Steve Berry

[LawrenceCooper]

[Event "Staffs I v Surrey I"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2003.06.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Cooper, Lawrence H"]
[Black "Berry, Stephen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C73"]
[WhiteElo "2351"]
[BlackElo "2264"]
[Annotator "Loz"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "2003.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. d4 f6 7. c4 Ne7 8. Nc3
Ng6 9. Be3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. h3 Qe8 12. Qe2 Qf7 13. Rfd1 a5 14. c5 Rb8 15.
Rac1 dxc5 16. dxc5 f5 17. exf5 17 Bxf5 18. Ng5 Bxg5 19.
Bxg5 h6 20. Be3 Nh4 21. Kh2 Rb4 22. f3 Qh5 23. Bg1 Bxh3
24. gxh3 Nxf3+ 25. Kg2 Rh4 26. Bf2 Rg4+ 27. Bg3 Rxg3+ 28. Kxg3 Qg5+ 29. Kf2
Nd4+ 30. Ke1 Qg3+ 31. Kd2 Nxe2 32. Nxe2 Qxh3 0-1

[Mick Norris]

[Event "Staffs I v Surrey I"] [Site "?"] [Date "2003.06.14"] [Round "?"] [White "Cooper, Lawrence H"] [Black "Berry, Stephen"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C73"] [WhiteElo "2351"] [BlackElo "2264"] [Annotator "Loz"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "2003.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. d4 f6 7. c4 Ne7 8. Nc3 Ng6 9. Be3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. h3 Qe8 12. Qe2 Qf7 13. Rfd1 a5 14. c5 Rb8 15. Rac1 dxc5 16. dxc5 f5 17. exf5 17 Bxf5 18. Ng5 Bxg5 19. Bxg5 h6 20. Be3 Nh4 21. Kh2 Rb4 22. f3 Qh5 23. Bg1 Bxh3 24. gxh3 Nxf3+ 25. Kg2 Rh4 26. Bf2 Rg4+ 27. Bg3 Rxg3+ 28. Kxg3 Qg5+ 29. Kf2 Nd4+ 30. Ke1 Qg3+ 31. Kd2 Nxe2 32. Nxe2 Qxh3 0-1

[Christopher Kreuzer]

This is very sad news. I didn't know Steve well, but he was an invariable presence for Wimbledon in the Thames Valley League matches I played in against Wimbledon's first team. I would occasionally watch his games unfold and they were always interesting. Condolences to his friends and family.

[Does anyone know if any of the other chess players named Berry are related?]

[AustinElliott]

Those are two cracking tactical demolitions for a player with a 'natural positional style' (to quote Keith Arkell above). Though of course the two things aren't mutually exclusive. Both with the Black pieces too.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Here's another one - sorry don't think I can do pgn thing.

Thurlow,Kevin J (2100) - Berry,S (2265) [C60]
Surrey Championship, 2002
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 d6 7.h3 Nf6 8.d4 Bd7 9.Re1 Qe7 10.Nbd2 0–0 11.d5 Nb8 12.c4 a5 13.Nf1 Bxa4 14.Qxa4 Na6 15.Ng3 Nc5 16.Qc2 a4 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.b4 axb3 20.axb3 Qe7 21.b4 Nd7 22.Qd2 Kh7 23.h4 h5 24.Nf1 Bh6 25.Qe2 Kg7 26.g3 Nf6 27.Ng5 Bxg5 28.hxg5 Nh7 29.f4 f6 30.gxf6+ Qxf6 31.Rxa8 Rxa8 32.f5 gxf5 33.Qxh5 Ng5 34.Ne3 fxe4 35.Rf1 Nf3+ 36.Kg2 Ra2+ 37.Kh1 Qg6 38.Nf5+ Qxf5 39.Qxf5 Rh2# 0–1

[Mick Norris]

Thurlow,Kevin J (2100) - Berry,S (2265) [C60]
Surrey Championship, 2002
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0–0 Bg7 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 d6 7.h3 Nf6 8.d4 Bd7 9.Re1 Qe7 10.Nbd2 0–0 11.d5 Nb8 12.c4 a5 13.Nf1 Bxa4 14.Qxa4 Na6 15.Ng3 Nc5 16.Qc2 a4 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.b4 axb3 20.axb3 Qe7 21.b4 Nd7 22.Qd2 Kh7 23.h4 h5 24.Nf1 Bh6 25.Qe2 Kg7 26.g3 Nf6 27.Ng5 Bxg5 28.hxg5 Nh7 29.f4 f6 30.gxf6+ Qxf6 31.Rxa8 Rxa8 32.f5 gxf5 33.Qxh5 Ng5 34.Ne3 fxe4 35.Rf1 Nf3+ 36.Kg2 Ra2+ 37.Kh1 Qg6 38.Nf5+ Qxf5 39.Qxf5 Rh2# 0–1

[John Saunders]

I have now collected together 342 games played by Steve Berry and posted them at BritBase...

http://www.saund.co.uk/britbase/pgn/berrysh-viewer.html

I am grateful to Mark Page and Kevin Thurlow for sending some games for the collection. If other forum members have any more games played by Steve that don't already appear in the database, I would be happy to add them.

[John Saunders]

Make that 345 games... Roger de Coverly was typically quick out of the blocks and emailed me three more of his games against Steve Berry, which I have duly added. Thanks, Roger. Any more for any more?

[John Saunders]

... and now we're up to 355 games, with Brian Valentine sending me ten more games from the 2017 and 2018 Beacon Senior tournaments. Many thanks, Brian.

[Nick Grey]

I'm sure our club mates will not mind me posting these details.

Stephen's funeral will be 10am on Friday 25th January, Putney Vale Crematorium with remembrance drinks/snacks afterwards at the Crooked Billet pub just off Wimbledon Common between 11am and 2pm (snacks from midday).

John and I will be attending both the funeral and the drinks afterwards.

I hope that as many of you as possible will be there.

Regards
Gordon

Gordon Rennie

Secretary

Wimbledon Chess Club

[John Saunders]

The collection of Steve Berry's games on BritBase is now up to 393 following the addition of 38 more games supplied by Roger de Coverly. Many thanks, Roger.

My apologies for not being able to attend Steve's funeral as I shall be in Gibraltar.

[Hans Renette]

That is a true pity to read. Together with several other guys from the same London club he was a loyal guest for years at the tournament in Leuven, Belgium. I notice my only game against him also made it to the database. A tough guy to beat he was.

[Stewart Reuben]

I am impressed by the many comments made about Steve Berry. One of the very best ways to commemorate a player is to hold a Celebration tournament as with Colin Crouch or, annually, Andrew Whiteley.
Perhaps one of Steve's clubs could put such an event together as a fitting tribute.

[Andrew Martin]

A tough, original and respected opponent. RIP Steve.

[Keith Arkell]

I am impressed by the many comments made about Steve Berry. One of the very best ways to commemorate a player is to hold a Celebration tournament as with Colin Crouch or, annually, Andrew Whiteley.
Perhaps one of Steve's clubs could put such an event together as a fitting tribute.

There certainly should be a Steve Berry Memorial, and I , for one, will get my name on the list of entrants immediately one is anounced.

Next weekend is the 2nd Steve Bartlett memorial - another lovely guy who played many events in the West Country.