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George Plechaty 14.04.2008
We are sorry to have to announce that George died on the morning of Monday
14 April.
George had been courageously
fighting a serious blood disorder during the last year. For the past few
weeks, he intended to play as many chess tournament as he could manage
whilst he still had the strength. His last event was the B.C.A. A.G.M.
tournament on 29th March 2008.
Here are a few words from his many friends:
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To all of George's many friends,
I played George at the recent
B.C.A. tournament and cannot fully take in the suddenness of his passing. I
can't express how much I admired the understated way in which he spoke
about his situation, I shall always remember the fighting spirit which he
showed in his chess and in his life, He met adversity with a defiant and
cheerful resolution to make the best of what was there rather than brood on
what was not to be.
He was a fine example to us all.
Bill Armstrong.
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I was very sad to hear of the death of George, May he rest in peace. Janet
rang me on Friday to tell me. I didn't know he was ill, It was very kind of
her, she said George would have wanted her to ring. I remember playing him
in Dublin and I was up a rook for a knight and Tim Conlon came to the table
and announced George, plechety one hour and seven minutes Michael Meaney
seven Minutes. George said "I told you about that clock but you don't
listen, it's like feeding sugar to a horse playing you." I think I
have learned my lesson.
Mike Meaney.
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A very sad loss to the
Association. I played several exciting games against George in B.C.A.
events, with honours being approximately even. It says much for his courage
and love of chess that he attended the AGM despite his illness.
It's another sad day. Yet again
one of the B.C.A.'s most prolific OTB players has passed away.
I will remember George Plechaty
as someone who loved chess. He thoroughly enjoyed the struggle, relished
the plotting of tiny details, and ceaselessly strived to improve his game.
His understanding of chess far exceeded his own playing standard, and he was
able to raise his game after taking early retirement from Barclays Bank.
George was thrilled to win the training tournaments at Teignmouth in 2003
and Windermere in 2004, and at the recent AGM tournament was delighted not
only to be able to compete in the top section but also to draw with John
Gallagher, graded thirty or so points above him.
George would never have
considered himself as a strong player, but he was a very active one until
his recent illness curtailed his appearances. George regularly played in
the London League and congresses, as well as Spectrum-organized events all
around the country. In particular, he loved going to the week-long Paignton
event at the beginning of September. Whilst I was playing in my B.C.A.
challenge George was frequently together with Geoff Patching at events
where I was also playing - Paignton, Weymouth,
Torbay, Spectrum Dudley - and he was
always asking after my progressive totals and encouraging me.
Until recently George was the
only VH player to have played in the 4NCL for a team other than the B.C.A.
when he turned out for local club Basildon
one weekend.
I had the pleasure of dining with
George every evening at Derby
during the recent AGM tournament. He recalled how much he loved walking
along the Promenade at Paignton with his guide-dog Keaton. Indeed both he
and his wife Janet enjoyed their holidays there so much that they very
strongly considered moving to Paignton after George's retirement. It would
have been fascinating to see this London
'rogue' as he once described himself in the role of a seaside retiree but
sadly it wasn't to be.
One of the late Steve Boniface's
favorite anecdotes was about George. The point of the anecdote was that he
couldn't recall the name of this particular VH player, but he could remember
the guide-dog's name - Keaton! George was very amused when I told him.
Indeed George had a typically wry Cockney sense of humour to go with a
wonderfully cheeky grin, even though he would admit to a 'short fuse' as
well. Recently George and Janet were featured in the newspapers in Basildon after they complained about the poor
treatment of VH shoppers at a local supermarket. George was robust and
determined with his complaint and eventually won an apology from the
supermarket after several weeks of wrangling.
In spite of his illness George
faced up to things very bravely, and he was planning to go to as many chess
events as he could while he had the time. He admitted to me at Derby that the doctors
said he had anything between three weeks to two years life expectancy.
Sadly George didn't even get that, but he would be happy knowing that his
last event was a B.C.A. one.
Tyson Mordue
Bristol 14/04/2008.
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The A.G.M. was the last time I
met and played a very interesting game with George.
George was over the moon with the
draw game to follow. He said he was not well when we met and said how good
Grace was (my guide-dog). He was looking forward to playing as much chess
as possible and I will always remember him as a very good member of the
B.C.A. so sad he could not take the advantage of our A.G.M. decision to
subsidized the Steve East-wick-field tournament.
Well hear is our last game
B.C.A. A.G.M. March 2008
round 2
Gallagher - Plechaty.
1 d4 d5
2 nf3 nf6
3 c4 c6
4 e3 bg4
5 nc3 e6
6 h3 bxf3
7 qxf3 dxc4
8 bxc4 nd5
9 00 nd7
10 bd2 b5
11 bb3 ndb6
12 rad1 a5
13 a3 b4
14 axb4 bxb4
15 ne4 bxd2
16 rxd2 a4
17 ba2 qc7
18 rc1 nb4
19 bb1 nb6d5
20 nc5 a3
21 bxa3 rxa3
22 nd3 nxd3
23 bxd3 ke7
24 be4 r8a8
25 bxd5 exd5
26 qxd5 cxd5
27 rxc7+ ke6
28 rdc2 ra1+
29 kh2 r8a6
30 g4 g6
31 rb2 h5
32 rb2b7 hxg4
33 hxg4 kf6
34 f4 1/2-1/2
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