Genesis Potini

Genesis Wayne Potini was a New Zealand speed chess player.

Life and work

Potini was a man of Māori descent. He was known for his skills as a speed chess player. Together with two friends, he formed a chess club where underprivileged children found a home base – and learned to play chess in the process. The chess club was also involved with the Ngāti Porou heritage. Potini suffered from a bipolar disorder and was regularly admitted to hospital. Despite this he was able to stabilise his life and during his last decade make a strong contribution to his community. He died of a heart attack in 2011 and was buried at Taruheru Cemetery in Gisborne.

Documentary and feature film

In 2003 director Jim Marbrook made a documentary film about Potini. The film was awarded the 2005 Best New Zealand Feature Documentary. In 2014 James Napier Robertson presented his feature film The Dark Horse. The film won many awards, became a hit at the NZ box office, and was declared "one of the greatest New Zealand films ever made".