English Chess Forum

I've just been given the sad news that Otto Hardy died this morning (4 April) aged 82. His date of birth was 14 December 1927 (according to an old grading list). He had been playing chess as long as I can remember. He was keen on opening theory and wrote some articles and letters to chess magazines about it. I played him in the 1970s when he was about 165-170 in strength. At his death he was a member of Loughborough CC. He played at least three times in the British Championships in the 1960s and 1970s. R.I.P.

I played him once, at Nuneaton. The game won the Best Game Prize for the tournament.

His family came to England to avoid the rise of Fascism. Brother Roger, also a player, died young. Otto was a student at Sheffield University and became a schoolmaster, teaching German and living in Loughborough. A laconic, ironic and warmhearted gentleman, he spoke English with accent that he never lost, played Bridge and watched football, but lived for chess. He played in two or three British Championships, the last occasion in 1974. He played top board for Leicestershire pre-Hebden. He wrote booklets on the English Defence, recorded tapes on the Centre Counter, Two Knights Defence, 2. g4 versus the Dutch and articles on such as the Icelandic Gambit, The Traxler (Wilkes Barre), an early ... d5 in the Lopez, the Veresov.

At his peak he was about 200, his enthusiasm never waning even when his results - he played into old age - were far from his liking. He wrote notes on reference cards to umpteen irregular lines corresponding with young masters such as Jonathans Tait and Rogers, John Littlewood, also top county players such as Donald Andrew and R. Alan Barton.

Like a little boy his joy was infectious!!

With the death of his wife, Jean, who suffered eye probelems, he continued as best he could, becoming a Grandfather to Jacob with his usual good humour.

He was my friend and I'll never forget him.

I played in the same Loughborough team as Otto in the 1970s. His enthusiasm for the game was inspiring. He loved playing obscure lines – and also analysing them on his pocket set and showing his team mates the latest novelty he had found.

He was also the chess correspondent of the local paper, the Loughborough Echo, for many years, and would report the progress of the various Loughborough teams in league competitions.

He will be sadly missed.

A sad loss. I too first met him at Loughborough and remember his infectious enthusiasm for the game especially when they concerned obscure and dangerous opening innovations.

I've placed a short notice of Otto's death on the MCCU website at http://www.mccu.org.uk and would like to write a longer obit preferably with an illustrative winning game from him. Any help with a game, his BCF Championship appearances, or other chess exploits of note will be much appreciated.

Thanks - Ray Collett

I have just spoken to his daughter, Alison.

Otto was born in Vienna and moved with his brother, Ernst, to Sweden when he was 11. He came to England in 1943.

Alison would, I know, like to thank everyone for their kindness as, not being a player herself, the chess world is again opening to her. Boxes of Otto's writings, in various languages and strange runic symbols, have been left to Jim Miller of Loughborough CC. What better tribute to the Old Warrior could there be that his ideas should live on in this form?

raycollett wrote:
I've placed a short notice of Otto's death on the MCCU website at http://www.mccu.org.uk and would like to write a longer obit preferably with an illustrative winning game from him. Any help with a game, his BCF Championship appearances, or other chess exploits of note will be much appreciated.

Ray

How about Otto's 11-move win in J.Ripley–O.Hardy, Bognor Regis 1963? I understand this is one of the games in Neil McDonald's 2005 book "Starting Out: The Dutch", in the section on the Classical Dutch. Alternatively you can find it at www.chessgames.com, although you now have to pay a fee to access the games themselves

James Toon wrote:Alternatively you can find it at http://www.chessgames.com, although you now have to pay a fee to access the games themselves

I don't think that's right. I've just had no problem accessing the game for free.

David Sedgwick wrote:

James Toon wrote:Alternatively you can find it at http://www.chessgames.com, although you now have to pay a fee to access the games themselves

I don't think that's right. I've just had no problem accessing the game for free.

My mistake. I must have followed a wrong path from the home page.

To save Ray the effort, I'm reproducing the moves here.

1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. Nf3 d6 5. O-O Be7 6. c4 O-O
7. Nc3 Qe8 8. Re1 Qg6 9. Qc2 Ne4 10. Nxe4 fxe4 11. Nd2 e3 0-1

James Toon - To save Ray the effort, I'm reproducing the moves here.

Many thanks. This is appreciated.

Also thanks to James Pratt for additions to Otto's family life before coming to UK

Another request: any chance that someone has a photograph of Otto say taken when he was honoured by Leics & Rutland CA and made a Life Member?

Thanks - Ray

Condolences for the family from me too. As James notes above, I did correspond briefly with Otto in the mid 1990s, when he posted to me a lot of independent analysis on the Elephant Gambit, shortly after my booklet was published in 1994. Had I written a second edition, I would probably have incorporated some of his ideas in the line starting 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d4 3 exd5 Bd6 4 d4 e4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 Bg5 Bxe5 7 dxe5 Qxd5 8 exf6 Qxg5 9 fxg7 Qxg7. I had written that Black was somewhat worse here, and recommended something else, but Otto changed my mind on this.

I met him once too, in June 1996 in the Finals weekend (in the good old days when lots of people played county chess and national club chess, and all the Finals took place on the same weekend). I was playing for (London) Barbican in the Open Nat Club Final, and Otto was playing for Loughborough (? I think) in the Final of a lower section. I remember that he won with a Blackmar-Diemer. He must have been a good 190-200 level player at his peak.

Jeremy Hamm e-mailed me that Otto's daughter contacted John Mercy (previously Sheffield C
captain) yesterday. It is understood that the funeral is taking place next Friday (16th April) at 10.30. It will be held at All Saints Church, Thorpe Acre Rd, LE11 4LFwith Multimap http://www.multimap.com/ showing the church is in Loughborough itself. Ray Collett

James Pratt wrote:corresponding with (...) Jonathans Tait and Rogers, John Littlewood, also top county players such as Donald Andrew and R. Alan Barton.

yes, I've got still three files full of Otto's letters in the cupboard

Incidentally, does anyone have a photo of Otto anywhere? There's a tribute planned for a forthcoming issue of Stefan Buecker's Kaissiber magazine and it needs a photo or two. Please let me know.

Dear Jon

PLease contact me direct. Two photos arrived today of young Otto.

[email protected]

James Pratt

Jon Tait wrote:Incidentally, does anyone have a photo of Otto anywhere? There's a tribute planned for a forthcoming issue of Stefan Bücker's Kaissiber magazine and it needs a photo or two. Please let me know.

John Dawkins (Loughborough CC) told me that Chess (Sutton Coldfield) included a picture of competitors in the British Universities Congress including Otto in vol. 16 p.37.