It is with great sadness we report the passing of a long standing local Chess player from Penketh. Below are a few words from his friend Mike Selway;
“Dave sadly died on 19 Sept. He contracted cancer just before last Christmas & gradually deteriorated until he became hospitalised finally succumbing after being moved to a hospice. Until lockdown in March I visited him at his maisonette in Culcheth for a weekly game & after lockdown we played first of all over the telephone & then via Skype. To begin with I couldn’t beat him as his grade was far higher than mine although we did have some great close games. His game gradually became affected by his condition & I kept having to go over the pertaining board position as his concentration was beginning to suffer. Consequently I was winning more & more games. We played our last game on 28 June. Unfortunately it remains unfinished but I have kept a record of it. It would be nice to play it out at the Club if & when we can resume activities. He called me from hospital a few weeks ago to tell me that he had just been informed that the cancer was terminal & he didn’t have very long to live. He was very upbeat about it & it was almost as if he was phoning to tell me that he’d just bought a new car. I hope that when my time comes I can be just as philosophical!
(Dave’s final, unfinished game against Mike is below)