Premature Announcements

Notices of deaths, death announcements and messages.
Post Reply
User avatar
John Upham
Posts: 8330
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:29 am
Location: Cove, Hampshire, England.
Contact:

Premature Announcements

Post by John Upham » Mon Jul 13, 2026 11:14 am

It occurred to me if one was able to announce ones passing prior to its actuality then you could read the accolades before its too late.

Likewise when lifetime awards are presented it probably means a visit to ones doctor is over due as perhaps others know something you don't'

Just a thought...
Arbiter, Organiser, Swiss Mangler person, Rating Officer, Teacher, Coach and Photographer
British Chess News : britishchessnews.com
Twitter: @BritishChess
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/britishchess :D

User avatar
Christopher Kreuzer
Posts: 10805
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 2:34 am
Location: London

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Mon Jul 13, 2026 11:23 am


John Townsend
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by John Townsend » Mon Jul 13, 2026 4:31 pm

Edward Winter has an interesting feature article on this very topic, entitled Chess and Untimely Death Notices:

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/ext ... aries.html

Kevin O'Connell
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:36 pm
Location: France

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by Kevin O'Connell » Wed Jul 15, 2026 10:38 am

I saw Nigel Short's blitz tournament (June 28, 9/9, *) in Vanuatu referred to as the Nigel Short Memorial Blitz.
I did not screenshot it and can't now find it, but this is the tournament (no mention here of the Memorial aspect):
*https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1447312 ... S&SNode=S0
FST, FM, IA. Chairman of FIDE Commissions, Committees: Computers 1986-1990, Qualification Commission 1990-1994, Titles & Ratings 1994-2002, Schools/Education 2014-2018.

Richard Thursby
Posts: 296
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:25 am
Location: origin + pathname + search + hash

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by Richard Thursby » Wed Jul 15, 2026 2:39 pm

Some years ago, my then club's president celebrated his eightieth birthday less than six months before suffering a fatal heart attack. At his memorial gathering someone (I forget who) commented how it was good that he got to hear everything that might have been said at his funeral said to his face.

Chris Rice
Posts: 3457
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 5:17 am

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by Chris Rice » Thu Jul 16, 2026 12:11 am

Kevin O'Connell wrote:
Wed Jul 15, 2026 10:38 am
I saw Nigel Short's blitz tournament (June 28, 9/9, *) in Vanuatu referred to as the Nigel Short Memorial Blitz.
I did not screenshot it and can't now find it, but this is the tournament (no mention here of the Memorial aspect):
*https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1447312 ... S&SNode=S0
The Nigel Short Memorial Blitz took place in Suva, Fiji a week or two ago and was won by Nigel with 9/9, I couldn't find a link to the tournament on the chess results server. His Facebook feed was full of congratulations from people who thought he played well for a dead man. Unfortunately I also could not see the reason why it was called a Memorial, perhaps it was a lost in translation type of error.

Kevin Thurlow
Posts: 6633
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:28 pm

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Thu Jul 16, 2026 6:55 am

"The Nigel Short Memorial Blitz took place in Suva,"

It could be more of a "tribute" event and it's lost in translation (as you said), "remembering" equating to "memorial"?

The English Federation for Correspondence Chess has been running these tribute events for a few years, where they want to thank someone for distinguished service to CC, and the honoured person gets to play in his/her own event, and can also suggest who is invited. It's a nice idea.

John Townsend
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by John Townsend » Sun Jul 19, 2026 3:26 pm

May I suggest that the incidence of "premature announcements" underlines the need, more than ever, to give sources when reporting deaths in this section of the forum. We have a useful obituaries column, but safeguards are needed to help maintain a decent standard.

Brian Denman
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 9:02 am

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by Brian Denman » Tue Sep 01, 2026 4:17 pm

Capt H A Kennedy died in 1878, but he was quite pleased to read the nice comments made about him when The Field published details of his death about three years before his eventual passing.

User avatar
IM Jack Rudd
Posts: 5165
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:13 am
Location: Bideford
Contact:

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Tue Sep 01, 2026 4:24 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Thu Jul 16, 2026 6:55 am
"The Nigel Short Memorial Blitz took place in Suva,"

It could be more of a "tribute" event and it's lost in translation (as you said), "remembering" equating to "memorial"?

The English Federation for Correspondence Chess has been running these tribute events for a few years, where they want to thank someone for distinguished service to CC, and the honoured person gets to play in his/her own event, and can also suggest who is invited. It's a nice idea.
I think "Testimonial" is the word used in football for this. It's a good word.

John Townsend
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:26 pm

Re: Premature Announcements

Post by John Townsend » Tue Sep 01, 2026 7:22 pm

Kennedy is buried only a few miles from my home, near Reading's Cemetery Junction. It is thought by some to be a rough area. When my wife was alive, she wouldn't let me visit his grave on my own, for fear of my being mugged - or something worse - so I was contemplating taking along some appropriate "muscle". He died at Ailsa House, on the KIng's Road - appropriate because Berkshire used to play its county matches close by at the Technical College.

Post Reply