Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

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Andrew Smith
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Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:55 am

Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

Post by Andrew Smith » Thu Jul 15, 2021 11:19 pm

I am sorry to report that Simon Finn died a few days ago, aged 63.

A very decent chess player with his most recent grade being 195 ECF (Jan 2019) and 2202 ELO.

A long standing friend from when I first joined Slough Chess Club in 1988 and after giving up playing for a few years in the noughties, he returned to club chess, playing for Wycombe & Hazelmere Chess Club in the Bucks league until he stopped again around 2018/2019.

A very nice guy who was always modest and self deprecating in victory and sporting in defeat.

To illustrate the point that he was a strong player, In 2014, Simon (with the Black pieces) beat Keith Arkell in 47 moves at the e2e4 Tournament at High Wycombe which was no 'mean feat' ( Maybe someone can pull up that game - I don't have the technical expertise!)

Looking back, I see that Simon played and won in the Varsity Match for Oxford in1979, although his team lost. Some interesting names from the past and present took part ( I recognise every name apart from Kimberley Harris) ;
Hugh Macpherson - Shaun Taulbut
Peter Sowray - Colin Crouch
Nick Benjamin - Simon Knott
John Branford - Michael Pagden
Simon Finn - Kimberley Harris
Paul Carey - Anthony John Berry
Clive Hill Jonathan Friedland
Annette Rogers - Jane Anson

I actually introduced Simon to a friend of mine, Jackie, more than 25 years ago and she became his future/current wife. One of their sons, Peter Finn, is also a very strong player, currently graded about 190 ECF, but is improving all the time, and is stronger than that now. Condolences to Jackie and Peter and also to Chris and Sophie, Simon's other children.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

Post by Roger de Coverly » Fri Jul 16, 2021 12:32 am

Andrew Smith wrote:
Thu Jul 15, 2021 11:19 pm
I am sorry to report that Simon Finn died a few days ago, aged 63.

To illustrate the point that he was a strong player, In 2014, Simon (with the Black pieces) beat Keith Arkell in 47 moves at the e2e4 Tournament at High Wycombe which was no 'mean feat'

Here's the game. I hadn't been aware that he was unwell, although Peter may have hinted as much.



Looking at my personal archive, we appear to have played 8 times, the first in 1976. Four wins to Simon, three to me, and one draw, although more recent games went his way.

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John Saunders
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Re: Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

Post by John Saunders » Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:57 am

Sad news about Simon Finn. His son Peter played for Cambridge in the 2019 Varsity match. (Father and sons have played in this fixture previously but not, I think, for a different university but I haven't yet checked that.) Peter told me that his father had won the best game prize for his win against Kim Harris and still kept the trophy on his windowsill. Here is the game:

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Paul Cooksey
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Re: Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

Post by Paul Cooksey » Fri Jul 16, 2021 6:02 am

sad news, condolences to Peter and the rest of the family

LawrenceCooper
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Re: Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

Post by LawrenceCooper » Fri Jul 16, 2021 8:41 am

[Event "Paignton Premier"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1990.09.08"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Cooper, Lawrence"]
[Black "Finn, Simon"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B08"]
[WhiteElo "2270"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[EventDate "1990.??.??"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h3 O-O 6. Be3 c6 7. a4 d5 8. e5 Ne4
9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Ng5 c5 11. dxc5 Qc7 12. Bc4 Nc6 13. e6 f5 14. O-O Qe5 15. Nf7
Qxb2 16. Rb1 Qc3 17. Qd5 Nb4 18. Rxb4 Qxb4 19. Nh6+ Kh8 20. Nf7+ Kg8 21. Rd1
Qc3 22. Nh6+ Kh8 23. Nf7+ Kg8 24. g4 f4 25. Bxf4 Qxh3 26. Re1 Qxg4+ 27. Bg3
Bxe6 28. Qxe6 Qxe6 29. Bxe6 Rxf7 30. Rb1 Bd4 31. Rxb7 Bxc5 32. Rb5 Bd4 33. Rb4
Rd8 34. Kf1 Kf8 35. Bxf7 Kxf7 36. Ke2 Ke6 37. Rc4 Kd5 38. Rc7 Bc5 39. Bf4 h5
40. Be3 Bd6 41. Rxa7 h4 42. Ra5+ Kc4 43. Rg5 h3 44. Rxg6 h2 45. Rh6 Rg8 46. f3
Rg1 0-1

Mick Norris
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Re: Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

Post by Mick Norris » Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:18 am

Any postings on here represent my personal views

Nick Ivell
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Re: Simon P. Finn ( 1958 - 2021)

Post by Nick Ivell » Fri Jul 16, 2021 6:57 pm

Kim Harris was the best player at Bolton School, apart from Nigel Short.

I have never heard him referred to as Kimberley. You learn something every day.

He gets a mention in Stephen Fry's autobiographies. I think there is even a photo of Kim and Stephen playing chess; there could only be one winner there.

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