A wonderful story

Cancer sufferer George wins award for chess idea
By Jonathan Stayton

A terminally ill cancer student has come up with an innovative way of encouraging youngsters to learn chess.

Anyone who has played will know it is not the easiest of games to learn. Pieces move forwards, backwards, left and right, diagonal, and even around corners.

But chess fanatic George Eady, a second year student at Brighton University, has come up with a way to simplify the game, replacing the traditional rooks, knights and pawns with pieces depicting their movements.

George, who has a brain tumour and has been given just days to live, hopes his legacy will live on long beyond he does.

Two weeks ago doctors told the 21-year-old he had less than a fortnight to live.

But George, who has had a number of operations, undergone radiotherapy and chemotherapy, is now confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak, is battling on.

His father John Eady, from Colchester, Essex, said his son was now unable to speak and needed help with everything.

He added: “It’s the thought of people learning the game because of him that is driving him on.

“George was over the moon when we spoke about a benefactor hopefully coming in to have the design produced and give it to primary schools to encourage youngsters to learn chess.”

The illustration student won an innovation award at the university last year, but had been unable to publicise the idea before it was patented. That has now been secured – under the name CheckMate.

George came up with the initiative to help people learn the game by designing pieces such as arrows in the shape of their permitted movements.

His tutor loved the idea and put him forward for the Brighton University Innovation Award, which he won last year.

George was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in March 2006 and given between one and five years to live.

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