Aron Kaptsan (1929-2018)

[Nigel Hanrahan]

"Aron Kaptsan, many time Manitoba Champion, passed away February 17 after a brief illness. His family has indicated that there will be no service. The Manitoba Chess Association will be preparing an appropriate tribute."

[Hans Jung]

Re: Aron Kaptsan (1929-2018)

I heard much about Mr. Kaptsan from Mahmud (a member of our club). My deepest respect and I hope Mahmud shares some stories.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Re: Aron Kaptsan (1929-2018)

Some memories ...

I had one or two lessons from Aron and he immediately sussed my style and suggested the name of Grigoriev. It was only years later that I managed to get a copy of Grigoriev's famous endgame book (in Russian). He was an old school sort of players, and suggested things like getting a copy of Informant from the library, cutting a hole in a piece of cardboard, and then trying to guess the moves, etc.. He knew economical ways of getting better at chess.

Around the time of the lessons, we had a little get-together at his place with a few players. I brought over a few steaks, cooked them to perfection, and couldn't get Aron to stop complimenting my work. I don't think he ate steak all that much. Perhaps he wasn't much of a cook. Not to be confused with the Fried Liver Attack, but I think I could have got a lot more free lessons if I had just brought over a steak every time.

In 1996, Aron was part of a group of players playing in the annual Manitoba-Minnesota Match that included myself and eventual winner, the late Dave Langner. Langner earned the nickname of "the cleaner" for his efforts in that event by then Manitoba Champion Jack Yoos. Anyway, Aron was driving. On the trip back to Winnipeg, cars would pass us from 2 or 3 lanes over and stare at us like we were space aliens from a scene out of Repo Man. Aron was, well, a bit of a danger behind the wheel. However, he insisted on driving. I reluctantly decided that, as much as I liked going to distant chess events, I liked my safety more and declined further long distance trips with him. Further stories from that event can be found in a back issue of Exclam! which I edited.

Players like Aron brought an air of seriousness to the Winnipeg Chess Club, along, of course, with the traditions and culture established by Yanofsky and others, and made it a good place to begin competitive play. Aron's play with his Knights was legendary and I was told about it in respectful tones by veteran players.Perhaps I will go back and look at his games for his wonderful Knights.

I once loaned Aron a bi-lingual copy of a biography of Vladimir Vysotsky that I had. Vysotsky was a legendary Russian musician and actor who died far too young, Elvis-like, who I happened to know a little bit about. Aron liked the book a lot, and reluctantly returned it, but I never got him to speak about Odessa (which is where he was from, I think) or that part of his life.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

obit from today's Winnipeg Free Press

As published in the Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 03, 2018

ARON KAPTSAN Aron Kaptsan passed away peacefully, on February 17, 2018 in Winnipeg, after a brief illness. Aron is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Sima and Stephen Chapman, his granddaughter and her husband, Jessica and Grant Morgan, and his grandson, Daniel Chapman. He was predeceased by his parents Pinchas and Tamara, and his brothers and sisters Faina, David, Sara and Ester. Aron was born in Odessa, Ukraine on January 10, 1929. During his childhood he showed tremendous talent in math and science. During the war, his family was evacuated to Siberia where he remained until the war's end. He enrolled in university where he studied Engineering and eventually became a Civil Engineer. He and his wife Nelli relocated to Liepia, Latvia where he led many projects to enhance the part facilities. In 1982, Aron and his family relocated to Canada to start a new life. He passed all required examinations and found work with Winfield Construction as a project manager. Upon his retirement, Aron pursued his life-long passion for Chess and travelled across Canada and the United States participating in many tournaments. Aron loved walking in Assiniboia Park. His open and friendly manner endeared him to many with whom he came into contact. Aron was devoted to his grandchildren and a highlight of his later years was attending and walking down the aisle of his granddaughter's wedding The family wishes to thank the staff at Maples Personal Care Home for their kindness to Aron. At Aron's request, cremation has taken place and there will be no services. Those who wish to do so may make a contribution to the Jewish charity of their choice.

https://passages.winnipegfreepress.c...7/KAPTSAN_ARON

[Hans Jung]

Re: Aron Kaptsan (1929-2018)

Mahmud responded by email and I quote: "Its very sad news indeed. Mr Kapstan was a pillar of the community in Winnipeg and I will cherish his memory."

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: obit from today's Winnipeg Free Press

He and his wife Nelli relocated to Liepia, Latvia

It should be spelled as Liepaja. It's a town on the Baltic sea and it has a great chess history. Some results could be found with Aron too.
https://books.google.ca/books?id=1be...0chess&f=false