English Chess Forum

This is a very belated obituary of MIKE SINCLAIR 28 May 1929 to 28 April 2014

Jimmy Adams pointed out to me the fact that the life of this very well-known junior chess organiser had gone unmentioned.

He was a Maths teacher at Hampton Grammar School and also ran the chess club there. He was involved in junior chess for 50 years. He was frequently the chief arbiter at the London Boys Congress.
Indeed, he was the arbiter for the famous Rumens v Mabbs game, where Dave Rumens delivered mate, but failed to press his clock in time. That has previously been reported in Dave Rumens' obituary.

Jimmy mentions that Mike was always very easy to talk to and never seemed to get ruffled. I can echo that.

He lived in the village of West Horsley, between Guildford and Leatherhead. His support of young golfers in the Surrey area was much appreciated. If I remember correctly, we also played bridge together.

RIP

Mike ran the Middlesex junior team at a time, years each side of 1960, when I was a teenager. I too remember him as a thoroughly nice man and I'm sorry to learn he has passed on.

I too was sorry to learn of Mike's death. As a Middlesex Junior through the 60's I well remember him being a very affable and efficient organiser. And then 35 years on, I took my golf enthusiastic 10 year old son to Effingham Golf Club to discover the organiser of the flourishing Junior section was none other than Mike! My son in turn then benefitted as did many others from his support and consideration.