English Chess Forum

I have just received an e-mail about the death of Mike Johnson aged 59. Mike played for Chesterfield CC in Derbyshire and also for Spirit of Atticus in the 4NCL. I am sure that a full obituary will be available in the coming days and I will ensure that a link is given here.

Neil Graham wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:03 pm

I have just received an e-mail about the death of Mike Johnson aged 59. Mike played for Chesterfield CC in Derbyshire and also for Spirit of Atticus in the 4NCL. I am sure that a full obituary will be available in the coming days and I will ensure that a link is given here.

Sorry to hear about Mike.
Steve Mann has just posted a tribute along with a picture of Mike on the Yorkshire Chess Association website.
https://mannchess.org.uk
Sorry that it's not a direct link.
It's in the Notices & Articles section.

Thank you Simon - I hope this direct link works http://mannchess.org.uk/SNotices/2021-1 ... ohnson.htm

A tribute by Andy Mort is at https://derbyshirechess.chessck.co.uk/Obituaries

The Spirit of Atticus squad is thoroughly devastated by this news today. Some of us knew Mike had recently identified health issues, but assumed any resolution was months if not years away. His sudden death has come as a dreadful shock.

I cannot summon the necessary strength of heart to write much now. Let it be sufficient to say that my 4NCL team-mate, Mike Johnson, was one of the gentlest and kindest people I have ever met. I played next to him many times, often admiring his play. No one gave more for the team than Mike. He loved the 4NCL weekends; never missed one. He loved our company. And we loved his.

RIP Mike. A little of me is broken

I echo David's sentiments. I didn't know Mike well but I admired his play and his chess was nothing if not gritty.

RIP.

Mike's obituary at https://derbyshirechess.chessck.co.uk/Obituaries now includes a further contribution by Andy Mort.

Much of Mike's county chess career can be tracked in the County Matches pages of the DCA website. Not all matches are there and some records are incomplete, but Mike's first appearance in the second team is Derbys 2 v Lincs 2 on 28/2/76, and in the first team Leics 1 v Derbys 1 on 22/10/77.
Note that there is potential for confusion with M H Johnson, also a prominent Chesterfield and Derbyshire player, who appeared in the same team as Mike in Derbys 2 v Leics 2 1979/80.

That really is very sad - as people have said above he always seemed like a really gentle, lovely person. Must have been a captains dream as a chess player, incredibly stable and reliable.

I would never have had him pegged as a good marathon runner!

Nice tributes - I never met him, but now wish I had.

Also, 3 hours for a marathon is seriously good.

Michael won the Derbyshire County Junior title in 1980 with 4.5 / 5 after outplaying me in the endgame in round 4. It was my first ever tournament and I had never met him before. I remember him being very pleasant and polite, complimenting me on my game (I was the unknown player, he was hot favourite). His two Chesterfield mates, Stephen Harley and Neil Mooney came joint 2nd with me on 4.

The funeral arrangements for Mike Johnson has been announced by Andy Mort.
The funeral is on Tuesday 9th November at 10.50am, at Chesterfield Crematorium, Chesterfield Road, Brimington, Chesterfield, S43 1AU.
Followed by a celebration of his life at the Casa Hotel.