Antonius “Tony” Block, 92, died September 25 in his home. Block, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer 20 years ago, had survived long past his doctors’ expectations. Family members report that he had attributed his long, improbable survival to his interest in chess, which began shortly after his diagnosis. “He devoted countless hours to devising chess strategies,” said Block’s widow Karin. “I never knew who his opponent was. I thought maybe he was practicing against himself, or maybe playing by mail. Occasionally I’d catch a glimpse of a pale man dressed all in black heading into or out of Tony’s study, but Tony would never tell me who the man was or if that was his chess opponent. All he’d ever say is that the game really kept him going.” Block’s health had been remarkably good under the circumstances, but on Wednesday Mrs. Block found her husband slumped in his chair at his chess board, on which White had unsuccessfully used the Scandinavian Defense against Black’s Danish Gambit, and the White king was in checkmate.
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