I HAVE made and received several phone calls to Michael Craggs in Canada. In our last conversation, he wished to send his greetings to all the chess players in Bermuda. And to a special friend of ours, Carlton Williams, he wished a “get well soon”.

This seems to be the week for hello and goodbye.

Although we have a few new chess players joining the club, we also have to say goodbye to two of our long-time members. This week it is Alvin Amore (pictured), who left Bermuda for his native Jamaica.

Soon to follow is David Shanks, who is going back to Canada, his homeland.

After working at the hospital for seven years in the ultrasound department, Amore has a lot of friends to see when he gets home and it is likely he will join a chess club.

He learned how to play chess in Bermuda and will take back with him a lot of knowledge, especially since he just recently became a FIDE-rated player. The World Body of Chess has given him a rating of 1646. This is an intermediary player’s rating.

I know I will miss his fun and so will some of the staff at the hospital as well. Amore has brought a lot to the table — not only his experience, but his style of play, his own little tricks, his laughter and that winning smile after he has just won a game against you.

Speed chess was one of his favourite ways to play with me. It just so happens it is mine as well. The chess clock was set at five minutes per game. Sometimes he would win in only three minutes and then he would give you that smile and say: “Let’s have another one.”

Amore left the island on Tuesday, the same day as our club nights and they will not be the same.When he played in the Bermuda Championship recently, this was his last tournament and here is one of his games.

This game is from the Eric Kemper Memorial Tournament which was Round 4 on May 22. Amore is playing White and Ricardo Davis is playing Black.

In diagram 1, Davis is trying to set a trap which looks like he is giving a free bishop on d2. However, Amore captured the bishop on a8.

In diagram 2, Amore gives up a rook for a pawn just for a decoy — when all he had to do was move the rook to b3 as he did in move 46.

In diagram 3, Amore had just had a pawn promotion to a queen on b8.

Now with the queen to help, it’s only a matter of time (as it was in diagram 4) — checkmate.

Thank you mate for all of your checkmates.

Alvin Amore: White

Ricardo Davis: Black

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f6 4. Nc3 a6 5. Be2 Nc6 6. a3 b5 7. d5 Nce7 8. b4 Bb7 9. a4 c6 10. a5 Qc7 11. Bb2 Nh6 12. 0-0 Ng6 13. Ra3 Be7 14. Qd2 0-0 15. Bc1 Nf4 16. Nh4 Qc8 17. g3 f5 18. Ng2 Nh3+ 19. Kh1 f4 20. Na2 f3 21. Bxf3 Rxf3 22. Rxf3 Qg4 23. Qc3 Qxe4 24. Bxh6 Qe2 25. Qd3 Qxd3 26. Rxd3 gxh6 27. g4 Nf4 28. Nxf4 exf4 29. Nc3 Bg5 30. Re1 Rf8 31. Kg1 f3 32. dxc6 Bxc6 33. Rxd6 Ba8 34. Red1 Re8 35. Rxa6 Bb7 36. Rb6 Ba8 37. Nxb5 Bf4 38. c4 Bd2 39. Nc7 Re4 40. Nxa8 Rxg4+ 41. Kf1 Rxc4 42. Rb1 Rh4 43. Kg1 Rg4+ 44. Kf1 Rg2 45. Rxh6 Bxh6 46. Rb3 Rxh2 47. Rxf3 Rh1+ 48. Kg2 Rb1 49. Rg3+ Bg7 50. Rg4 Kf7 51. a6 Ra1 52. Nc7 Be5 53. Rc4 Kf6 54. Rc6+ Kf5 55. Rc5 Ra4 56. b5 h5 57. b6 Kf4 58. b7 h4 59. b8Q h3+ 60. Kf1 Ke4 61. Qb1+ Kf4 62. Nd5+ Kg5 63. Ne3 Kf4 64. Qf5