|
< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 3 OF 4 ·
Later Kibitzing> |
Nov-22-06
 | | Richard Taylor: I (am pretty certain) met this man - he played in Auckland in the same tournament I was in and Miles was in it also - I think it was about 1992 - he didn't seem depressed - I think he said he was studying Logic - I remember that Miles suffered depression at one stage - I dont think it is anything to do with "genius" or Nabakov (maybe there is a connection - maybe there is a "romantic" element here) - although he is/was a great writer - I have read that book The Defence it was one of N's early Russian novels - he was separated and missing his children and I would say that can be very much a cause (if not agod reason) for suicide - potentially. Financial concerns are also common causes - so maybe it was his marriage problems and money. He was certainly here in Auckland NZ as Sarapu - NZ Champ - probably helped get him here as he was also from Estonia - but maybe there was another master or GM and I am maybe confused with him - but Oll was certainly here that time or near that date. |
 |
Nov-24-06
 | | Jonathan Sarfati: <Richard Taylor> Oll was supposed to play in the Netway Masters round robin invitational in Auckland 1992, in which I played as well, so this backs up your recollection. But wimped out. Ian Rogers was brought in as a last minute replacement and was scathing about Oll's pusillanimity. Ortvin was very disappointed with his fellow Estonian. Sorry that he took his own life. That's always a tragedy. |
|
| Nov-24-06 | | setebos: It has been said that genius is akin to madness. |
|
Nov-24-06
| | Richard Taylor: <setebos> It is nothing to do with that -read his bio - he had been through marital break/separation up etc
As many "non-geniuses" commit suicide as anyone else - suicide is not necesarily a sign of madness - sure it is a desparate act. <Jonathan Safarti> Yes - I heard similar from David Taylor - Oll may have been deprssed even then - I may have been talking to another IM from overseas -that guy was studying logic. I wasn't playing very good chess myself - I was also going through a separation and came close to suicide and even homicide myself at times - I was also drinking quite a lot - not playing much chess. So I understand how it can come about with women and children involved. And I am not a genius - this 'geniuses commit suicide' cliche is dangerous romantic nonsense. |
|
Nov-24-06
| | Jonathan Sarfati: <Richard Taylor>: sorry to hear that. Hope everything's OK now. |
|
Dec-21-07
 | | Benzol: I'm doing a collection of the Netway Masters Tournament of 1992 in which he was suppose to play. In doing a bit of research I understand that Lembit Oll arrived in New Zealand from Australia with a cold. He was being billeted in NZ by Ortvin Sarapu. Apparently when he realized that he would have to score very heavily in order not to lose rating points he was not very happy. At the players meeting a proposal was made that he would play his games at a different time control so the games wouldn't be FIDE rated. The other participants weren't happy about this arrangement and Tony Miles apparently said if that happened then he would withdraw from the tournament.
Mr Oll then withdrew claiming illness.
It began to look like the tournament would fall apart. However, Ian Rogers stepped into the breach cutting short his holiday in the Australian Outback and arrived just in time to play in the second round and save the tournament.
Ortvin Sarapu wrote in his biography that he'd never been so upset during a tournament and it affected his results ( looking at them I can quite believe it ).
Mr Oll stayed for a few more days, mostly in his room and then bought a ticket home and left. Perhaps <Jonathan Sarfati> can throw a bit more light on this series of events as he played in the tournament and witnessed some of them firsthand. |
|
| Oct-04-08 | | fictionist: Mr. Oll's play fascinate me even though my style is totally different. His idea of positional sacs makes me play over his games. |
|
| Dec-23-08 | | WhiteRook48: This Oll looks like "oil" to me. |
|
| Feb-24-09 | | WhiteRook48: Cool, 33 years, and last two letters of his last name the same! |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | SimonWebbsTiger: RIP Lembit. Sadly missed. |
|
Apr-23-09
 | | Shams: Who am I to say, but his play reminds me of Bronstein: swashbuckling, combinative, gorgeous. |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | Abdooss: Agent 011, we know you died in action. We can't avenge you, but we will carry on your good work (missions on the 64squared board). Rest in Peace! |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | laskereshevsky: Looks like the "double" was playing an important role in this man destiny.... Born in th 66 dead in 99 at 33 years...
and as <WhiteRook48> sayd his name finished with a double "LL" But this is just a curiosity...
Speaking more logical, im thinking of a depressed divorced man, as mayb he was, "celebrating" a last and probably very sad Birthday the 23th of April, commiting suicide the 17th of May, just about 20 days after, ....a tipical hopeless mind's outline... |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | returnoftheking: After previous encounters with Richard Taylor I am not surprised when he says he came close to committing homicide. But it's a pitty that I have to read it on Oll's page. |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | WhiteRook48: never dreamed that Oll would eventually become player of the day |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | returnoftheking: why is that? |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | BISHOP TAL: no doubt oll was pretty good, compared to some of the pazters theyve had ,he was really good |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | Dredge Rivers: That's Oll! |
|
| Apr-23-09 | | MaxxLange: Yeah Oll's suicide was super sad. I had a cousin commit suicide, and it is pretty damn hard for the loved ones. But I have empathy for suicides; their suffering must be so bad to get them to that point. I remember around the same time, a French IM was pulled out of the Seine - killed because he dodged paying his gambling debts or just couldn't pay, I think. It was sort of a bad period for chess stories. |
|
Apr-24-09
| | Richard Taylor: <returnoftheking: After previous encounters with Richard Taylor I am not surprised when he says he came close to committing homicide. But it's a pitty that I have to read it on Oll's page.> What do you mean by this? I''d like to know who you are. |
|
Apr-24-09
| | Richard Taylor: I met Oll in person so I know something of him - o.k. not much but he was countryman of Sarapu's. We knew he was very strong player and an IM then I think and he seemed quite interesting. I'm not sure if he played - but Miles was playing in an Open Tourney which I played in also - of course I didn't get to play any one remotely as strong as Miles or Oll... My point was sympathetic to Oll who beat Topalov once - he was a great player. I have always acknowledged it was a tragedy he committed suicide (especially so young). |
|
Apr-24-09
| | Richard Taylor: I see - it's the game of the day...came on via kibitzing. |
|
Apr-25-09
| | Richard Taylor: <returnoftheking> I don't recall any encounters - but they are in the past -if you want I can ask CG.com that I re-post that comment I made here - on reflection it may have been a bit over the top - but the way is to approach me on my forum or wherever rather than to caste some aspersion about something I said in the past... That way I can better appreciate you are upset by what I have said HERE - rather than it widening to some ill-defined previous matter... And if I did go off the rails in the past somewhere I can or will retract that, if needed, and if you haven't done so... If my statements upset you/others I can ask CG.com to retract/modify /delete them ... as I see now I was talking about a time - some years ago when I wasn't in a good state (and trying by that to imagine how Oll may have felt) - but I am good now - so maybe I just forgot that it is a quite sensitive topic. But my intention was more in empathy than in rancour to Oll... |
|
| Jun-01-09 | | BISHOP TAL: What could this man have been so depressed about to take his own life.He must love chess to get so good at it.If I had problems so great Id immerse myself in chess.Well u could argue he had to have a life outside of chess to work and pay bills but he was good enough to pay the the bills from chess alone.Oh god I scrolled up if this was about a divorce he wasnt a bad lookin guy he could have found another girl.He was to good at this game to willing say goodbye to it all. |
|
| Jun-01-09 | | Jim Bartle: It's hard to know what's happening in the mind of anyone, no matter how successful and happy they may appear to be. |
|
|
|
< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 3 OF 4 ·
Later Kibitzing> |
