I was looking through my Bristol chesstime editions and came across an interesting entry from Andrew Borkowski in the 1982 magazine concerning Max Poolake. Max was born in Estonia in 1914 and learned to play chess at an early age , he joined the army during the 2nd world war and eventually finished up in Hannover in a displaced camp .
Later Max settled in England {after marrying Daphne an ex captain of the Nailsea Team } playing chess in London then Glocester chess club and after that Lysaghts, Hanham, Clifton and finally it seems Nailsea chess club.
Max had played top class chess being the West of England champion and playing top board for the Bristol & Clifton club , Max died on Oct 2nd 1987. Here is one of his games played in 1963 he played as white against R Martin .
Max Poolake vs. R. Martin (1963)
A lovely early attack in the Spanish game from Max Poolake
1 P-K4 P-K4 2 N-KB3 N-QB3 3 B-N5 P-QR3 4 B-R4 N-B3 5 O-O NxP 6 R-K1 N-B4 7 N–B3 NxB
8 NxP N3xN 9 RxNch B-K2 10 N-Q5 O-O 11 NxBch K-R1 12 Q-R5 P-KN3 13 Q-R6
{this threatens 14 R-R5 PxR 15 Q-B6 mate} 13 P-KB3 14 NxPch K-N1 15 R-K7 Resigns.
R Day v J Will (1987)
Finally I guess we are all proud of one particular game , mine is this against Jim Will graded 161
on 3.12.1987
Lovely sacrificial attack from Roy…
…culminating in a crushing attack!
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bd3 Bb4 5 e5 Ne4 6 Ng1-e2 f5 7 a3 Bxc3 8 Nxc3 o-o 9 Qh5 c5 10 Bxe4 dxe4 11 dxc Nc6 12 Bf4 Qd4 13 Rd1 Qxc5 14 o-o Nxe5 15 Nxe4 Qxc2 16 Ng5 h3 17 Bxe5 Qc5 18 Bd6 Qb5 19 Bxf8 hxg5 20 Rd8 Resigns.
Roy Day
Roy is a long term member of South Bristol Chess Club and until very recently the club treasurer. He organises most of the club tournaments and is the club President at 85 years of age!
I remember playing Max in the Stroud Congess early1970s after the game we played 5min games,all Gambits,great guy and a fantastic player.My name then was Mike Davis