atlanta, demonstrating his strength on a national stage. Beyond the board, Smeltzer gave simultaneous exhibitions, including events on February 7, 1974, and October 17, 1990, at Haywood Mall in Greenville. He delivered lectures at local libraries and played a key role in introducing players like Klaus Pohl to the Greenville Chess Club, fostering the growth of the local chess community.
A graduate of Greenville High School and Furman University, Smeltzer pursued a career as a mechanical drafter, working with J.E. Sirrine Co. and later Daniel Engineering Co. in Greenville, where he utilized computer-aided design. He served as President of the Greenville Chess Club and as Vice President of the SCCA from 1975 to 1976, significantly contributing to the development of chess in the region.
Smeltzer remained in Greenville through at least the early 1990s before relocating to North Carolina and later settling in Gorham, Maine. His legacy as a champion and ambassador for chess continues to inspire South Carolina’s chess community.