RICHARD SHORMAN

RICHARD RUSSEL SHORMAN (1938 - 2023) passed away on August 12, 2023, at the age of 84, at his home in Hayward, CA. Richard was born on August 21, 1938, in Oakland, CA, to Harry and Verna Shorman. He is survived by his nieces Stacy Jensen, Kathy Holloway, and nephew James Holloway, as well as several grandnieces and grandnephews. Richard is predeceased by his brothers Bill, Harry Jr., and sister Susan.

Richard was a legend as a stalwart member of the San Francisco Bay Area chess community. He was known for his tactical and aggressive approach to chess, which he developed and taught to thousands of past and current students. His impact went beyond chess lessons, as he also imparted valuable life lessons to his students. Richard's contributions to the chess community earned him numerous friends and admirers both within and outside the chess world.

Richard's passion for chess began at a young age. His early education included reading Indian spiritual books with the family housekeeper, Rowiner, starting when he was only 5 years old. Although his family later moved to Hayward, he attended Castlemont High School in Oakland. At the age of 15, Richard read his first book on chess and soon started playing at the Oakland YMCA Chess Club, run by George Koltanowski.

In 1958, Richard received his first published rating by the Chess Friends of Northern California (CFNC) with a rating of 1555. The following year, he became the editor of the Oakland YMCA Chess Bulletin at the request of George Koltanowski. Richard officially joined the Hayward Chess Club in 1959 and played in his first and only USCF tournament in Portland, Oregon, in early 1960, earning a rating of 1757*. Around the same time, he began assisting George Koltanowski in writing and editing some of the chess columns for the San Francisco Chronicle.

Richard's journey took a different path when he joined the Army on December 8, 1960. He excelled in his military training and was recognized as the outstanding boot camp cadet among 3,000 men. Richard was sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey to learn Russian and graduated in March of 1962. During this time, he frequented the Cherryland Café in Hayward and maintained a CFNC rating of 1674. He completed his military service on August 31, 1966.

Returning to his passion for chess, Richard resumed his collaboration with George Koltanowski. Inspired by Kolty's tactical prowess in simultaneous exhibitions, Richard started playing gambits, which quickly elevated his rating to expert after only a few CFNC tournaments. Richard honed his writing skills during this period and eventually took over George's chess column, leading George to exclaim, "Why don't you start your own column?" Richard heeded the advice and became a chess columnist for the Hayward Daily Review for over 13 years, as well as the Fremont-Newark Argus and the Dublin-Livermore-Pleasanton Herald & News from 1968 to 1974. He also contributed to the Berkeley Barb, occasionally ghostwriting for Jude Acers.

Richard's influence extended beyond his writing. He co-instigated the renowned Cherryland Café from 1962 to 1977, where Harold James provided a place and Richard provided the chess and his trademark dry wit. In 1972, Richard discussed the Spassky-Fischer Match at Cal State Hayward and provided Russian translations of Soviet chess publications for KQED's Friday and Saturday programs on the match.

Richard's dedication to chess education led him to teach chess classes at Chabot Junior College in 1974, which were well attended despite the challenging curriculum. He held various roles in the chess community, including Central California Chess Association Publicity Director and League Director, Director/Instructor of the Lera late-night chess group for three decades, Hayward Chess Club Instructor/Lecturer, Hayward Chess Club President, Chess in Action Games Editor, Scacchic/Chess Voice Games Editor, Lera Brilliancy Prize Judge for 30 years, Tournament Director-Junior Divisions for Chess Friends of Northern California, and teacher to thousands of SF East Bay adults and children for over 60 years.

Additionally, Richard was a major contributor of photographs to most of the Northern California chess magazines since 1968 and was awarded the title of "Official CalChess Photographer" while also serving as the official photographer for ChessDryad.com.

Richard Shorman leaves behind a lasting legacy in the chess community. His passion, expertise, and dedication to the game touched the lives of countless individuals, who will forever be grateful for the knowledge and inspiration he shared. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the entire chess community.

(Note: This response contains the information provided by the user and does not include any additional details or embellishments.)