[lamford]

It is sad to report the death of the person instrumental in founding the Woodberry Club in North London, John Probst. He was director at the Young Chelsea when your scribe moved to London in 1979, so I knew him for nearly fifty years and he was a frequent patron at the bar after games and at EBU congresses.

He had a stroke 15 years ago, from which he did not fully recover, and a couple of minor strokes after that which caused him to lose his sight. He spent the last couple of years in a care home near his daughters Katherine and Diana in Cambridge and some Woodberry members visited him there. He had poor short-term memory but still remembered a hand from which he coined the term "Probst Cheat". He was directing so no slight applied to him.

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The usual misunderstanding over RKCB led to a 50% grand slam. West led the jack of clubs and North won and led the queen of hearts. East somewhat clumsily played two small hearts to this trick. Declarer rose, playing with the odds, and went down, and then cried "Foul". John ruled that declarer was awarded the contract as East "could have been aware" that his infraction "playing two cards to one trick" could well "damage the non-offender, South". I never found out if this hand actually occurred, but this type of infraction became known as a "Probst cheat".

He still recalled this when my wife and I visited him six months ago. He died peacefully in his sleep on 17th September. Condolences to his daughters, above, and to his sons Richard (with whom he played as Mad Dog and Rottweiler) and Stephen. And of course to his wife Maxine who cared for him after his stroke.

[jillybean]

What a lovely tribute — my condolences to all.

[shyams]

Heartfelt condolences to John Probst's family. I am sure that I played against him at YCBC --- if I recall, this was some time after his stroke. I remember that, despite his limited vision from the stroke, he declared brilliantly against us.

Many years ago, I when I played at YCBC, I used to partner with Maxine. I reckon I played with her for 5-8 sessions --- awesome woman. My condolences to her.