Leaving school at the age of 14, he spent his formative years in the army, where he had a successful boxing career.
Dishonourably discharged for drunkenness, resisting the guard and going absent without leave, Healy began a downward spiral that brought him into the subculture of London's homeless street drinkers.
He spent fifteen years as a homeless alcoholic and was convicted of many petty crimes during this time.
[1] During one of his prison stretches he learned the game of chess from a fellow cellmate, Harry 'the Fox'.
His chess career continued for ten years and despite the ravages of his years spent on the streets he became a highly rated player, capable of playing four games simultaneously whilst wearing a blindfold and several games simultaneously with sight of the boards.