Claude Bloodgood (born Klaus Bluttgutt) was a colorful figure in American chess. He claimed to have been a Nazi spy during World War Two who became a US citizen after the war (the spy story is disputed). He then embarked on a life of crime, serving various jail sentences until finally being sentenced to life imprisonment in 1970 for the murder of his stepmother. While in prison, he became one of the highest-rated players in the United States Chess Federation. His actual strength was probably around Expert, which means a strong amateur player but not one of the top players in the country. However, he built up a high numerical rating by organizing chess tournaments and matches within the prison where he was incarcerated, and consistently beating the other prisoners (who were much weaker players than he was). Each time he won another tournament, he accrued a few more rating points, until his rating became high enough to qualify him for entry into the United States Chess Championship tournament. The chess federation had to change its qualification rules to prevent people from qualifying through such methods, causing some controversy within the organization. He was the author of several books on chess openings including The Tactical Grob. He has been humorously described as personifying the "killer instinct in chess". Bloodgood died in prison in August 2001.
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