Education
Small was educated at Shirley Boys High School in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in English Literature from the University of Canterbury (New Zealand) in 1985.
Small was educated at Shirley Boys High School in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in English Literature from the University of Canterbury (New Zealand) in 1985.
He represented New Zealand in eight Chess Olympiads from 1976 to 1992. Small moved to New Zealand at the age of 9 in 1964 from England. He lives in Wellington New Zealand.
He represented New Zealand in eight Chess Olympiads from 1976 to 1992, playing on board 1 in 1982, 1984 and 1988.
His best result was his Olympiad debut at the 22nd Chess Olympiad, Haifa 1976, when he scored 7/9, and finished equal third with General Motors Larry Evans for the bronze medal on board 3. Vernon Small vs Oscar Panno, Olympiad 1988, French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, (C03), 1-0.
He has previously worked as National Affairs Editor for Fairfax Media New Zealand, based in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Foreign which he has received numerous awards. Small won or jointly won the New Zealand Chess Championship on four occasions. 1979/80 (shared with Ortvin Sarapu and Ewen Green), 1980/81 (shared with Ortvin Sarapu and Roger Nokes), 1981/82, and 1984/85.
