Hi Bob, You might be thinking of Ron Jenkins. Peter Murray was the strongest of all those, except for John Wright for a period of less than a year. John Wright went to Toronto and then ended up switching to correspondence where he became an International Master. Year later (2016?) he started playing at the Annex Chess Club over the board again. Ted Durrant had a stellar result at the 1973 Canadian Open in Ottawa which put him well over 2200. Then he quit tournament chess.
Peter Murray had an acerbic wit. His take on Dan Surlan was, Dan was 2400 in the opening, 2200 in the early middlegame, 2000 in the late middlegame, and 1800 by the end. Another great quote was why should i study opening books when I have Dan Surlan? Dan Surlan would spend hours upon hours creating intricate lines in very sharp openings at home and then spring these surprises in tournament play. Peter played Dan thousands of games of speed chess and learned all Dan's opening surprises. One evening I was at the YMCA watching the two go at it and they had started well before the club opening and continued past midnight. The score was 27.5 - 22.5 for Peter. Peter was very disciplined and meticulously notched the score of every result on the back of an envelope. I said to him: Why do you bother? Because if I dont Dan will deny it. and of course he kept a running tally of every encounter and on that particular evening "limited" himself to 50 games. I must add that Dan Surlan was employed by Peter's father as a lab technician at the university for 30 years. Peter's father was head of the physic's? department and is still alive well past the age of 100 (afaik).
After a score of 4-0 against me I finally beat Peter at the Canadian Open 1988 in Scarboro. Peter than stopped playing tournament chess but made a comeback at Reykjavik 2017, 30 years later. He played the same strength as when he quit although he was more than 70 yrs old. Sadly I missed the grand reunion with him and Leon Piasetski because I was busy looking after my mother.
Collective Nouns - Fischer v Spassky
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Originally posted by Bob Armstrong View PostIn 1965-67 I played for the London German Canadian Club. Endel Tooming was the President.
The best player at the time in London, I think, was Dan Surlan. I think he was better than Peter Murray? But then a better young player came along - John Wright (I think).
I knew David Jackson, played the Kaczmeric (Sp??) brothers, and there was another London Junior who became quite good.....name totally escapes me.
Bob A
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In 1965-67 I played for the London German Canadian Club. Endel Tooming was the President.
The best player at the time in London, I think, was Dan Surlan. I think he was better than Peter Murray? But then a better young player came along - John Wright (I think).
I knew David Jackson, played the Kaczmeric (Sp??) brothers, and there was another London Junior who became quite good.....name totally escapes me.
Bob A
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Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post... Bob ....Ernie...
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The journey of the picture is very interesting. It hung (pride of place) at the chess club mentioned, and then at the next location of the club on the second floor of the bank building on the north east corner of Dundas and Richmond, and then at the final location of the chess club on the third floor above the bookstore just south of queens on Richmond east side. (all told about 5 years) It then was in Bob's study until Bob passed away. Eventually Bob's wife Eva did housecleaning and the picture (with alot of chess items) ended up as part of an estate sale.
In November 2021 (in the midst of the pandemic) I read that City Lights was closing for good. I made a trip to London to check it out and the old owner happened to be there that day. He explained that they managed to successfully find new owners to take over the store and we then got into a long conversation about the past and Ernie. Turns out he was one of those teenagers who was introduced to attractive young ladies and thought the world of Ernie and happened on the auction of items, one of which was the picture. He had bought the picture but it was gathering cobwebs in his garage. So I managed to sweet talk him into giving me the picture. Its now got pride of place in my study.
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Its a picture of Ernie Rentz, Bob Edwards best friend and a cool character that we (the teenage members) really looked up to at the club on Richmond Street. Its dedicated "To Bob and Eva and the members of the club. The best for the New Year. Ernie" Christmas 1974.
Ernie Rentz owned the bookstore right next to Edwards club (on east side of Richmond half a block south of King) He had an old barbers chair (plush, luxurious, throne-like) that he would sit in and he would chain smoke ciagarettes. When you were having a conversation with him he liked to build the ash on the cigarette to the very end and I often was distracted by when and where the ash would fall off (which it never did). Ernie had a crazy sense of humour, with the oddest jokes and puns and stories and for us the teenagers he would introduce us to attractive young women who always seemed to hang around him. Ernie and Bob used to go out for a beer or two after closing down the store or club in the evening.
Ernie sold his bookstore to Marc Emery who expanded and changed the name to City Lights and Ernie started the "Greater London and British North American Used Junque Shop on Dundas Street across from the Courthouse. It ran for about 5 years and then Ernie had a booth at the Western Fair Progress building and another booth at Trails end for many years.Last edited by Hans Jung; Saturday, 16th July, 2022, 08:54 PM.
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Originally posted by Hans Jung View PostPeter, do you know this character?
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Originally posted by Hans Jung View PostPeter, do you know this character?
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Yes, Ted Durrant, I knew him quite well. There was a Chinese restaurant on the corner of Richmond and King and we (Ted Durrant, Gerald Otremba, Ray Ebisuzaki, Jay Zendrowski, Kelly Riley and myself) used to adjourn there after the club closed each evening (Bob Edwards club on Richmond Street) I was a chess junkie in those days as the club was open seven days a week. Ted was a great one for chess analysis and speed chess and ran the youth club at the library and Y. Anyways Ted by then was a master, studied Mandarin, got married and named his son after Ray. Years later he bought a chain of donut shops and sponsored the Canadian Open in London in 1993.
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Originally posted by Hans Jung View PostI got my first chess book there IA Horowitz's Chess Openings Theory and Practice. I read that book more than any other chessbook - from cover to cover several times until it fell apart on me. I loved the Idea Variations - my first introduction to sharp play. Yes, half a century - with all those memories!
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I got my first chess book there IA Horowitz's Chess Openings Theory and Practice. I read that book more than any other chessbook - from cover to cover several times until it fell apart on me. I loved the Idea Variations - my first introduction to sharp play. Yes, half a century - with all those memories!
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Sadly Bob Edwards passed at age 64. A real chessplayer! (maximum age of a real chess player is 64 - like Bobby Fischer and Wilhelm Steinitz)
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Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post.... Do you remember Bob Edwards store Peter?
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In late October 1972 I made my first trip downtown and discovered Bob Edwards chess store on Dundas Street just east of Waterloo. There were so many chess gems there. Perhaps best were the Mexican hand glazed pottery chess sets painted in vivid colours. I couldnt take my eyes off them. They were selling for $50. I also discovered the old Main library on Queens Ave. What an atmosphere! A lovely old heritage building. Too bad the library decided to go "modern". Do you remember Bob Edwards store Peter?
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