English Chess Forum

I am sorry to inform you that Keith Spooner passed away last Sunday, 2nd July.
Keith was inspirational in the formation and development of two of the chess clubs in Dorset, firstly at New Milton in the 1970s then at Highcliffe when it evolved in the mid 1980s.
He was part of the New Milton team that played its first Bournemouth & District Chess League, league match in 1983 and he then joined the newly formed Highcliffe Chess Club a few years later.
Keith supported local chess events including the Dorset Rapidplay, the Dorset Closed Championship, the Dorset Open, the Bournemouth Grand Chess Congress and the many trips abroad as part of Poole Chess Club International organised by Roy and Betty Milner in the 1980s and 1990s.
Keith was a regular on the national chess congress circuit travelling to Monmouth and Newport amongst many other places.
Unfortunately, Keith has been poorly over the last 10 years or so and he moved with his wife, June, to Wareham where he joined the Purbeck Chess Club, firstly at the British Legion in Corfe Castle and then more regularly when the club moved to the Mortons House Hotel, which is also in Corfe Castle.
Keith was still playing chess as recently as only a fortnight ago with Dorset Chess player and close friend Keith Day who is now in his 90th year.
Keith will be very much missed by the Dorset chess community.
RIP

I am sorry to hear this but I'm not sure that I ever met Mr Spooner, though for many years my parents lived in Weymouth and latterly in New Milton.

However I have to point out that New Milton is in Hampshire; the county border with Dorset was moved eastward in 1974 but Highcliffe is the most easterly parish in Dorset.

Tim Harding wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 09, 2023 2:44 pm

However I have to point out that New Milton is in Hampshire; the county border with Dorset was moved eastward in 1974 but Highcliffe is the most easterly parish in Dorset.

The explanation is probably that New Milton play in the Dorset League despite being in Hampshire. There is no Hampshire League for them to play in, although attempts are being made to revive it.

I met Keith some years ago ( around 2005) at Exmouth/Dorset Chess Congresses. I think that was our first over the board meeting, with much banter to follow in the bar thereafter!

Keith was a people person, an absolutely good man! He possessed a love of humanity that was second to none. The Dorset Chess Website describes this perfectly.

At the "1 e2- e4" 2011 Sunningdale Congress, he gave me a copy of one of his poems, on relationships. It contained some sage words interwoven with some lovely verse. After this, I felt that he was a person who understood human nature, better than most. Iv'e often felt that he missed his calling in life, as he could also have had a successful career in Social Services, or Charity work.

His last Chess Congress was the 2019 Hampshire Open Congress (Fareham). We chatted during the early rounds, however, he had to withdraw, as he was already struggling heavily by then.

Thereafter, when I relocated to Bournemouth, he phoned me, and thereafter we had occasional phone contact up to the end of May, this year.

Following our first chess congress game, on our later games, I wrote his name - on the duplicate scoresheet, as - Detective Chief Inspector Keith Spooner, to which he always chuckled !

RIP sir.

John Torrance

Here is an image of Keith from

The e2e4 London Diamond Jubilee Congress was held at the Crowne Plaza, London-Gatwick Airport, Langley Drive, Crawley, RH11 7SX, England from June 2nd to June 6th, 2012.

An interesting connection to the Who Wants to be a Millionaire thread - Keith's son, Paddy, has twice won a quarter of a million pounds / Australian dollars on the show:
https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/ne ... e-9151391/

His third appearance, on the Irish version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, was not so successful - he walked away with a mere €1,000!
https://millionaire.fandom.com/wiki/Paddy_Spooner

Many thanks for John's comments on Keith, showing another side to him. Keith was not a player I knew, although as John stated he did play at the Hampshire Chess Congress in 2019 (and 2018). https://hampshirechesshistory.co.uk/ham ... jor-minor/

I have to admit that I find it strange when an Obituary is posted on the forum and someone decides to post a negative comment on the person who has passed. I always shudder when I think if one of the deceased relatives finds the post, and this is one of the first thing they see. Maybe if you have nothing positive to say best not to say anything at all? It is not if the person can defend themself

John Torrance wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 09, 2023 4:48 pm

I met Keith some years ago ( around 2005) at Exmouth/Dorset Chess Congresses. I think that was our first over the board meeting, with much banter to follow in the bar thereafter!

Keith was a people person, an absolutely good man! He possessed a love of humanity that was second to none. The Dorset Chess Website describes this perfectly.

At the "1 e2- e4" 2011 Sunningdale Congress, he gave me a copy of one of his poems, on relationships. It contained some sage words interwoven with some lovely verse. After this, I felt that he was a person who understood human nature, better than most. Iv'e often felt that he missed his calling in life, as he could also have had a successful career in Social Services, or Charity work.

His last Chess Congress was the 2019 Hampshire Open Congress (Fareham). We chatted during the early rounds, however, he had to withdraw, as he was already struggling heavily by then.

Thereafter, when I relocated to Bournemouth, he phoned me, and thereafter we had occasional phone contact up to the end of May, this year.

Following our first chess congress game, on our later games, I wrote his name - on the duplicate scoresheet, as - Detective Chief Inspector Keith Spooner, to which he always chuckled !

RIP sir.

John Torrance

Indeed, it should never be forgotten that even generally good people can have bad days.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 10, 2023 5:08 pm

Indeed, it should never be forgotten that even generally good people can have bad days.

My apologies - I've removed my post.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 10, 2023 5:08 pm

Indeed, it should never be forgotten that even generally good people can have bad days.

And vice versa

Keith was one of those unsung heroes.
There is a lengthy tribute to Keith along with pictures on the Dorset Chess Association (scroll down to the Latest posts Category, worth a read).
https://www.dorsetchess.co.uk
If someone could post the direct link, it will be much appreciated. I struggle posting direct links.

Simon Rogers wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:56 pm

the direct link

https://www.dorsetchess.co.uk/keith-spooner-r-i-p/

Another image of Keith from the same event:

A post off topic was removed.

Why on earth was that "off topic"?
An earlier post on this thread mentioned Paddy Spooner as Keith´s son so mine was in "Reply" to that.

Had the English Chess Forum a "Reply" mechanism then, naturally, I would have used that!