In Memory of Alan Falconer

It is with great sadness that we learned that Alan Falconer, who was a long-standing member of several Swansea chess clubs, had passed away in 2024.

Alan was one of the biggest characters in the league. A proud Scotsman, he took part in the World Student Olympiad and represented his country in Mexico City.

He was a loyal member of several clubs across West Wales, including Swansea University — a club whose origins date back to the 1950s — the Builders during the 1980s, and finally Rhyddings, one of the most well-known clubs of the 1990s.

Alun stopped playing in the late 1990s and later retired from government service, having devoted so much of his energy and commitment over the years. Each day, he would walk along the beach and take in the view of Swansea — a sight that was part of who he was.

When we look back over our years in the game, we can often picture those special characters we have played against or watched within the West Wales Chess League. Alan was certainly one of them — a unique and memorable person in the West Wales chess world.

The picture above shows Jason Garcia taking on Alun Falconer back in (possibly) 1999, in the Charity Summer League.