Mike had been a member of Downend and Fishponds Chess Club since 1957 and soon became one of our top players and, therefore, also one of the leading players in Bristol.
As well as spells as President and Secretary of his club, Mike also acted as Tournaments Organiser for the Bristol League and Assistant Match Captain for Gloucestershire, where he looked after the Bristol half of the team. He became well known throughout the counties of the West of England as a regular Gloucestershire player starting from the 1960s.
From the wealth of tributes that have come in, we realise the regard and respect that he had from so many chess players. Sportsmanship, kindness and generosity are watchwords that keep appearing. Mike was utterly loyal to his club throughout more than six decades and utterly reliable as a chess player and as a gentleman.
He always smiled whatever the result and it was especially pleasing that he won his final league game just two weeks before he died.
Here are some of the tributes:
“Mike was our longest serving member and, more importantly, the one who was held in the highest regard for his kindness, generosity and sportsmanship by all who were fortunate enough to meet him” Ian Pickup
“A true gentleman” Mark Morris
“Good to conclude your chess journey with a victory” Greg Sumner
“A true gentleman and a tenacious chess player. Always had a smile and a kind word for everyone” Neil Adams
“A real gentleman” Nick Woods
“He was always an absolute gent, and a fine chess player” Grant Daly
“He seemed perpetually willing to step up at short notice.” Tom Ash
“One of the nicest people you could wish to meet” Shaun Walsh
“A transparently good sort” Steve Williams
“So easy to talk to. He had humour” Dave Williams
“He was much liked, greatly respected and always so congenial” Viv Martin
“A lovely man” Peter Marks
“He was a gentleman and a sportsman as well as being a very nice kind person” Mike Brigden
“He was indeed a nice, friendly guy” David Collier
“I have brilliant memories of Mike as a person – it was always a great pleasure to meet” Chris Jones
“Such a nice man” John Richards
“I remember Mike as someone who would take great joy in playing ‘interesting’ moves, almost or indeed sometimes laughing about them at the time. He was very friendly and approachable. Someone who tried to bring calm and order to proceedings at AGMs with useful suggestions, contributions and always passing on thanks to the committee and other members.” Andrew Munn
“A lovely man. Will be greatly missed” Alex Dunn
“A real gentleman and a one-man-club player. Never, ever heard of him in connection with any club other than D&F. Always smiled and asked how I was upon seeing me.” Tyson Mordue
“By chance I once spent an evening with him watching Gloucestershire play cricket. Mike was there with his son and grandson, me with my boys. He accused me of being a traitor to Somerset - I replied that I could say the same of him. We laughed and then realised that we grew up a mile from each other. We spent a lovely evening watching cricket and discussing the joys of growing up in East Bristol in different generations. If I remember correctly the reminiscences were much more entertaining than the cricket.” Stuart Iles
“A truly nice man” “He often batted number one but also liked going down the order to give it a good whack. Which he did” John Paines
“He could be a cantankerous old so and so but we loved him” Ann Pickup