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MatPlus.Net  Forum General Barry Peter Barnes (1937-2025) |
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| | | (1) Posted by Marjan Kovačević [Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025 22:33] | Barry Peter Barnes (1937-2025)
The deeply sad news has been reported by Christopher Jones today:
“I'm sorry to be the bearer of the very sad news of the death today of Barry Barnes.
There will be so much to be said about the huge part he has played in our world over many years.
Barry's son, Paul, will let us have more information as soon as it is available.”
Barry Peter Barnes (1937-2025) has been a tireless promoter of the best sides of chess composition art for 70 years, since his first published problem in 1954. Till the mid 60-es, he and his teenage friends Michael Lipton and John Rice had created the greatest revolutions in British twomover, switching the fashion of the time toward modern multiphase contents. Their joint book “The Two-Move Chess Problem: Tradition and Development” (1966) was a glorious monument of their revolution, and an exquisite gift for future generations.
Barry’s wide open mind and readiness for novelties have never changed, up to the last problems he composed, and the last award he managed to complete for The Hopper, quite recently. Whatever state of his health or private obligations, he was always there to help chess composers and chess composition growth.
Late 60-es were full of rewards and new engagements for Barry. In 1966 he was invited by the FIDE PCCC President Comins Mansfield to act as the PCCC Secretary. Later on, he will become a long-lasting British Delegate, PCCC Vice-President, and a Honorary Member. In 1967, only 30 years old, Barry deserved the titles of lnternational Master of the FIDE for Chess Composition and an lnternational Judge of the FIDE for Chess Composition.
From 1964 to 1997, Barry was the two-move editor of The Problemist, helping generations of newcomers to get into the genre. This is where I got under his influence, half a century ago. His kind postcards and letters had definitely shaped my love for #2, and turned The Problemist into my favourite magazine. Soon after, apart from the magazines, I started receiving his new books, always with noble contents and gentle inscriptions.
The last ones in the row were his “blue book” and the “red book”. Behind the self-ironical subtitle “BPB – COMPOSER – A SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELF”, one may find all what made Barry an icon of chess composition throughout his life. These are the books full of love for his friends and his family up to his great grandchildren; with compositions and comments full of his subtle humor, kindness and highly independent thinking.
My deepest condolences to Barry’s dear wife Jean, to his big and so beloved family, and to all British chess problemists. We share the same, irreparable loss. Barry’s endless optimism; his work, problems and books, will live as a sparkling advertisement of how chess composition may be a noble art that shares joy and friendship around the world.
Marjan Kovačević
WFCC president
| | | (2) Posted by shankar ram [Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 01:40] |
Truly a sad loss.
A great composer, writer, communicator and human being.
Condolences to the BCPS and the British chess problem community.
| | | (3) Posted by Neal Turner [Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 08:19] |
A time for sadness, but also for celebration of a Good Life Well Lived - a phrase that might have been made for Barry.
| | | (4) Post removed [posted on Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 11:45] |
This post is removed by administrator due to inappropriate content.
| | | (5) Posted by Jan Hein Verduin [Friday, Jan 17, 2025 13:59] |
A sad loss indeed. His Pick of the best chess problems (bought at Foyles in London in 1984) was among the first books on chess composition I acquired. It ignited my lifelong love for lightweight compositions.
| | | (6) Posted by Joaquim Crusats [Friday, Jan 17, 2025 21:10] |
I also bought the book at Foyles in 1984. At the time, I had never been interested in chess composition and didn’t even try to solve any of the problems; I just knew I wanted that book. About 25 years later, I reopened it. A great loss, even if we had never met.
| | | (7) Posted by Jan Hein Verduin [Friday, Jan 17, 2025 23:15] |
QUOTE
I also bought the book at Foyles in 1984.
I knew I had seen you somewhere before.
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MatPlus.Net Forum General Barry Peter Barnes (1937-2025) |
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