ACF Bulletin No. 25 - July 11, 1999

TRIP AROUND AUSTRALIA
 
Many thanks to Neil James, Charles Zworestine, Gary Wastell, Peter Wagg,
Aivars Lidums and Mike Partis for organising a series of very successful
meetings around the nation and Geoff Butler, Gary Bekker, Aivars Lidums and
Mike Partis for accommodating me. I look forward to the remaining meeting
in Brisbane on Tuesday night, 7pm at Craig Rose's home, 40 Henderson St,
Bulimba.
 
The meetings were very useful for a number of reasons and many issues were
discussed. I've now got a much clearer idea of what the chess community
will and will not embrace. I've listed at least ten items that could do
with a little more considered debate and I propose to feed those out a
couple at a time over the next few weeks to see if we can tease out some
more positive ideas.
 
My strong feeling from the meetings was that virtually everyone was in
favour of me trying to find a national sponsor for chess with a good
proportion of the proceeds being used to take on a full time CEO for
Australian chess.
 
If you couldn't get along to any of the meetings I'm listing below those
who attended so that you can speak to one of them to find out full details.
 
ACT: Keith Robertson, Mark Hammel, Paul Dunn, Neil James, Denis Jessop,
Geoff Butler, Jenny Moylan, Debbie Poulton, Andrew Geenwood, Shaun Press,
Tony Fitzpatrick, Evelyn Fitzpatrick.
 
NSW: Serge Bodlander, Ian Rogers, Cathy Rogers, Ralph Jackson (visiting
from SA), Charles Zworestine, Georgina Tarrant, Manuel Weeks, Richard
Gastineau-Hills, Jason Lyons, Norm Greenwood.
 
VIC: Cathy Farrelly, Keith Jenkins, Gary Bekker, Michael Gluzman, Rina
Gluzman, Wayne Guy, Diana Beggs, Jim Duncan, Malcolm Pyke, Trevor Stanning,
Robert Jamieson, Paul Huver, Don Maciulaitis, Cecilia Lugo, Mr Lugo (I
didn't catch his first name), Judy Machet, Jan Taylor, Leonid Sandler, Gary
Wastell, Richard McCart, Nathan Stirling, Stephen Docherty, Eric Lindberg,
Stephen Solomon (visiting from Qld), Frank Neerbark, Guy West.
 
TAS: Peter Wagg, David Ferris, David Christian, Kevin Bonham, Allan
Richards, Tony Sturgess.
 
SA: Evelyn Koshnitsky, George Howard, Roland Eime, Richard Thorne, Carmen
Lauer-Smith, John Smith, Bill Anderson-Smith, Bob Cowley, Aivars Lidums,
Alex Davidovic, Alan Goldsmith, Brian Jones (visiting from NSW), Joe Tanti,
David Brierton.
 
WA: Mike Partis, Gary Taylor, Dave Ellis, Norbert Muller, Robert Maris, Bob
Pilgrim, Danny Dwyer, Richard Lilly, Ron Bailey.
 
If you know anyone with an email address who wishes to receive the bulletin
please let me know. Also, we have many clubs who have requested a free,
licenced copy of Swiss Perfect. If you require one, or know of a club that
could do with one, please let me know.
 
The first item that I would like to see debated is the question of an
ENDOWMENT FUND for Australian chess. It is proposed to set up a fund that
would be used for various purposes to SUSTAIN Australian chess. The
principle would never be spent, only the interest over the rate of
inflation. The amounts available over the first few years would be
relatively small but would grow as funds are added. The principle in an
endowment fund always retains its real value and grows in real terms every
time funds are added.
 
Many endowment funds receive donations and they are also very popular for
bequests. It has been proposed that 10% of all entries from junior chess
events go into the endowment fund and be used to help juniors travel
overseas (for example). It was also proposed that this be extended to all
adult tournaments and the funds be used to send players to the Olympiad
(for example). Endowment funds can be used for all sorts of purposes but I
strongly advocate that we have one - with one we can receive contributions
- without one we can't.
 
Maybe there is someone out there who would like to start the fund with a
major gift or bequest? Perhaps it could be a fund with naming rights?
 
I might just throw in a curly one. Victorian chess is the sleeping giant of
Australian chess. I've been told that Simon Rutherford, Ry Curtis, Mark
Chapman, Michael Gluzman, Leonid Sandler, Darryl Johansen, Guy West and
Robert Jamieson (amongst other very strong players) attended the Australian
Masters last week but did not play. I've also been told that the Melbourne
Chess Club is showing very little sign of life (my apologies to those
involved if I've been misinformed because I've only ever been there once in
Jan 1993). May I be so cheeky as to suggest that either it would be good to
see the Melbourne Club really thriving or the premises sold and the money
donated to the proposed Endowment Fund to give it a really good kick start?
It doesn't seem right to have a $200,000+ asset tied up and not being used
to its full potential.
 
