Steve Bak The Club has been informed today of the recent sudden death of club member, Steve Bak. Steve died on the 6th, February as a result of a massive cardiac event. His death was very quick and very painless. Trevor Lewis wrote that the news of Steve's death is a huge shock and sadness. Steve has been a club member for 5 years and was a third team regular. Steve's last game was on the 16th January, when he told Trevor of his decision to give up League chess. Trevor was sorry to hear this as Steve was a fine , attacking chess player who was achieving some excellent results. It seems incredible that he should have died just 3 weeks later. Trevor has passed on to the family his and our club's condolences for their sad loss. Steve set up our current Club website. It was entirely his creation, a product of his brains and I.T. expertise. The puzzles on the home page and anything other than text were put on by Steve. The site provides a fitting, living memento of this aspect of Steve's contribution to our Club. Steve's last 2 League games are published here in full S. Bak v B Hayward 2.1.2019 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Nd7 4 e5 c5 5 c3 Ne7 6 f4 Nf5 7 Ngf3 Nb6 8 g4 Ne3 9 Qe2 Nc2+ 10 Kd1 Nxa1 11 b3 cxd4 12 Nad4 a6 13 Bb2 Nxb3 14 axb3 Bd7 15 f5 Be7 16 N2f3 Rc8 17 h4 Na8 18 g5 Nc7 19 f6 gxf6 20 gxf6 Bc5 21 Qg2 Bb5 22 Qg7 Rf8 23 Ng5 Bxf1 24 Rxf1 Qd7 25 Nxh7 a5 26 Rg1 Nb5 27 h5 Nxd4 28 cxd4 Bb4 29 Nxf8 Bxf8 30 h6 Qb5 31 Qg3 Bxh6 32 Ba3 Bf8 33 Bxf8 Qc6 34 Bc5 Kd8 35 Qg8+ Kc7 36 Qxf7+ Kb8 37 Rg7 Qa6 38 Qxb7 Qxb7 39 Rxb7 Kxb7 40 f7 1-0 Brian - "The game illustrates his (Steve's) aggressive style of play. Its a game I think that I ought to have won if I had seen 32 Kd7. My king would have been safe whilst his king was terribly exposed. But at that stage I was very short of time, and have no explanation, other than the pressure he had put me under, as to why I instead blundered my bishop, and he quickly broke through." White Steve Bak vs Black Alex Webster Notes by Alex Ecf 139. Ecf 160 Date 16.01.19
Before the game started we had a conversation about draws in chess being of less interest to both of us.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. C3 cxd4 black decided to give white an isolated pawn. However as you will see, steve shows great understanding of how to play with an isolated pawn. Steve plays a text book example of active attacking chess using the open board and central squares for his pieces to attack black.
5. Cxd4 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Bb4 gaining a tempo 7.nc3 nf6 8.qa4 nc6 9.a3 removing the pin. Be7 10.nf3 0-0 11. Bd3 nd5 12. Qc2! Nf6 black is forced back. 13. Be3 Bd7 14. Ng5 white begins the attack on blacks king. No fear and a will to win! 14...h6 15. H4! Rc8 Taking the knight loses. 16. Nh7 Removing blacks best kingside defender. 17...Nxh7 17.Bxh7 kh8 18. Bd3 b5 throwing a posion pawn down the queenside trying to distract whites fierce kingside attack. 19. Qd2! Sidesteps and keeps the attack rolling 19...Bf6 20. Bxb5 white is a clear pawn up. 20...ne7. 21.Bxd7 Qxd7 22. Ne4 another attack on blacks now fragile kingside. 22...Ng8
23. Nxf6 Nxf6. Black decided to offer a draw, not wanting to play on, in the very hard endgame ahead and all in whites favour. Steve being a gentleman accepted to share the point in which i was very lucky with, as Steve completely outplayed me.
Stockfish gives about half a pawn up for white, but to me this endgame looks almost lost for black. With this game Steve bowed out from League chess on a very good note. In 2018-19 he played 7 League games for Ashfield, with 3 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw. He played in the Isle Of Man International Tournament in October scoring 4/7. In previous years he played in the London Chess Classic. He had a full life outside of chess and loved trips to Scotland and spending time with his grandchildren. He will be much missed.
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