Author: Rolf Tueschen
Date: 14:15:56 12/04/02
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On December 04, 2002 at 16:39:23, Ed Schröder wrote: >In memorandum - Jan Louwman > >Today december the 4th 2002 a remarkable man died regarded by many as the no.1 >expert of the computer chess community. > >I had the pleasure to have known Jan Louwman quite well. I remember our first >talks, it was in the university of Utrecht, the Netherlands in 1981 where the >first official Dutch championship computer chess took place, Jan being one of >the main organizers of the event. > >The tournament was a big success, about 1500-2000 people came on one day, the >event was shortly reported on Dutch television. All was new, the first personal >computers hit the shelves, little were sold yet. A computer that could play >chess? That was impossible, the Dutch press had to see it with their own eyes. > >Although already active in computer chess in the late 70's, Utrecht 1981 was >Jan's breakthrough, after a few years he was widely respected as the Dutch >oracle of computer chess. Have a question? -> call Jan, he would take all the >time to tell you the latest developments in computer chess, after hours (and a >red ear) you needed all your diplomacy to end the conversation, it was that kind >of compassion for computer chess Jan was known for. > >It was Jan who decided that my first version of Rebel was not allowed to play in >Utrecht 1981, his reason -> it was too weak, one year later Rebel was allowed to >participate into the second Dutch Championship, Rebel became 3th, during the >years after, we have laughed on many occasions about this curiosity. > >The years after when computer chess became more and more international Jan's >star rose further, being present on any computer chess tournament of importance >anywhere in the world, his excellent communication skills, his expertise on >computer chess did not remain unknown among the commercials of that time. He was >invited and consulted by almost all of them, the most notable Hegener & Glaser >from the Mephisto series. > >Besides Utrecht 1981 there was another main pillar in Jan's history, the role >played in 1984/85. Hegener & Glaser in search for new talent asked Jan for help. >Jan advised to Hegener & Glaser the programmers "Richard Lang", "Frans Morsch" >and "Ed Schröder", as history has proven that was not such a bad choice. It's >about Jan's main strength, his fine nose for talent, he also discovered "Johan >de Koning" and contacted Johan with TASC, the producers of the famous Chess >Machine. > >I remember the panic phone call I got from Jan in 1984, "Ed, be here in my home >next Sunday, Mr. Hegener and his staff are coming and they want to meet you, >also take your computer and chess program with you". I remember this meeting >quite well as it became the trigger of a new life, a life fully dedicated to >computer chess as a living. Crucial was the demand of Mr. Hegener Rebel to play >2 games against their top model, the Mephisto BP BLITZ. Rebel with great luck >won the mini-match with 1.5 - 0.5. Jan radiated of joy. Jan offered me his >services as counselor, I took the offer, a long cooperation was the result >ending somewhere in the 90's when I moved to the PC and our almost daily >contacts became less frequent. > >Jan & his Rebel, at times he almost felt as if it was his own child, testing the >latest versions day and night with inexhaustible energy and compassion, writing >long playing strength improvement reports, traveling the world to play with his >Rebel in any tournament. > >In 1986 he convinced me to play the world championship in Cologne, Germany. He >pushed me into it, he said that Rebel would do well while I saw only those big >mainframes and respectable names compared to that little Apple 2E and thought >Cologne would become a disaster. But Jan was right, his claim, "your chess >knowledge versus their brute force will outweigh", Rebel almost became world >champion if it hadn't thrown away a complete won position in the last round. His >statement became an eye opener to me. > >1991 - Jan in Vancouver with Rebel became world champion in the Software Group. >Jan swollen of pride came home with the trophies. > >1992 - According to Jan his absolute highlight, his Rebel became world champion >all classes. > >Later, I believe it was 1994/95 a new revolution took place in his computer >chess life. It started with the birth of the auto232 software, suddenly Jan >wasn't limited any longer to 4-5 tournament games a day (playing manually) but >now all was automatic. Wall Street peaked as his house instantly was filled with >15-20 new PC's playing ten's of thousands autoplayer games during the years. >Always, literal always Jan had the latest and fastest hardware, this until his >dying day, today December the 4th 2002. > >Jan during his last 7-8 years suffered from all kind of age related diseases, he >had to take his body going taking pills in massive proportions having all kind >of nasty side effects. But his body wasn't boss, his spirit kept him going. He >often said, "if there hasn't been computer chess I would have been dead long >time ago". > >Not so long ago Jan's wife Coby passed away, Jan's help and stay. Although he >did not say this has hit Jan as a sledgehammer blow, those who have known him >knew, it certainly might have speed up his - still - unexpected death. > >Today an important man to computer chess passed away, he has influenced many >lives in the computer chess community. His unbridled energy, his passion for >computer chess, his great sense of humor, it all will be missed in the next >computer chess tournament. > >Jan - you will be missed. May you rest in peace next to your Coby. > >Ed Schröder and Family. I wished I had his 20 years of computerchess yet to come. But thanks so much for the beautiful wording of your speech. And let us all remember the quote you gave us: "if there hasn't been computer chess I would have been dead long time ago". Jan Louwman had a fulfilled life in computerchess, and that is why he became the master of his physical pain. Thanks to our wonderful computerchess. Rolf Tueschen
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