Danny Kopec

Was looking at the chess games.com website and came across Danny, whom I remember from playing in NY tournaments in the 70s and 80s. I never played Danny and actually never met him. My loss apparently. He leaves a legacy of which anyone could be proud.

I still think of Danny frequently. One topic of regular conversation was his beloved New York Yankees. I learned that his preference was to kvetch. The Yankees could have won ten games in a row, but he'd complain about Robinson Cano not hustling down the line to first base.

Today Magnus Carlsen, the greatest chess player of all time, played the Kopec System in the Norway Chess tournament against Alireza Firouzja. RIP Danny Kopec.

Danny remains in my thoughts, when I think of chess, AI, sports, or when I simply need a friend. My 5th medical murder mystery novel (close to completion) will be dedicated to him.

Danny remains regularly in my thoughts. His love of chess, his love of teaching, his love of the NY Yankees, and especially his great friendship and generosity.

Dr Kopec was my chess coach at the University of Maine in 1989. His love and enthusiasm for chess was infectious and he was genuinely interested in players of all levels. I played in a team with Jarod Bryan and others. Danny encouraged us to compete at the 1989 Pan-Am Intercollegiate Chess Championships in Salt-Lake City where we won a prize. These are fond and treasured memories. I am sorry to learn of Dr Kopec's passing.

Dr. Kopec was truly a remarkable and compassionate professor. I was his student at university. of Maine. I still remember his comment to me that "you have lot of good stuff in your head". Till today that comment given me strength, when I am down. May he rest in peace.

Danny also remains in my thoughts, and I miss him still. Similar to a previous guest, I too chose to pay tribute to Danny through literature, with a short story (accepted, not yet published) in which the main character, named Danny, outsmarts a number of characters whose names are all those of famous chess players

Danny is frequently in my thoughts. We shared chess and the Yankees, but most of all a life-long friendship. He was very sociable, and would have found physical distancing hard, but I'm sure he'd have been actively zoom-ing, and would have been super-supportive of everyone he cared about. Best wishes to his family, too.