Richard John Sutton
Encyclopedia
Richard John Sutton was a New Zealand
legal academic and chess
player. He was twice the dean of the Faculty of Law
of the University of Otago
and was the New Zealand national chess champion
in 1962–63 and 1970–72.
Sutton was born in London
, England
. He earned BA
and LLM degrees from Auckland University and an LLM from Harvard Law School
. He was employed at the University of Auckland Law School
and in 1980 became a full professor at the Faculty of Law
of the University of Otago
in Dunedin
. At Otago, he served on two separate occasions as dean of the faculty. He became an emeritus
professor in 2005.
Sutton became the New Zealand national chess champion
in 1962. The final game against Ortvin Sarapu
ended in a draw
, so Sutton and Sarapu were declared co-champions. In 1970 and 1971, Sutton won the New Zealand championship outright. Sutton competed for New Zealand at a number of Chess Olympiad
s and in 1975 lost to Jørn Sloth
in the final of the world championship of correspondence chess
.
Sutton died of cancer
in Dunedin
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
legal academic and chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
player. He was twice the dean of the Faculty of Law
University of Otago Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law is one the professional schools at the University of Otago. Otago is New Zealand's oldest law school, lectures in law having begun in 1873...
of the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
and was the New Zealand national chess champion
New Zealand Chess Championship
The New Zealand Chess Championship was first conducted in 1879.Note: Up until 1934 foreign players were eligible for the title. The eligibility rules were changed in 1935 to preclude this; John Angus Erskine was born in Invercargill and was therefore eligible although he was domiciled in...
in 1962–63 and 1970–72.
Sutton was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He earned BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and LLM degrees from Auckland University and an LLM from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. He was employed at the University of Auckland Law School
University of Auckland Law School
The University of Auckland Law School is one of the nine faculties that make up the University of Auckland. It forms part of the city campus but is separate from what is termed the "main campus" which spreads across four blocks, two on each side of Symonds Street...
and in 1980 became a full professor at the Faculty of Law
University of Otago Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law is one the professional schools at the University of Otago. Otago is New Zealand's oldest law school, lectures in law having begun in 1873...
of the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. At Otago, he served on two separate occasions as dean of the faculty. He became an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
professor in 2005.
Sutton became the New Zealand national chess champion
New Zealand Chess Championship
The New Zealand Chess Championship was first conducted in 1879.Note: Up until 1934 foreign players were eligible for the title. The eligibility rules were changed in 1935 to preclude this; John Angus Erskine was born in Invercargill and was therefore eligible although he was domiciled in...
in 1962. The final game against Ortvin Sarapu
Ortvin Sarapu
Ortvin Sarapu MBE , sometimes known as "Mr Chess", was a New Zealand chess International Master who won or co-won the New Zealand Chess Championship 20 times between 1952 and 1990.-Early life:Born Ortvin Sarapuu in Estonia, he won the Estonian Junior Championship in 1940, then defected to Finland...
ended in a draw
Draw (chess)
In chess, a draw is when a game ends in a tie. It is one of the possible outcomes of a game, along with a win for White and a win for Black . Usually, in tournaments a draw is worth a half point to each player, while a win is worth one point to the victor and none to the loser.For the most part,...
, so Sutton and Sarapu were declared co-champions. In 1970 and 1971, Sutton won the New Zealand championship outright. Sutton competed for New Zealand at a number of Chess Olympiad
Chess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
s and in 1975 lost to Jørn Sloth
Jørn Sloth
Jørn Sloth is a Danish chess FIDE Master and grandmaster of the correspondence chess, most famous for being the eighth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1975 and 1980....
in the final of the world championship of correspondence chess
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
.
Sutton died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
.
External links
- Richard John Sutton at chessgames.com
- Emeritus Professor Richard Sutton, University of Otago