English Chess Forum

Some desperately sad news - I've just been informed that Bernard Cafferty died last night (4/5 November). He had been unwell and in hospital for some time, latterly in palliative care.

Bernard Cafferty was a major figure in the game as a player (FIDE master), editor (British Chess Magazine) and writer/translator (e.g. The Soviet Championships, co-authored with Mark Taimanov). I had particular reason to admire him as he was associate editor of BCM throughout my stint as the magazine's editor (1999-2010) and he provided support and advice of inestimable value. As my editorial predecessor, Murray Chandler, told me: "you ignore Bernard at your peril" - and he was so right. Bernard himself wrote in an obituary of Harry Golombek: "I admit, I miss him." I miss you too, Bernard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Cafferty

http://www.hastingschess.club/cafferty-bernard/ (I believe Bernard himself wrote this)

https://www.saund.org.uk/britbase/pgn/c ... iewer.html

Totally agree John. In my five years at BCM I tried very hard to get advice on how to deal with one of the owners who Bernard simply referred to as "Low" even though his surname was Lowe. I met BC on a couple of occasions but regrettably never got to know him to any degree.

Read this over and over in my teens, and after

FM Bernard Cafferty, Hastings Congress 2013-14, courtesy of John Upham Photography

Remembering FM Bernard Cafferty (27-vi-1934 – 04-xi-2026)



https://britishchessnews.com/2026/11/05 ... y-bernard/



Bernard Cafferty, location, date and photographer unknown

For some tributes to Bernard while he was still alive (80th birthday), see the link...

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6674#p140288

A very fine servant of the game. I think he may have played for Lancs, but the one time I played him I think he was playing for Sussex. I was lucky to draw against his trusty Alekhine.

Sad news and another link to a past era goes.

But also a good age and he remained active until quite recently (his final games in the ECF database were just two years ago)

Bernard's collection of Spassky's games was one of the first books I studied.

Interesting that he did not consider himself to have a great talent for chess (unlike Spassky, of course). He certainly had a capacity for hard work, which is a talent in itself.