Tributes to chess champ after death aged just 42

TRIBUTES have been paid to a chess champion who died after a short battle with an aggressive cancer, aged just 42.

- OWEN YOUNGER and KEN WALL

Jonathan Hawkins was a two-time British Champion in the game he loved, but he always remained “humble and down to earth”.

Born in, Consett, County Durham town in 1983, Hawkins learned to play chess at his local club, before rising through the ranks in the North East.

It was at the age of 18 where he really kicked on with his chess abilities, developing his talents through a lot of self-study.

Tim Wall, 59, of Durham County Chess Association, remembers Jonathan fondly, and said: “He didn’t necessarily stand out initially, but he was always quite talented.

“His initial style of play was to attack from the word go but this changed when he began to study the endgame, like the Russian world champions of that time.

“He would fill notebooks with his own study as he worked incredibly hard to get better.