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From Mike Beatty (sent end of June):
Dear Canadian chess community:
It is my sad duty to inform you of the recent passing of Alex Strojevs at the age of 85 in Peterborough, Ontario.
Alex was a decades-long CFC member and habitué of the tournament circuit. Following his retirement in 1988, he & his wife relocated from Toronto to Peterborough.
The Toronto chess scene’s loss was Peterborough’s gain…& scourge! Ah…sweet paradox. Once Alex arrived in our fair city, he began to regularly win the city championship. He won the city championship as recently as 2007. Following is the script for the playoff game that decided that championship. The game is by no means error-free ; most of the errors - if not all - are mine ; Alex simply handled the pressure better than did I. Although I know Alex played games much more brilliant than this and defeated opponents much stronger than I - this game does demonstrate his tremendous resolve when under immense pressure:
Alex Strojevs - Mike Beatty
2007 Peterborough YMCA Chess Championship
Playoff - Game # 4
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 c6 7.O-O Nbd7 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.b3 Re8 10.Bb2 Nb6 11.Rc1 Bd7 12.Ne5 a6 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Qf3 Rac8 15.Ne2 Rxc1 16.Rxc1 Rc8 17.Nc3 Rc6 18.Qd1 h5 19.Ne2 Ng4 20.Rxc6 Qxc6 21.h3 Nf6 22.Qc2 Qxc2 23.Bxc2 e6 24.a4 Bf8 25.f3 Nfd7 26.e4 Nc8 27.exd5 exd5 28.Nf4 Nf6 29.Kf2 Bd6 30.Ke3 Ne7 31.g4 hxg4 32.hxg4 Nd7 33.Bc3 g5 34.Nd3 Nc6 35.Nf2 f6 36.Bf5 Nb6 37.a5 Na8 38.Be6+ Kf8 39.Bxd5 Nc7 40.Bxc6 bxc6 41.Bd2 Nb5 42.Nd3 Bh2 43.Bb4+ Kf7 44.Ke4 Bg1 45.d5 cxd5+ 46.Kxd5 Nd4 47.Bc5 Nxb3 48.Bxg1 Nxa5 49.Nc5 Ke7 50.Bd4
1-0
Alex, a long-time member of the Scarborough Chess Club, was its champion from 1965-1966. I have no doubt that he throttled his fellow club members in the same manner he throttled we Peterboroughians - right into his twilight years!
He and his charming wife loved to travel. In addition to frequent cruises - which often had a chess component to them - Alex played in several World Opens - plus sundry other tournaments south of the border. After relocating to Peterborough, he continued to play in Toronto. The impetus for his continued participation was two-fold ; he, of course, loved the competition - but it also gave he & his bride an opportunity to visit cherished friends in Toronto…and his wife - by all accounts a legendary shopper - a chance to wield her prowess. Alex was also known to go on the “occasional” fishing expedition i.e. “occasional” as in…, during the summer months - he was a non-entity at the chess club ; truly a man of many passions!
Alex was fond of reminding me that I had been heavily favoured with the white pieces in our head-to-head encounters. Well…can’t escape the facts. Nor did I feel the need to because Alex always framed his rejoinders so self-deprecatingly!
We’re going to dearly miss you old friend. Rest in peace.
Alex is survived by his wife Wilma and his daughter Ramona.
Mike Beatty
Here is the link to the obituary for Alex:
http://www.highlandpark-vrc.com/obit...y.php?id=95734
In closing - here are the thoughts of one long-time CFC organizer who has known Alex since their GTA days together.
"Alex was very competitive in chess and would never let you have an easy game. He would play the games to the bitter end. He was truly a gentlemen when we played. May he rest in peace and get many games of chess where he is now. John R. Brown"
Dear Canadian chess community:
It is my sad duty to inform you of the recent passing of Alex Strojevs at the age of 85 in Peterborough, Ontario.
Alex was a decades-long CFC member and habitué of the tournament circuit. Following his retirement in 1988, he & his wife relocated from Toronto to Peterborough.
The Toronto chess scene’s loss was Peterborough’s gain…& scourge! Ah…sweet paradox. Once Alex arrived in our fair city, he began to regularly win the city championship. He won the city championship as recently as 2007. Following is the script for the playoff game that decided that championship. The game is by no means error-free ; most of the errors - if not all - are mine ; Alex simply handled the pressure better than did I. Although I know Alex played games much more brilliant than this and defeated opponents much stronger than I - this game does demonstrate his tremendous resolve when under immense pressure:
Alex Strojevs - Mike Beatty
2007 Peterborough YMCA Chess Championship
Playoff - Game # 4
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 c6 7.O-O Nbd7 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.b3 Re8 10.Bb2 Nb6 11.Rc1 Bd7 12.Ne5 a6 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Qf3 Rac8 15.Ne2 Rxc1 16.Rxc1 Rc8 17.Nc3 Rc6 18.Qd1 h5 19.Ne2 Ng4 20.Rxc6 Qxc6 21.h3 Nf6 22.Qc2 Qxc2 23.Bxc2 e6 24.a4 Bf8 25.f3 Nfd7 26.e4 Nc8 27.exd5 exd5 28.Nf4 Nf6 29.Kf2 Bd6 30.Ke3 Ne7 31.g4 hxg4 32.hxg4 Nd7 33.Bc3 g5 34.Nd3 Nc6 35.Nf2 f6 36.Bf5 Nb6 37.a5 Na8 38.Be6+ Kf8 39.Bxd5 Nc7 40.Bxc6 bxc6 41.Bd2 Nb5 42.Nd3 Bh2 43.Bb4+ Kf7 44.Ke4 Bg1 45.d5 cxd5+ 46.Kxd5 Nd4 47.Bc5 Nxb3 48.Bxg1 Nxa5 49.Nc5 Ke7 50.Bd4
1-0
Alex, a long-time member of the Scarborough Chess Club, was its champion from 1965-1966. I have no doubt that he throttled his fellow club members in the same manner he throttled we Peterboroughians - right into his twilight years!
He and his charming wife loved to travel. In addition to frequent cruises - which often had a chess component to them - Alex played in several World Opens - plus sundry other tournaments south of the border. After relocating to Peterborough, he continued to play in Toronto. The impetus for his continued participation was two-fold ; he, of course, loved the competition - but it also gave he & his bride an opportunity to visit cherished friends in Toronto…and his wife - by all accounts a legendary shopper - a chance to wield her prowess. Alex was also known to go on the “occasional” fishing expedition i.e. “occasional” as in…, during the summer months - he was a non-entity at the chess club ; truly a man of many passions!
Alex was fond of reminding me that I had been heavily favoured with the white pieces in our head-to-head encounters. Well…can’t escape the facts. Nor did I feel the need to because Alex always framed his rejoinders so self-deprecatingly!
We’re going to dearly miss you old friend. Rest in peace.
Alex is survived by his wife Wilma and his daughter Ramona.
Mike Beatty
Here is the link to the obituary for Alex:
http://www.highlandpark-vrc.com/obit...y.php?id=95734
In closing - here are the thoughts of one long-time CFC organizer who has known Alex since their GTA days together.
"Alex was very competitive in chess and would never let you have an easy game. He would play the games to the bitter end. He was truly a gentlemen when we played. May he rest in peace and get many games of chess where he is now. John R. Brown"
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