Bob Wade memorial portrait at National Chess Library. (corrected)

[Xavier White]

Robert walks through water (3,4) Gouache on canvas, 2010. (91cm X 35cm)

I am very pleased to announce the donation of my Robert Walks Through Water (3,4) memorial portrait of Bob Wade OBE to the National Chess Library at De Montfort University. Where it will hang close to Bob’s book collection, which has joined the chess library catalogue.
After the death of my neighbour and friend I wanted to do a memorial painting with the memories and images I have of Bob, passing by outside my home, in the café doing the crossword. Bob turned out to be an international chess master and he is pictured, both sides of the table as a young man playing chess and as I knew him doing the crossword. The player in the green jumper is Bobby Fisher, who after reading Bob’s book on his Russian opponents game, won in a big game against him in the 1970’s cold war period I understand.

An old man used to pass my house, early about 7 am, most days. Cap and flaps pulled down as he hobbled slowly along to the supermarket. Returning later with maybe 3 or 4 bags laden with shopping. Sometimes we’d meet, smile and say hello as we passed. I can’t remember how much we chatted, never knew where he lived

Gambardella’s Café down the road, went upmarket and got a proper coffee machine and he started to break his journey with an expresso and the Times crossword. I have been going in Gambardella’s for many years and so we got to become friends.

Bob would offer me a seat and coffee while he examined The Times crossword. Occasionally he would read out the clue to me. The title is a tribute to his love of crosswords. Over our morning chats I learnt that this very modest man had an OBE and got annoyed at me when I tried to inform others of it. He had travelled widely as a chess player, played chess with loads of big names, Che Guevara…

My friends Aron, Ben and I visited Bob for a game of chess at his Blackheath home. Where he played all three of us at the same time, two wins & a draw to Bob. More recently, another friend, after seeing the memorial portrait online was inspired to look through his old games notebooks and found his note “played in the presence of RG Wade!” in a book from 1978.


Bob died in 2008 and I painted this memorial of our friendship in the style of Marcel Duchamp’s chess themed paintings. Duchamp himself started as a painter and instigated ‘conceptual art’ then gave up painting to play chess. Indeed Bob had seen him at a tournament but had never played him.

Thinking of you my coffee & crossword friend, Bob Wade.

Xavier White

[Roland Kensdale]

Earlier post with image in Chess History thread.

[Joey Stewart]

It's a nice painting, reminds me of something from the late 1800s

[Xavier White]

Also featured in this month's ECF ChessMoves too, thanks Joey,

[Bob Kane]

A really nice tribute, and a suitable place for the painting to hang ..well done!

[Xavier White]

Thank you Bob, pleased it close to his book collection. I have to confess I also returned a Chessmen book Bob had lent me way back, 2003 ish?