History of Chess

New Zealand Chess Magazine of the New Zealand Chess Federation (Inc) April 2008 Volume 35 Number 1 In this issue 2008 NZ Seniors' Championships Gordon Hoskyn Hilton Bennett Reports Bob Smith Remembers 2008 NZ Women's Championships Traffic Jam at the top Wellington Open Daniel Baider upsets some old pros Plus – History of Chess – The Stuyvesant Chess Club Feature: Mark van der Hoorn “ Pooch - my role in his success” NZ Chess Magazine Contents Official publication of the New Zealand Chess Federation (Inc) Published 1 April, 4 Gordon Hoskyn 1939 – 2008 by 1 July, 1 October, 1 January Bob Smith 6 Wellington Open Report by Please send all reports, letters and other Mark van der Hoorn contributions to the Editor at [email protected] 9 NZ Women's Championship Report by Ewen Green Please use annotated pgn or ChessBase 11 NZ Senior's Championship format exclusively for chess material. Report by Hilton Bennett Editorial 14 Bill's Puzzles Editor Alan Aldridge 16 Feature: Puchen Wang, How I Technical Editor Bill Forster shaped his destiny, by Mark van der Hoorn Annual Subscription Rates 18 Annotated Games NZ: $24.00 plus postage $4.00 total 23 Club and Local News $28.00 International: NZD24.00 plus postage -IM A Ker visits Eastern Knights NZD12.00 in Gisborne -Palmerston North vs Wanganui -Yokels vs Slickers Advertising Rates -Leonard McLaren new NM Full page $50.00 -South Island Champs Preview Half Page Horizontal $30.00 -Otago Club News Quarter page Horizontal $20.00 -Wellington Club News -Hastings and Havelock North club news NZCF Contact Details 30 History of Chess – Coffeehouse New Zealand Chess Federation (Inc) Chess and the Story of New PO Box 216 York's Stuyvesant Chess Club, Shortland Street by Alan Aldridge Auckland 33 Puzzle Solutions Secretary Bob Mitchell email 35 Club Contact List [email protected] NZ Chess Magazine April 2008 2 Changes for New Zealand Chess Magazine ou'll see some changes at New the late Gordon Hoskyn, who was YZealand Chess magazine from this without a doubt Mr Chess of Wanganui. issue, with myself taking over as editor Gordon organised many tournaments from Graeme Trass, and the introduction including several highly successful of several new features. Bill Forster will Wanganui Congresses. be technical editor and we'll have one of NZ's more entertaining chess writers, His contribution to chess in this country Mark van der Hoorn, helping out. was not at all only measured purely by Graeme has been editor for a number of his considerable administrative ability. years and I speak for the chess Gordon was a true gentleman who was community in thanking him for all the instantly liked by everyone he met. His work he and Sharon put into the personality alone was enough to make magazine. I know it hasn't always been the Wanganui tournaments a pleasure to easy to get editions published. Many attend. Bob Smith, Gordon's long time potential contributors have busy lives and friend, and past president of NZCF, is a Graeme often only seemed to extract fitting author of Gordon's obituary. reports after several rounds of pleading! Alan Aldridge For the magazine's future direction we Contributions from want to; give increased coverage of New Zealand activities and internal club Readers events, help foster junior chess with more We want to hear from our readers. If you coverage, help club players improve with have an entertaining anecdote to relate, instructive annotated games, and write it down and send it in. There is a generally provide you with an $25.00 voucher for NZ Chess Supplies entertaining read. on offer for the best story published. New features in this edition include an Photos, annotated games and other expanded local news section, a new material. are of course welcome. Our 'History of Chess' column, an Annotated technical editor has a special plea: Use Games column and a Puzzles Page. We annotated pgn or ChessBase format still have Roger Noke's entertaining exclusively for chess material. column. In future editions we will introduce a new Junior Section devoted Letters to the Editor to reporting on junior chess activities. We will also publish letters to the editor. On the cover of this edition we feature Please keep within a 150 word limit. NZ Chess Magazine April 2008 3 Gordon Hoskyn 1939-2008 successful Congresses in Wanganui – By FM Bob Smith three of those in five years. He also masterminded six North Island ew Zealand chess lost one of its Championships and a New Zealand Nablest administrators and most Junior Championship. enthusiastic supporters on May 1, when Gordon Hoskyn passed away Under his leadership Wanganui also after a brave fight against cancer. hosted