Genesis Potini

Genesis Wayne Potini (5 September 1963 – 15 August 2011 ) was a New Zealand speed chess player.

Life and work Potini was of Māori descent. He was known for his skills as a speed (1 min.) chess player. Together with two friends, he formed a chess club (The Eastern Knights) 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. became a hit at the NZ box office, and was declared "one of the greatest New Zealand films ever made".