Career
He is an English Chess Federation coach, who has trained many of the country"s strongest junior players. McDonald was Head Coach of the English Chess Federation team at the World Schools Championship in Greece in 2013. He is also a chess writer
McDonald authored the French Defence monthly updates on chesspublishing.com from October 1999 until March 2009 and the 1 e4.. updates from November 2009 until January 2010.
He returned to the 1 e4.. monthly updates in June 2014. He became an International Master in 1986 and was awarded the Grandmaster title in 1996.