four New Zealand Masters Games. Gordon was universally liked and respected throughout the chess scene. As well as writing for the city’s local Dubbed Wanganui’s “Mr Chess” he was paper, Gordon was the long-time the long-standing President of the correspondence chess contributor to the Wanganui Chess Club and a club New Zealand Chess Magazine, and member for more than 50 years. proof-reader for a number of years. At local level he was the club’s driving Those are the bare facts of some of force, organising events, encouraging Gordon’s outstanding contribution to youngsters into the game and ensuring chess, for which he was made a Life weekly publicity in the local newspaper. Member of the NZ Chess Federation in 2007. As a friend of Gordon’s for more than 30 years, I know how much work he put into But the facts don’t do full justice to a promoting chess. Like many others I remarkable man. have seen his scrapbooks – a unique record of the Wanganui Club over the As chess players who did not know him decades. closely learnt at his packed funeral, Gordon was also a loving family man, a But Gordon’s input into chess extended harrier and an indoor bowler. He had far beyond the local level – important seven brothers and sisters, was married to though his grassroots work was. With Margaret for 39 years, and brought up “Mr Chess” at the helm, Wanganui five children; he had ten grandchildren arguably hosted more New Zealand and two great grandchildren. Chess Federation events than any other club in the country. Those who spoke at his funeral talked of a genuine man, a man with a slightly He was the principal organiser of five wicked sense of humour, a man who NZ Chess Magazine April 2008 4 loved a debate and a companionable huge loss; we can only hope others will wine, but above all a kind man. pick up the mantle that Gordon has left behind. I personally experienced that kindness and generosity on numerous occasions A number of chess players spoke at when Gordon and Margaret Gordon’s funeral: Ted Frost spoke of accommodated me during tournaments in their friendship and another of Gordon’s Wanganui. qualities – never missing a deadline. Kevin Yorston spoke of how Gordon Gordon was an easy guy to get on with, introduced him to chess at a young age, and I found his support – both personal and his passion for finding the truth in and in chess -very helpful over the years. positions. And as immediate past Gordon was a long-time correspondence President, I expressed NZCF’s gratitude chess player of Championship standard – for all that Gordon put into the game. I remember a number of tussles with him in the days before computers, and can’t My heartfelt sympathy to Margaret and say with any confidence that I had the the family on their loss. I can do no better upper hand! at this point than to pass over to the man himself, who composed some final In his prime he was also a strong over the thoughts as he realised his life on earth board player; as recently as last year was coming to an end. sharing first place in the NZ Seniors’ Championship – a source of some pride Gordon Hoskyn’s Final for someone who was essentially a humble man. So humble that he was Thoughts overcome on being awarded NZCF Life “I have enjoyed a good life, nearly Membership, wondering if he really making the “norm” of three score years deserved it. and ten. What counts is not the number of years that one lives, but how one lives There is no doubt of that; if more players them. put back into the game even a small part of what Gordon did, chess in this country I have greatly enjoyed playing sport, would be far better off. That philosophy which I believe builds character. Harriers, of “giving back” was a key one for chess and indoor bowls have been my Gordon throughout his life, not just in main loves, but I have also enjoyed chess. tennis, cricket and soccer. With the passing of Gordon Hoskyn I and I have always tried to put something back many others will feel they have lost a into sport as an administrator and true friend. organiser, and to some extent I think I Chess in this country has also suffered a NZ Chess Magazine April 2008 5 succeeded. Correspondence IM Mark Noble who has My family have been very important to a correspondence rating of over 2300. me. Margaret my wife of 39 years has been very good to me and I thank her for Gordon Hoskyn - Mark Noble that. I have been fortunate to have been NZCCA 73rd Championship 2006 able to watch my children grow into successful adulthood. I wish them and 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 my grandchildren a wonderful future life.

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