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ACF Bulletin No. 33 - September
5, 1999
THANKS
I would like to thank my colleagues on the executive who have been quietly
beavering away in the interests of Australian chess. Treasurer Norm
Greenwood and Secretary Andrew Allen have done everything that could have
been asked of them (and more) and I'm delighted that Gary Bekker is back on
board after a brief period moving back to Melbourne and moving into a new
home. Thanks also to Ingrid Thompson who has been doing a fine job
coordinating the Grand Prix results.
I'm very pleased to say that Robert Jamieson is back into chess
administration and has agreed to do the FIDE Liaison job. Many of you will
know that Robert has been one of the stalwarts of chess administration in
Australia and we cannot afford to lose workers of his undoubted ability.
Welcome back Robert!
ASIAN UNDER 20, VIETNAM
This will be held at the Palace Hotel, Vung Tau City which is about 130 km
from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). It will be held from 12 to 25
September and the Australian representatives are Connie Constantinou and
Tim Switzer.
ASIAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, INDIA
This will be held at Ahmedabad, India from 15 to 25 December and is split
into Under 10, 12 and 14 age groups. If you or someone you know would like
to be considered for this event please let me know and I will pass on your
interest to the selection committee. These overseas events are often an
opportunity for a child, who has not quite made it to number one in his or
her age group, to represent Australia.
ASIAN MEN'S AND WOMEN'S, INDIA
This event will be held in Udaipur, India from 22 October to 3 November.
Again, please let me know if you are interested in being the Australian
representative.
OVERSEAS TRAVEL
I'm trying to build a relationship with Qantas Gold Coast whereby Qantas
(in time) sponsor Australian chess based upon the amount of business we do
with them. I'm encouraging all overseas reps to book through Horizon
Travelworld, Mudgeeraba (phone 07 5530 4755) who have agreed to measure our
business and report to Qantas periodically. This arrangement is on the
basis that Qantas have to at least match any competitive quotes. Several
overseas reps have already booked flights in this way.
WORLD CITIES TEAMS' EVENT
This is being held in Shenyang, China from 3 to 10 October and will
immediately be followed by the Asian Cities Teams Event from 11 to 20
October at the same venue. Please let me know if you are interested in
forming a team. I know that Tim Reilly had at least three players organised
a few days ago.
AUSTRALIAN JUNIORS, CHURCHILL, GIPPSLAND, VICTORIA
This event is being held from 11 to 23 January. Gary Wastell expects entry
forms and full details to be distributed right around Australia on
approximately 20 September.
GRAND PRIX
Ingrid Thompson has calculated the latest points and sent them to Andrew
Allen for putting up on the webpage. She is yet to receive results for the
Taree Open and the NSWCA weekenders for July and August. Due to lack of
info from some tournaments she has not yet been able to calculate the Cadet
points.
Upcoming events:
18/19 September Gold Coast Classic Somerset College
2/3 October Redcliffe Challenge Clontarf High School
3/4 October Greater Sydney Open Rooty Hill Club
All three are class 5 tournaments
Has your club started to plan special events to mark the new century?
AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, MINGARA, NSW CENTRAL COAST
The committee of the Mingara Chess Club are determined to put on a great
event in memory of the late Kevin Jones. From what I've seen it looks like
being a really top class tournament so may I recommend everyone who can to
head for Mingara straight after Christmas. My wife, Wendy and I have booked
into a unit at Terrigal from 27 December to 7 January. The ACF Annual
Conference is due to be held at the Mingara Club on 6 January. This will be
another opportunity to discuss with many in the Australian chess community
the way forward for Australian chess.
SWISS PERFECT
We have now put out 54 licences to clubs in every state in Australia. I'm
pleased to say that several schools have started to make use of the State
Association licences which is part of our agreement with Robert Rozycki.
OVERSEAS CORRESPONDENT
I'd like to pay tribute to Manuel Weeks who once again is heading off
overseas to look after and coach a contingent of Australian juniors. On
Tuesday he leaves for the Children's Chess Olympiad in Artek, Crimea,
Ukraine with Zong Yuan Zhao, Chris Page, Rhendon Cook, Gareth Oliver and
Shannon Oliver.
After that he is taking Zong Yuan to the World Under 20s in Armenia where
he will be competing alongside Max Leskiewicz and Veronica Klimenko.
(Veronica is currently staying in the Ukraine and has been able to advise
Manuel on local conditions for the Children's Olympiad).
Next he is taking Zong Yuan to the World Juniors in Spain where he will
meet up with the rest of the team.
Manuel hopes to be able to file weekly reports whilst he is overseas which
I hope to be able to include in this bulletin.
Many thanks to Manuel for all the hard work and enthusiasm he instills in
our youngsters.
CHESS IN CHINA (Extract from an article by Ignatius Leong, International
Arbiter)
"Fortunately for the Chinese Chess Association, in 1993, it received an
endowment fund from Singapore businessman Mr T S Lee who donated about
US$1.5 million. 10% of this donation was for the establishment of the chess
library in China QiYuan. The remaining 90% was deposited in a fixed account
from which the Chinese Chess Association drew interest mainly for its
administrative operations and to send players for overseas competitions. In
1997, the Chinese Chess Association found a computer firm to fund its other
activities on an annual basis".
These are very important priorities for Australian chess!!
Best wishes to all
Graeme Gardiner
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Graeme Gardiner
President, Australian Chess Federation
C/- Somerset College, Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba Q 4213
Phone 07 5530 3777 (w) 07 5530 5794 (h) Fax 07 5525 2676 (w)
Email: ggardiner@somerset.qld.edu.au
http://www.somerset.qld.edu.au/chess/
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