New Zealand chess champion Sue Maroroa Jones dies at 32 after giving birth to second child

International Kiwi chess champion Sue Maroroa Jones has died unexpectedly after giving birth to her second child.

The 32-year-old chess master, who died in England last week, is being remembered by family and friends for her “generous spirit” and “beautiful smile”.

Her tragically early death was revealed by her husband Gawain Jones on Facebook, an English grandmaster and two-time British Chess Champion.

“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce that my beautiful wife, Sue Maroroa Jones, has passed away,” he posted.

“An incredible and cherished mother of Samaria and baby Daniel, beloved daughter of the late Temu Maroroa and Suee Lee Maroroa, and wonderful sister of Andrew Maroroa.

“She leaves behind a loving family who will miss her greatly.”

Chess master Maroroa Jones’ death came soon after Daniel’s birth, following post-natal complications, according to Chess.com - the world’s biggest chess website.

“We are deeply saddened at the tragic loss of our dear teammate and friend, Sue. She will be forever in our hearts and minds,” the Icelandic Mátar Chess Club said online.

“Sue was the most generous spirit I was lucky enough to call a friend,” another mourner said.

New Zealand Chess said she was an accomplished player who held the FIDE title of Woman International Master and represented New Zealand in five world championships between 2002 and 2012.

New Zealand Chess Federation president Nigel Metge said her death came as a complete shock to the community.

“It’s a loss on many levels, a woman who had done well here and then ... flourishing overseas and just suddenly taken from us.

“She was definitely one of the strongest women chess players that we have had in New Zealand.”

In an obituary for the Woman International Master, Chess.com described the news of Maroroa Jones’s untimely passing as “unbearably sad”.

A GoFundMe has been set up to support Maroroa Jones’s husband and their two children.

“Sue touched the lives of many throughout various communities all over the world,” the Gofundme page said.

Maroroa Jones was also a keen rugby player, playing for Sheffield RUFC between 2015 and 2020 and was also a development officer and a team captain.

“Sue helped grow the women’s section by being an incredibly welcoming and friendly face to all newcomers,” Sheffield RUFC said.

Maroroa Jones started playing chess when she was 10 years old.

She came from a family of keen players, playing at the Papatoetoe and Howick clubs and the Auckland Chess Centre.

Eleven-year-old Sue Maroroa contemplates her next move. Photo / NZME

One year after she began playing at the age of 11, she represented New Zealand at the 35th Chess Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia, in 2002.

She went on to be awarded the title of Woman Candidate Master (WCM) in 2005 and won the New Zealand Women’s Chess Championship in 2006

Maroroa Jones became the first female player to win the New Zealand Junior Chess Championship in 2008.

Her best individual performance was in 2014, an International Master norm in the British 4NCL included a “fine attacking win” over GM Mark Hebden.

In an interview for NZ Chess magazine that featured her on the cover in 2008, Maroroa Jones spoke about her future in the game.

“I would love to say that I’ll be around forever. But I’m not sure what the future will hold. I have good friends from overseas who are professionals and it would be unfortunate not to see them. But I’m not sure if in the immediate future, I’ll be able to have enough time to get as good as I would need to be to represent NZ with all the little girls coming up!”

New Zealand Chess stated in their obituary, “Sue remained more than good enough to the end of her life. Her destiny was with one of those overseas professionals. She did us proud.”