Jamaica's team at the opening ceremony of the 23rd World Students' Chess Olympiad in Caracas, Venezuela, 7-22 August, 1976. From left: Bob Wheeler, John Powell (deceased), Peter Mundell, David Hunt (deceased), Enos Grant (Captain/delegate, deceased), Orrin Tonsingh (deceased), and Sheldon Wong.

National Master John Constantine Powell was a National icon on the Jamaican chess scene and set an example by becoming an active player in the last few years of his life. Tossing pride aside to provide younger players with life chess and a shot at beating a legend, Powell was the pride of Jamaican chess. Having represented Jamaica at nine Olympiad tournaments, he won a board four silver medal in the 1988 edition in Greece with 7/9.

As fate would have it, Powell died while working in his New Kingston office on Wednesday, October 31st. The cause of death was reported to be a massive heart attack. A wake and funeral was held and the Jamaican chess community was in full force. Tragedy had already struck Jamaica when David "Wagga" Hunt died of a heart attack at his home on October 27th. Bertram Scott wrote a touching essay on John Powell. In the essay he states,

"Ironically, both John Powell and David Hunt represented Jamaica at the 23rd World Students' Chess Olympiad in Caracas, Venezuela in 1976, both died in the morning within days of each other, both of a heart attack, both will be buried on the same day with each having their funeral service at 10:00 am, and both John and David will be laid to rest at the Dovecot Memorial Park."

Posted by The Chess Drum: 10 November 2007