Lim Kok Ann
林國安/林国安
Born(1920-01-27)January 27, 1920
DiedMarch 8, 2003(2003-03-08) (aged 83)
NationalitySingapore
Occupation(s)Microbiologist
Chess organizer
Known forEnterovirus research
"Father of chess" in Singapore
TitleSecretary-General of FIDE
SpouseRosie Seow Guat Kheng
ChildrenStella Kon and four others
RelativesLim Boon Keng (grandfather)
Seow Poh Leng (father-in-law)

Lim Kok Ann (simplified Chinese: 林国安; traditional Chinese: 林國安; pinyin: Lín Guó'ān) (January 27, 1920 – March 8, 2003) was a Singaporean chess player and organizer, and a microbiologist specializing in enterovirus research.

Early life

Born January 27, 1920,[1] Lim had been a student at Anglo-Chinese School and Raffles Institution in 1936 and in 1938 was a Queen's scholar.[2]

Microbiology career

As a microbiologist at the University of Malaya, Lim was the first to isolate the specific virus (Influenza A/Singapore/1/57) during the 1957–1958 influenza pandemic using chicken embryos in eggs.[3]

In 1959, while working for the World Health Organization in Houston, Texas,[1] he developed the Lim-Benyesh-Melnick (LBM) protocol for serotyping human enterovirus isolates.[4] By introducing various combinations of viruses in each egg (instead of testing for each one individually), scientists can more quickly isolate the specific virus using fewer trials,[3][5] a procedure still in use decades later.[6]

In August 1965, Lim was appointed as the dean of the medical faculty at the University of Singapore,[3] and in the 1960s he promoted acceptance of the novel Sabin polio vaccine amidst public skepticism of the new treatment.[3][7]

Chess

FIDE, the world chess federation, called Lim one of "the Fathers of Asian chess" for his work in promoting the game. The Straits Times called him "the father of chess" in Singapore.[8]

He founded the Singapore Chess Federation in 1949 which held its first national chess championship the same year.[9] Lim won the event himself, and again in 1960 and 1968, and served as president of the federation for 18 years.[1][9]

From 1982 to 1988, Lim was the secretary general of FIDE, creating and publishing the first FIDE handbook. He is remembered for modernizing the fifty move rule in the computer age[1] and creating the "Lim System" for tournament pairings.[10][11]

Personal life

Lim was the grandson of Lim Boon Keng, a doctor, educator, and philanthropist. Lim was married to Rosie Seow Guat Kheng (1922–1994), the daughter of Seow Poh Leng, a bank manager. She was an actress and a teacher.

Lim was a Methodist,[1] and had five children, among them the writer and playwright Stella Kon.[2] He died of a heart attack on March 8, 2003.[1]

Selected publications

  • Lim, K. A., Smith, A., Hale, J. H., & Glass, J. (1957). Influenza outbreak in Singapore. Lancet, 273(6999), 791–796. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(57)90893-0
  • Lim, K. A., & Benyesh-Melnick, M. (1960). Typing of viruses by combinations of antiserum pools. Application to typing of enteroviruses (Coxsackie and ECHO). Journal of immunology, 84, 309–317.
  • Lim, K. A., Chan, Y. C., Phoon, W. O., & Hanam, E. (1964). Dengue-type viruses isolated in Singapore. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 30(2), 227–240.
  • Kazic, Bozidar; Keene, Raymond; Lim, Kok Ann (1985), The Official Laws of Chess, Batsford, ISBN 0-7134-4802-4

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Marking the centennial of Lim Kok Ann's birth". www.fide.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Portrait of Dr. Lim Kok Ann, Master of King Edward VII Hall - BookSG - National Library Board, Singapore". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hermes (19 April 2020). "The man who isolated Asian flu virus with help of eggs | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  4. ↑ LIM, K A; BENYESH-MELNICK, M (1 March 1960). "Typing of viruses by combinations of antiserum pools. Application to typing of enteroviruses (Coxsackie and ECHO)". Journal of Immunology. 84 (3): 309–317. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.84.3.309. ISSN 1550-6606. PMID 14416964. S2CID 3105611.
  5. ↑ "Prof. Lim Kok Ann – SG Chess Festival". Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  6. ↑ Bendig, Justin; Earl, Pamela (July 2005). "The Lim Benyesh-Melnick antiserum pools for serotyping human enterovirus cell culture isolates--still useful, but may fail to identify current strains of echovirus 18". Journal of Virological Methods. 127 (1): 96–99. doi:10.1016/j.jviromet.2005.03.003. ISSN 0166-0934. PMID 15893571.
  7. ↑ Hermes (30 August 2015). "Famed professor isolated flu virus; promoted arts and chess | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  8. ↑ Auto, Hermes (22 May 2020). "Chess: Singapore's four Grandmasters to take on 100 challengers to celebrate 'Father of chess' Professor Lim Kok Ann | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  9. 1 2 Auto, Hermes (22 May 2020). "Chess: Singapore's four Grandmasters to take on 100 challengers to celebrate 'Father of chess' Professor Lim Kok Ann | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "C. General Rules and Technical Recommendations for Tournaments / 04. FIDE Swiss Rules / C.04.4 Other FIDE-approved Pairing Systems / C.04.4.3 Lim System / FIDE Handbook". International Chess Federation (FIDE). Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "C.04.4.3 Lim System – FIDE Commission". Retrieved 7 November 2022.
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