I'll be putting forward more issues in the next few bulletins and would
very much welcome your constructive comments.
 
AUSTRALIAN MASTERS
 
The final standings were as follows:
 
9.5 Lane
8 Rujevic
6.5 Solomon
6 Saw
5.5 Ginat
5 Allen
4.5 Zhao
4 Levi, Hacchi
3.5 Depasquale, Reilly
 
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S
 
This event commenced yesterday at the QVB (Queen Victoria Building) in
Sydney with 12 players including Irina Berezina, Ngan Koshnitsky, Biljana
Dekic, Ingela Wallace and Laura Moylan. Although Daniela Nutu-Gajic is not
playing this is still one of the strongest ever women's events to be held
in Australia.
 
Alongside this is a 14 player men's event which includes Stephen Solomon,
John Paul Wallace, Victor Berezin, Tim Reilly, Brett Tindall, Manuel Weeks
and Raul Samar.
 
Katherine Greiner officiated at the official opening and both events
conclude next Sunday 18 July. We will endeavour to keep you informed with
progress through the ACF webpage.
 
FIDE RATING OF TOURNAMENTS
 
I must apologise to those concerned that results for the Australian Open,
the QVB tournaments and the Zonal were not submitted to FIDE in time for
the July list. This is being attended to.
 
AUSTRALIAN OPEN AND AUSTRALIAN JUNIORS JAN 2001
 
I'm delighted to say that the ACT have submitted excellent bids for both of
these important events. The Open is scheduled for 28/12/00 to 9/1/01 and
the juniors from 11/1/01 to 23/1/01. It is great to have bids submitted so
far in advance - we need more planning like this in Australian chess. On
the subject of the Australian juniors, Gary Wastell hopes to finalise
details of the upcoming Australian Juniors in the next few days. WA advised
me that they are planning to host the Aust Juniors in Jan 2004. By my
calculations this leaves Jan 2002 to NSW and Jan 2003 to someone else -
perhaps Tasmania?
 
GST
 
Our hard working and very effective treasurer, Norm Greenwood, is looking
into the implications for chess administrators of the GST. As soon as we
have something definite we will pass it on with appropriate advice as
required. On the subject of tax, Debbie Poulton of Canberra has kindly
agreed to look into any possibility of commencing a fund which can receive
tax deductible donations for Australian chess.
 
FULL TIME COACH REQUIRED
 
A couple of states would like a chess coach to go and work full time in
their schools. In particular, there is a good opportunity in Hobart -
please let me know if you are interested.
 
CORRESPONDENCE

Andrew Greenwood:
 
1999 Australian National University Chess Festival, 17-25 July 1999
 
* National Computer Chess Championship, Saturday/Sunday 17-18 July
Department of Computer Science, Room N101, North Road, ANU
Entry will be free.
Further information: Shaun Press
Department of Computer Science, ANU. 02 62552040 (h) 02 62493434 (w)
Shaun.Press@cs.anu.edu.au

* ANU Schools Championships, Wednesday-Thursday 21-22 July
Great Hall, University House, Balmain Cres, ANU

* University Co-op Bookshop Simul, Friday 23 July, Garema Place, Civic
Challenge ACT Champion Andrey Bliznyuk as he takes on 20 players at once.
All winners receive a $20 book voucher from the Co-op Bookshop, ANU.

* ANU Open, Saturday/Sunday 24-25 July
Fenner Hall, 210 Northbourne Ave, ACT
A Class 5 Australian Chess Federation Grand Prix Event
Early entries close 16 July. Late entries close at 9:45am, Sat 24 July
Entry fees are $50 adult, $35 concession, $30 junior
(Late fee of $10 for entries received after 16 July 1999)
GMs & IMs: Free entry.
The event will be a 7 round Swiss format. Time limits are 1 hour + 10s/move
(DGTs). A range of accommodation options is available on request.
Prize List (total $3000):
1st $1000
2nd $500
3rd $250
1st U/2000 $250
2nd U/2000 $150
1st U/1600 $200
2nd U/1600 $100
1st U/1200 $150
2nd U/1200 $50
1st Junior $150
Best ACT Player $100
Best ANU Player $100

Entries should be sent with payment to: ANU Chess Festival, PO Box 470,
Erindale ACT 2903

General queries: Andrew Greenwood, ANU Chess Festival Director,
02 62910385 (answering machine)
Andrew.A.Greenwood@student.anu.edu.au
http://cs.anu.edu.au/~Shaun.Press/festival99.html

 
Best wishes to all
 
Graeme Gardiner

_____________________________________________________________________
Wendy Gardiner
Australian Centre for International & Tropical Health & Nutrition
The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Phone +61 7 5530 5794; Fax +61 7 5530 5794; Email
w.gardiner@mailbox.uq.edu.au;
E-fax (603) 947-8543 URL: www.acithn.uq.edu.au
_____________________________________________________________________