Geoff Gammon

[LawrenceCooper]

https://www.englishchess.org.uk/rip-geoff-gammon/

POSTED BY: WEBADMIN 9TH OCTOBER 2023

It is with great sadness that I need to let you know of the death of FIDE Arbiter Geoff Gammon. Geoff was a great arbiter to work with at any event he was present at. He worked at several high-ranking events in England over the years, inlcuding the British Chess Championships and the 4NCL. He will be sadly missed.

— from Matthew Carr | image courtesy of Chessit – http://www.chessit.co.uk/Clubs/Downend/ ... allery.htm

[Kevin Thurlow]

Very sad. I worked with him at one of Adam Raoof's events when I was seeking an FA norm, and he was really helpful and encouraging.

We had one incident, where a 200+ player was losing to a 170 and came to us saying his opponent was a cheat. Why, well basically as the complainant was losing. So I surreptitiously watched the accused, and he didn't leave the board much, and when he did, he just looked at a couple of games, and walked back. Then he went to the toilet, so Geoff waited outside, then rushed in when the player left. He then conducted a thorough search and found nothing interesting. I asked if he had looked in the cistern for a phone in a plastic bag - yes. So, a really efficient search. It became clear that the higher-rated player just played the opening badly. Geoff handled the entire situation efficiently and calmly. I would have been happy for him to be arbiter at any event I played.

[Roger Lancaster]

Sorry to hear this - my experience, based on past 4NCL weekends, was that Geoff was a thoroughly professional arbiter.

[Matt Mackenzie]

An occasional poster on this forum as well.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

Lovely guy. As an arbiter, he had the knack of delivering an unwelcome decision in a soothing manner. Some years ago, he ejected me and someone I was with from a playing area because the latter was drinking alcohol. He was quite right to do so, because alcohol consumption was expressly forbidden according to notices on the wall of the room we'd been in. I was impressed by Geoff's mixture of polite regret coupled with firm insistence on our departure. I shall miss him at Bristol congresses.

[Keith Arkell]

Very sad to hear.

Formerly a driving instructor, we in the chess world knew Geoff as a very correct and reliable arbiter. However, I knew him as much more than that.

We often socialised and chatted during meals and/or drinks after events in the Bristol area. Geoff and my brother Nick also made friends and exchanged many emails about their shared interest in motorbikes and motorbike racing.

My favourite memory of Geoff was when, on the 16th of February 2020, after arbiting all weekend at the Bristol Winter Congress, he came night-clubbing with my friend Anuurai Sainbayar and myself until the wee hours of the morning - and this despite that he was 72 and had suffered a stroke a few years earlier!

RIP Geoff Gammon - one of the good ones.

[John Upham]

Geoff Gammon from The British Championships 2014, Day Three
The 101st British Chess Championships were hosted at The University of Aberystwyth, Wales from 18th July to August 2nd.


Note the use of the special arbiter pen of many colours for those who love using pairing cards!

i-RfCz6gL-X2.jpg

[Lee Bullock]

My fav arbiter. Very sad. Wish I got to know him better. He seemed so friendly and funny. Already made a post on fb about him and replied to the news. Big loss to chess world.