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Press Boris Baczynskyj, former Chess Life editor dies
Press Boris Baczynskyj, former Chess Life editor dies | Boris Baczynskyj, former Chess Life editor dies |
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| By Joan Dubois | |
| January 25, 2008 | |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Joan DuBois (931) 787-1234 #123 Press Release #4 of 2008 [email protected] Boris Baczynskyj, former Chess Life editor dies (Crossville, TN) Life Master Boris Baczynskyj, 62, died at his home on January 18, 2007. Born in Vienna of Ukrainian parents, Boris called Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, home for most of his life. After graduating from Yale with a B.A. in Political Science, Boris entered the Peace Corps and spent time in Thailand and Cambodia. Returning to the U.S., he began an active and successful chess career, earning the international title of FIDE Master, and serving as a consultant for then, the largest manufacturer of dedicated chess computers, Fidelity Electronics. At one point, he was one of the highest rated players in the United States Chess Federation. He was a skilled writer and his love for journalism, civil rights, and politics provided many opportunities for him to showcase his talents, working as a freelance journalist for UPI while in Cambodia, and later as commentator for many publications during the early years of Ukrainian independence. His writing skills transferred easily from political commentary to chess commentary, culminating in his employment as editor of Chess Life in 1989. He co-authored Computer Chess II with David Welsh in 1985, and wrote extensively on chess and computer chess. In his later years, he earned a well-deserved reputation as a chess instructor, teaching in public and private schools. He also worked as a tireless promoter of the game, attending street fairs in Philadelphia, and giving simultaneous exhibitions in schools and shopping malls. He remained active as a player throughout his life as a welcomed member of the Franklin-Mercantile Chess Club, and played with the “Philadelphia Inventors” in the U.S. Chess League. It will be difficult to imagine the chess scene in the greater Philadelphia area without Boris. He was a genial, well-liked, and much-respected entity in the world of competitive chess. He is already missed. The United States Chess Federation (USCF), founded in 1939, serves as the governing body for chess in the United States and is now headquartered in Crossville, Tennessee. USCF is devoted to extending the role of chess in American society. It promotes the study and knowledge of the game of chess, for its own sake as an art and enjoyment, and as a means for the improvement of society. The USCF is a not-for-profit membership organization with over 80,000 members. For additional information on the USCF see: http://www.uschess.org . |
