English Chess Forum

The family has asked me to pass on the very sad news of the passing of International Master Gavin Wall, from a suspected heart attack.

Gavin was a behemoth of chess both here in London and abroad. He taught myriad children, myself included, and lit up any competition with his creative and dangerous play. He was a captain and player in many teams, in 4NCL, in London and in Bundesliga, as well as an Olympian for Ireland. On his day he was quite capable of beating anyone, and it was a great privilege to play in some of the same teams as him for two decades.

Those who knew him will miss his wit, trivia, funny stories and tremendous passion for all the many, many subjects that interested him. I hope we can all raise a glass to him at some point in the future.

I will pass on further details when I have them.

Thankyou
Mike

Horrible news. Gavin was active in the Surrey Border League and in the Berkshire League and was a real gentleman.

IM Gavin Wall, London Chess Classic, 15th December 2013

Oh no, awful news. A great character, he will be badly missed everywhere he played.

Shocked to hear that IM Gavin Wall has passed away from a heart attack. He had only given a tough simul a few weeks ago at Richmond Junior Chess Club, which he, as an alumnus, and the children, all enjoyed immensely. Rest in Peace.

Terrible news - always really friendly and a talented player.

I have known Gavin since he was a junior, and he was a really good friend. Mike's comments sum up Gavin perfectly. I don't know what else to write right now, I feel very upset.

I feel very saddened by this. I have know Gavin most of my life and have some great memories with him such as drinking and playing quiz machines in pubs in kensington high street that Gavin would win the jackpot and finance the drinks for the night in every pub we went to, and also the time when we played in a tournament in Hungary, when myself and Ali Mortazavi almost got arrested trying to hitch hike on a french motorway and eventually met Gavin and Ian Galloway at Munich station to find out they slept on the train platform only to wake up to find their bags and passports had been nicked in the night. There are many more memories of this trip alone plus many others. Gavin will be sorely missed in the chess community

Not sure what to say. I am stunned. I knew Gavin as well as knew most chess players.
He has stayed at my house on occasions and we have had numerous beers together at tournaments and blitz evenings. I have played him a few times over the years, yhe last time was relatively recently in the last Thames Valley league match Richmond v Bourne End. On that occasion, he blundered and resigned after 12 moves, so we spent a convivial evening in the bar downstairs in pub, watching football talking about life. He was good to talk to. In fact, he was just coming through the stress of his house catching fire whilst he was in it, and having to be rescued by firemen. The restoration of his house wasn't cheap, but he had managed to do it. I could tell it had been very stressful. A real chess stalwart who will be sadly missed by all who knew him. A really nice guy, with a great sense of humour who to me, seemed to play chess in a slightly quirky style. He seemed to play unexpected moves and strategies. RIP Gavin.

Absolutely stunned by this news. Totally unexpected and so unfair. Not even 60. I knew Gavin from around the late 1980s when he joined Mitcham to play in the Surrey League, and while we subsequently went probably the best part of two decades in different orbits, he was immediately friendly and engaging again when we later frequently encountered each other at the 4NCL. He was one of the good guys, for sure. A big loss. RIP Gavin.

Terrible news. While chess was a large part of his life, he never took it that seriously and was always full of praise when you had beaten him. i remember once beating him in a local league evening match, and at the time he was tutoring chess and Kings College, Wimbledon where my nephew was a pupil. The following day he was tutoring there and used our match as the theme of the session and was quite open to my nephew who had beaten him.
I gave him numerous lifts to 4NCL weekends when we played in the same Guildford team. The journeys always flew by with his various chess and non chess tales together with his encyclopedic trivia knowledge, that and him educating me into his vast array of musical tastes all stored on his beloved Ipod.
Gavin you will be sorely missed. RIP

Mark Page wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 31, 2025 2:16 pm

Absolutely stunned by this news. Totally unexpected and so unfair. Not even 60. I knew Gavin from around the late 1980s when he joined Mitcham to play in the Surrey League, and while we subsequently went probably the best part of two decades in different orbits, he was immediately friendly and engaging again when we later frequently encountered each other at the 4NCL. He was one of the good guys, for sure. A big loss. RIP Gavin.

In fact, just 56 - shockingly young.

Like everyone posting here, this news came as a huge shock. I have played in teams for Richmond & Twickenham countless times with Gavin since the 1980s including the Thames Valley and London leagues and the 4NCL as well as socialising with him on many occasions over the years.

Condolences to his family.

This is incredibly sad and a great shock. I mainly knew Gavin through Richmond and Twickenham Chess Club, sometimes playing in the same team as him.

Over the years (not as many years as some here will remember him from) these teams included the Thames Valley League A team and the London League team.

My other abiding memories of him are from the simultaneous displays he gave regularly, and learning from a blindfold simul he gave at Richmond Junior Chess Club that three pieces can easily outplay a queen.

It may be too soon, but I hope it may be possible to post some examples of his best games, though as can be seen from what has been said already, his wit and conviviality went far beyond chess. Condolences to his family. RIP Gavin.

Just adding that there is a lovely clip posted on Twitter by Simon Williams from a few weeks ago (and reposted by Malcolm Pein and the CHESS magazine X account among others):

https://x.com/ginger_gm/status/1950630171603824774