English Chess Forum

I imagine the most famous murdered player so far was Alekhine

That is some way from a fully verified claim, of course......

Joey Stewart wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 18, 2021 6:09 pm

I imagine the most famous murdered player so far was Alekhine

That's a tad contentious isn't it? I thought that accepted view was he choked on some meat whilst eating.

Tim Harding wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 12, 2021 2:28 pm

The shocking story of the demise of American chess publisher Bob Long (see obituaries section of this Forum) prompts me to make the gruesome suggestion of opening a new thread about chess players whose deaths were murders.

I am aware of having played (and lost to) two FIDE-titled masters who were subsequently murdered (not by me).

Simon Webb, who many readers of this Forum probably knew, in a domestic case. I won't repeat the sad details here.

French IM Gilles Andruet, about whom you can read at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Gilles_Andruet

I invite further submissions.

Hi Tim. I don't know if you read it when it came out but this -not too well-researched publication- touched upon the topic of your post.

https://www.amazon.com/Genius-Misery-Ch ... =4&depth=1

The account of Petrov was rather harrowing although not classified as murder per se but rather being left to rot in his cell as I recall!

I am afraid I've picked up an apparent recent murder of a titled chess player which I will post the next couple of days in Deaths & Obituaries.
Along with a lot of events for Congress Diary.
I'm just working a lot of hours at the moment.

Who was this titled player, out of interest?

The excellent but harrowing The Volunteer by Jack Fairweather, telling the story of WWII Polish underground activist Witold Pilecki and his attempts to establish a resistance in Auschwitz, notes an early victim of German occupation of Poland was a national chess champion. A little research revealed this to be former Polish champion, Dawid Przepiórka who was seized by the Gestapo and subsequently murdered for the crime of being Jewish, along with chess masters Moishe Lowtzky and Stanislaw Kohn. The three were playing chess at the time of their arrest.

IM Simon Webb and author of Chess for Tigers met with a very sad demise, courtesy of his son and the knife he was carrying.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:12 pm

Who was this titled player, out of interest?

Hi Matt. I'm off work tomorrow, so I'll post it on the forum then.
I just need to check a few facts on the sudden death.
I believe he was well known. I'm surprised it's not been posted yet.

Was that the Romanian player Mihail-Viorel Ghinda?

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 09, 2023 4:01 pm

Was that the Romanian player Mihail-Viorel Ghinda?

No.
I'll post it soon.

Why the problem. You mentioned it first on the 20th oi February - two and a half weeks ago.

John Moore wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:06 pm

Why the problem. You mentioned it first on the 20th oi February - two and a half weeks ago.

Well quite. Am beginning to be concerned for northern-based titled players.

John Moore wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:06 pm

Why the problem. You mentioned it first on the 20th oi February - two and a half weeks ago.

Long hours at work, mobile phone issues from which I post and an edited Wikipedia entry. Also some fact checking on various websites.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:12 pm

Who was this titled player, out of interest?

Hi Matt.
Here it is:
Mexican International Master Jose Felix Villarreal.
This was posted on Wikipedia:
"He died on 5th May 2022, after being shot in an attack on 16th March (2022) in Tijuana, where armed assailants entered the home of Patricia Susana Rivera, lawyer, human rights advocate and partner of Jose Felix Villarreal. Rivera was killed on the scene."
I've posted a tribute to Jose Felix Villarreal in the Deaths & Obituaries Category.