In games commencing with 1 e4 e5, Paul has defeated many top opponents as White or Black, including Grandmasters Michael Adams, Vladimir Akopian, Miguel Illescas-Cordoba, Daniel King, Pavel Blatny, Antonio Antunes, Helgi Gretarsson, Heikki Westerinen.

Some memorable moments & other "snippets"

Shortest Chess Game:

This was also my first-ever game, age 11, Black against a classmate named Ann Fraser. 1 e4 d6 2 Bb5#...or so we both thought

Best "Scalps":

Michael Adams (1989 & 1994); Nigel Short (1978); Joël Lautier (1990)

Best Tournaments:-

1) 1986 Dubai Olympiad, where I scored 8/10 and registered my first GM norm with Â½ a point to spare.

2) 1987 Scottish Championship, which I won with 8/9, a 2675 rating performance.

Highest Chess Place (literally!):

A consultation game played blindfold in a cable car 11,000 feet up! That was during the 1987 "Snow Cup" team tournament in Aosta, Italy.

Happiest Chess Moments:-

1) Winning the 1978/79 World Under-17 Chess Championship in Sas van Gent, Holland.

2) At the Manila Olympiad on Wednesday 17 June 1992 when Chris Morrison, the Scottish team captain, told me that I would be awarded the title of International Grandmaster (Scotland's first).

Happiest Days:

1) Sunday 2 July 1995, when I married Jenny Zheng Zeng in St John's Catholic Church, Perth, Scotland.

2) Friday 16 October 1998, when at 22:10 my son Michael Zeng Motwani was born.

Funny/Silly Chess Occasions:-

1) Falling asleep against Colin McNab during a long rook endgame in 1977. I woke up to the sound of the flag falling!

2) Arbiter Harry Golombek falling asleep during my marathon encounter with John Cox at the 1982 Robert Silk tournament. John and I eventually woke him up to report that I'd won!

3) Water dripping onto the board in my game against Harel Elyoseph at the 1980 European Junior Championship. My Israeli opponent had gone to wash his face, but forgot about drying!

Scary Chess Occasions:-

1) Nearly falling over the edge of a waterfall during a tournament in Iceland in 1992.

2) Being trapped in a lift for 40 minutes during the 1981 World Junior Championship in Mexico City.

3) Being in a plummeting lift (several times!) during the 1994 Moscow Olympiad.

Hobbies:

Chess (surprise, surprise!), films, listening to music, reading.

Closest Friend:

My wife Jenny.