Paul was a very good friend, who I wished I had been friends with earlier and had known longer. He was clever, funny, enthusiastic and seemed to enjoy his everyday life. He had a genuine interest in other people, in a sincere way, which is not common to encounter nowadays. He had a great enthusiasm for playing chess. When I first met him and encountered his somewhat self-deprecating manner, I initially felt I should encourage him further, but it became obvious after a short while that he was doing more to encourage me! He enjoyed playing a lot, but would joking say 'he hated chess', whenever he had even a short run of poorer results. It was a great pleasure knowing Paul and chess tournaments will not be the same for me, without his presence. Sorely missed, you will always remain in my mind as a really special friend.