Chess star dies of viral meningitis
04/03/2007
By: David Casey , Times staff writer
PAWTUCKET – Last week the southern New England chess community lost one of its brightest and fastest-rising stars at the tender age of 25.
Max Malyuta, a self-taught chess wizard who, by all accounts, was a generous, unselfish, hard-working, blue-collar guy, died suddenly on March 24 from viral meningitis. Only certain types of bacterial meningitis are contagious. Viral meningitis is not.
The news of Malyuta’s death spread like wildfire among his friends and associates, particularly among those who take “The Game of Kings” as seriously as he did.Mayluta emigrated from Russia at the age of 20, leaving his mother and younger sister behind.
Despite the precariousness of his financial situation, Mayluta worked several jobs to make ends meet, and even though he dreamed of finishing college and becoming a teacher, he sent money home to pay his sister’s way through school. He and his longtime girlfriend, Meghan Carr, were engaged last Christmas Eve.
“He was such a smart, smart person – he could do math equations in his head like it was nothing, but he was always modest about it,” said Carr. “If you tried to tell him how smart he was, he’d just say ‘I’m ok.’ He never knew how good he was.
“Carr said she is determined to create a chess scholarship at Rhode Island College in Malyuta’s honor.
“He was trying to get a chess scholarship, but there aren’t many,” she said. “The nearest one is in Maryland.”
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Sad to hear of a young death in our chess world. I went online and checked on this desease. My condolences to friends and family.
Thats sad a young talented chess player has passed.May he be at peace.
Jon Burgess
Max was my chess coach when I was seven. I loved him very much.
May he rest in peace.