Jim Friar, tribute from WB

Shock and sadness at the terrible news of Jims passing.

Jim first turned up at West Bromwich Chess Club (with two other Avery employees) whilst we were at the West Bromwich Dartmouth Cricket Club around 1975, a keen chess player who was eager to learn from the more established members and soon progressed to the first team, a place which he maintained until moving out of the area to Bewdley.
Over this period several members of our club were regular competitors in the Staffordshire congress, it was during one of these congresses that Jim became one of the innovators of the ‘Big Un’s opening’ (WBCC in joke), which he played with some degree of success in the lightning tournament.
One other memorable event occurred in 1984, several WBCC and Lichfield chess club (our then sister club so to speak) members travelled to Brighton to take part in the weekend congresses as part of the British championships, Jim paid us a surprise visit, however, the biggest surprise was when he reintroduced us to Teresa, this time as his WIFE!
Although our memories of Jim may be distant, he will always remain part of them, our heartfelt condolences go out to Teresa and the boys, James and Joseph.

Posted on behalf of John Crump, West Bromwich Chess Club