SIMON JONES 1964 - 2022
It is with sadness that Walsall Kipping Chess Club have to
announce the death of Simon Jones.
For over twenty years he was a longstanding and committed
member of the club. He was also a stalwart member of Bushbury Chess Club. He
applied himself to playing enthusiastically for
both clubs.
Simon was an uncomplicated character who enjoyed the simple
pleasures in life, of which chess was just one. At Walsall Kipping he played
for the club in the Birmingham, Dudley leagues and Staffordshire Cup
Competitions, he also captained for the club in the Dudley League. He was
probably one of the most reliable players for the club, in turning out to play matches in the league and just
ordinary social nights. He won the Club "All Play All" competition
this summer, which is testament to how committed a player he was for the club.
He was a solid player who had some quirks in his game. He
was legendary in the club for when he checked the opposing player, he would
place the piece on the board firmly then say loudly "Check". The
zenith of the Simon Jones
"Check" experience happened at the Club's 75TH anniversary,
celebration simultaneous, in which the Grandmaster Keith Arkell played. Amongst
the thirty players it was Simon who was the first to check him and he announced
it in a loud voice that had everyone laughing (the fact that he lost the game
is neither here or there).
He was an active member of a church and enjoyed local
travel. Nobody could match his encyclopaedic knowledge of local bus and train
services!
Personally I will miss him very much and am proud to have
called him a friend.
Peter Nixon
The death of Simon Jones, who was one of the keenest players for the old Staffordshire Under 120 team has been announced. Simon loved playing for the county; he was always first to ask when the fixtures were and if we would qualify for the National Stages.
I used to give him a lift to county games, unless the match was accessible by train. Railway travel was his other love and he had a considerable knowledge of old stations and disused railway lines.
Simon played for two clubs, Bushbury and Walsall Kipping. In recent years he represented and often captained Bushbury in both the Cannock and Wolverhampton Leagues, and for Walsall he played in the Birmingham League and Staffordshire County Cups.
His last match was for Bushbury in August and perhaps fittingly his opponent was David Buckley, who was often with Simon and I on the journeys to county matches.
Peter Evans
