Malcolm John Lightfoot (1950-2026)

[Richard James]

I’m sorry to report that my old friend Malcolm Lightfoot died on 27 May 2026 at the age of 75.

Born on 11 November 1950, Malcolm was a much valued member of Richmond & Twickenham Chess Club from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s.

He was graded about 190 (about 2100 Elo) for much of this period. Highlights of his chess career included sharing first place in the London Under 21 Championship in 1970-71, sharing second place with Mike Bulford and Jon Speelman in the Thames Valley Congress in August 1971, behind Colin Burton, but ahead of Leonard Barden and Michael Stean, and competing in the British Championship at Clacton in 1974.

He stopped playing on moving to Suffolk, but returned to the board in 2012, playing for Saxmundham and Woodbridge in the Suffolk League and for Iceni in the 4NCL. His last recorded games were in January this year.

Malcolm will be much missed by his friends in the Suffolk chess community and fondly remembered by many who knew him on the London chess circuit back in the 1970s.

[Paul Habershon]

Here is Malcolm beating me in a British Championship Qualifying Zone in the days when games were arranged privately, usually at the home of one of the players. The other participants were N S Cooper, K G Hyde, G Nicholas, F Parr, R Webb. I believe Frank Parr once held the record for appearances in the British Championship, probably now superseded.

[[Event "British Championship Qualifying Zone F"] [Site "?"] [Date "1974.02.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Lightfoot, M J"] [Black "Habershon, P F"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "77"] [GameId "2318818159190040"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 a6 4. Ngf3 c5 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bd3 c4 7. Be2 Bd6 8. O-O Nc6 9. b3 b5 10. c3 Nge7 11. a4 Bf5 12. Re1 O-O 13. Nf1 h6 14. Ba3 b4 ({Stronger is} 14... Bxa3 15. Rxa3 b4) 15. cxb4 Nxb4 $6 (15... Bxb4 $1) 16. Ne3 Rc8 $2 (16... c3) 17. bxc4 dxc4 18. Bxc4 a5 19. Nxf5 Nxf5 20. Qb3 Nh4 21. Ne5 Rc7 22. Rac1 Qf6 23. Bb2 Rb8 24. Bb5 Rd8 25. Rxc7 Bxc7 26. Bc4 Bxe5 27. dxe5 Qg6 28. Qg3 Qxg3 29. hxg3 Ng6 30. e6 fxe6 31. Rxe6 Kh7 32. Bb5 Rd1+ 33. Kh2 Rd2 34. Bc3 Rxf2 35. Be8 ({or} 35. Bxb4 axb4 36. Bd3) 35... Nf8 36. Re7 Rc2 37. Rxg7+ Kh8 38. Rc7+ Kg8 39. Bf7+ 1-0 /pgn]

[Richard James]

I've received a message from Malcolm's family about his funeral.

If you'd like to attend, please contact me by private message or email so that I can inform Gill.

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As you are already aware, we lost our dear brother Malcolm on 27th May. We now know that he suffered a heart attack and most likely passed away in his sleep.

The funeral is on 9th July at Seven Hills Crematorium, Felixstowe Road, Nacton, Ipswich, IP10 0FG at 2.15pm. Family flowers only, please; donations to British Heart Foundations via Much Loved.

Please wear something colourful to celebrate Malcolm's life.

Afterwards we will gather at Rendlesham Community Centre, Walnut Tree Avenue, Rendlesham, IP12 2GG. To assist with the catering, it would helpful if you could let Gill know whether you will be joining us and any dietary requirements by Monday 29 June.

If you are unable to attend the funeral, you can watch the funeral on a webcast with username maso4796, password 470298.

With love

Duncan, Gill and Anna