I am so very upset this morning to have learnt of the untimely passing of my friend Malcolm Pyke. We happen to be friends on Facebook, too, and over the last few days I'd enjoyed his regular photo updates of his trip in Portugal. So this news has come at a complete shock.
I don't remember now exactly when I first met Malcolm, possibly in one of the many events I used to play in, but it was in the 2009 Queenstown tournament, in New Zealand, that we hit it off. After the rounds, we'd play blitz late into the evening before hitting the local nightclubs at close to midnight!
Malcolm absolutely loved to dance. He had this funny groove that made him the center of attention, with cameras snapping in his direction. The girls loved him!
And he loved to sing, too. One night, surrounded by Kiwis, he damn nearly got us ran out of town.
That is the Malcolm Pyke I know and will always remember. Full of life, with a big smile and boisterous laugh.
In 2008, Malcolm achieved what must be his greatest accomplishment in chess - winning the Melbourne Chess Club Championships, ahead of the likes of Guy West, Mirko Rujevic and Doug Hamilton. He annotated his game against Hamilton for this blog following the event.
Farewell Malcolm. Farewell my friend.
Monday, January 23, 2017
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