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Sincere thanks are due to GMC / IA / FM Jonathan Berry, for his very insightful tribute, and new information, regarding Jim Cairns, who died earlier this month in Kingston at age 87. I think this information is worth sharing on this site; I hope Mr. Berry won't mind.
In today's issue of the Globe and Mail, Mr. Berry wrote in his outstanding regular chess column, about Dr. Cairns: "March also brought us the passing of James P. Cairns, 87, of Kingston, Ont. He played important but often behind-the-scenes roles in both the Canadian Corrrespondence Chess Association and the Chess Federation of Canada. As a correspondence chess player, he was leading the Nationwide Open with a 2-0 score, but with many games he will not complete. In real life, he was an economist.
"He did have a couple of traits in common with the 19th-century chess masters in today's game. [Berry presented in his column an annotated game from 1821, between Alexandre Deschapelles and John Cochrane.] First, he did not publicize his games. Second, in a chess game he put aside some of the strict rational discipline that must come with his profession. Those few games left the impression that he was tinkering, having fun." :) :)
I can definitely attest to the creative nature of Jim's play!! And as a geophysicist and mathematician, I try, as Jim did, and as Jon describes, to 'step outside' the rigid constructs of scientific reasoning on the chess board, and to inject some of David Bronstein's brand of creativity into my play!
In today's issue of the Globe and Mail, Mr. Berry wrote in his outstanding regular chess column, about Dr. Cairns: "March also brought us the passing of James P. Cairns, 87, of Kingston, Ont. He played important but often behind-the-scenes roles in both the Canadian Corrrespondence Chess Association and the Chess Federation of Canada. As a correspondence chess player, he was leading the Nationwide Open with a 2-0 score, but with many games he will not complete. In real life, he was an economist.
"He did have a couple of traits in common with the 19th-century chess masters in today's game. [Berry presented in his column an annotated game from 1821, between Alexandre Deschapelles and John Cochrane.] First, he did not publicize his games. Second, in a chess game he put aside some of the strict rational discipline that must come with his profession. Those few games left the impression that he was tinkering, having fun." :) :)
I can definitely attest to the creative nature of Jim's play!! And as a geophysicist and mathematician, I try, as Jim did, and as Jon describes, to 'step outside' the rigid constructs of scientific reasoning on the chess board, and to inject some of David Bronstein's brand of creativity into my play!