Artem Boykov, also known as KobRa, has passed away.

For 10 years of rivalry (we played our first match back in 2007!!), I played 7 games with Artem (and these are just the ones I definitely remember), and we never finished a single one :D... he was quite the tough opponent, always fighting to the very end, just like in life.

A couple of times, Kober famously fell asleep during the second month of a game, late at night, and it became a classic forum joke. Now, it's not even funny anymore.

We never actually met in person; either I missed the Tournaments, or he did. The last time, I thought I'd catch him in St. Petersburg, but he had already left for treatment. He joked that he would organize a CIS tournament in Tel Aviv, but he didn't quite make it.

Besides the games, we also worked together on his projects. It's rare to meet someone so active and energetic; his ideas often outpaced my ability to process them.

The last time we talked was in early February, about work. We discussed pressing issues related to dealing with competitors, argued, and debated. There were absolutely no hints of what was to come, and I was sure that Artem was recovering...

Rest in peace, my friend. We remember you and will always remember you as one of the greatest Heroes of Might and Magic players.