Obituary

  • Chess loses Beau Hardeman

    Atlanta-area coach Beau Hardeman has passed away on August 8th from the effects of myeloma (cancer of the blood plasma). He had coached thousands of children over 20+ years and was highly-respected and revered. He was a 1966 graduate of Morehouse College and in May hosted his 20th Beau Hardeman…

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  • James “Black Knight” Taylor: 1946-2014

    James “Black Knight” Taylor was soldier of fortune. A four-time Bronze Star winner for valor in Vietnam, he saw war in its ugliest form. After being discharged from the Marine Corps, he saw war in its most beautiful form. That form of war was the game of chess. For more…

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  • St. Louis Legend, Leroy Muhammad (1948-2013)

    The Chess Drum was informed that St. Louis chess master Leroy Muhammad has passed away. Living in Gary, Indiana, his daughter Sophia Muhammad came to the St. Louis Chess Club and informed an employee that Leroy had passed in October of 2013. IM Elliott Winslow, a contemporary of Muhammad and…

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  • Bernadette Hickman passes away

    Bernadette Hickman, rising scholastic star in the Chicago area in the early 80s, has passed away. Along with brother Harold Jr. both the young Reddicks were sensational talents and Bernadette once represented the U.S. in the 1984 under-14 championships. Under the tutelage of father Harold Reddick, Sr., both got exposure…

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  • Jerry Bibuld, chess activist (1928-2013)

    Jerry Bibuld in an undated photo.Photo courtesy of Jerry Bibuld (Myspace). Jerry Bibuld, FIDE International Arbiter and longtime chess advocate for the expansion of chess in the African Diaspora has died. Born in the Bronx, New York on June 9th, 1928, the 85-year old had been suffering from the effects…

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  • FM Ronald Simpson: 1960-2013

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  • Morris Giles, Chicago Legend: 1953-2012

    FM Morris Giles Most people remember the old “lion and the lamb” fable. While these two animals are polar opposites in strength and character, their traits can sometimes be complementary… as the fable (and many like it) has shown. One can have the strength of a lion and the humility…

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  • Chicago’s Ron Washington, 1951-2012

    Chicago has lost another chess personality. Ronald “Ron” Washington, 61, died on Friday, July 27th after being pulled from Lake Michigan fully clothed in an apparent drowning. Washington was apparently swept into the water and caught in a rip current. He was found a few hundred feet from the North…

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  • Tom Fineberg, long-time Chicago chess coach (1923-2012)

    Chess community, I have received some regrettable news from Majorie (Fineberg) Winther that Tom Fineberg died peacefully amongst family and friends on Sunday night, May 27th. He was 89 years old. Thomas Fineberg (1923-2012) I had the pleasure of taking up chess at Chicago Vocational High School (CVS) and becoming…

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  • Issac Braswell dies tragically

    Issac Braswell In what has been a spate of misfortunes for the U.S. chess community, Issac Braswell became the most recent tragedy. The affable Chicago player allegedly took his own life on March 2nd, only a day after playing in a match in the Chicago Industrial Chess League (CICL). There…

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