GM Jacob Murey

[Matt Mackenzie]

The passing of the Soviet Jewish emigre turned Israeli/French GM has been reported at the age of 84.

[Nick Ivell]

I seem to recall that he helped out Korchnoi.

[Paul Ashton]

There is an appreciative essay on Murey in Hans Ree's 'My Chess'. Ree and Murey served as seconds to Korchnoi in his 1977 Candidates final vs Petrosian. With Korchnoi a point up and needing only a draw in the last game to seal the match, Victor finds himself at adjournment in a winning position and with a draw offer from Petrosian. Korchnoi accepts the draw but Murey is furious at such pragmatism.
Murey is also described by Joel Lautier in Paul Hoffman's 'The King's Gambit'. Lautier says 'If you spend a couple of days with Murey, you forget that anything else exists in the world besides chess- it's a wonderful feeling.'
Noting Murey's total immersion in the game, Ree's last line is 'Murey will continue to play chess until his last gasp'. Let's hope he did.

[Matt Mackenzie]

His last games in databases are from 2015, I think he may have been in poor health during his final years.

[Nick Burrows]

Murey’s peak Elo rating was 2560 in January 1989, ranking him roughly #52 in the world at the time

He emigrated to Israel in 1977, and later lived in France before returning to Israel toward the end of his life.

He won the 1st European Senior Championship in 2001.

[Andrew Smith]

I met Jacob Murey at the Isle of Man Tournament organised by Ted Hemsley and Stewart Reuben (possibly around 2001). I was there in a working capacity of 'games imputter' and ' Trainee Arbiter'.
One evening I was wandering through the hotel that hosted the event and where most of the players stayed, and came across Jacob analysing a position with someone. I paused to watch but within a few moments the other guy got up and left. I was about to move on too, when Jacob gesticulated to me sit down and asked me to show him one of my games ! I was both flattered and intimidated, as we had never spoken before and he had no idea who I was. I hesitated, but he insisted - ' show me one of your best games' he said.
There was a bit of pressure associated with that request because I immediately wondered if i could remember any entire games and whether they would be of sufficient interest to a prestigious GM, who I knew had been one of Viktor Korchnoi's helpers at his World Championships with Karpov. I decided to show him one of my 'Haldane Hack' games ( that is now in my book, ' Off the Board Chess') that i was quie proud of, and i could tell he was actually impressed with the game. He then asked me to show him another game, and then another ! It was clear he just had a passion for chess. He spoke and analysed with me as if I was his equal. I felt I had experienced a privilege in not just talking to him, but with him showing such great interest in my games.
At the end of the prize giving ceremony later that week, David Sedgewick called me up to receive a certificate to document that I had partially completed a step in training to be an Arbiter. As the group of attendees disbanded, Jacob Murey came over to me, shook my hand and said " Congratulations! It's good to have an Arbiter who can actually play chess ! "

[John Saunders]

I met Jacob Murey at the Isle of Man Tournament organised by Ted Hemsley and Stewart Reuben (possibly around 2001). I was there in a working capacity of 'games imputter' and ' Trainee Arbiter'.

Great story, Andrew! It's time you brought out a second volume of reminiscences.

I think it must have been 2004 in the Isle of Man, when Murey played in the World Senior Team Championship. And it was Dennis Hemsley, not Ted (who was a well-known footballer!).

[John Moore]

I met Jacob Murey at the Isle of Man Tournament organised by Ted Hemsley and Stewart Reuben (possibly around 2001). I was there in a working capacity of 'games imputter' and ' Trainee Arbiter'.

Great story, Andrew! It's time you brought out a second volume of reminiscences.

I think it must have been 2004 in the Isle of Man, when Murey played in the World Senior Team Championship. And it was Dennis Hemsley, not Ted (who was a well-known footballer!).

The well known footballer, Ted Hemsley, was also a regular County cricketer with Worcestershire.

[Andrew Smith]

Thanks John. I think you are right about the year being 2004 and it being the seniors world team championship. That sounds right.
And, of course it was Denis Hemsley not Ted ! He was a lovely chap. I think it was him who developed a close relationship with the sponsor from Monarch Assurance, without which, the tournament would never have happened. Perhaps its success, inspired the birth of the Gibraltar Tournament that subsequently ran with a similar format ?! Stewart Reuben as chief arbitor/organiser was initially involved with establushing both tournaments.