ACF Bulletin No. 112 - 16 April 2001

IN THIS ISSUE

Oceanic Zonal, Doeberl Cup, Darling Downs Open, ACF Executive and Office Bearers, Arbiters required for the Australian Juniors, 2001 Grand Prix, University of Queensland Challenge, Laurieton May Open, International Open in Andorra, Czech Open, Gary Bekker in PNG, Restructure Proposal.

Confirmed entries to date (April FIDE ratings first, followed by January FIDE ratings):

Open: Johansen 2513, 2520 (Aust seed), Gluzman 2400, 2432 (Aust seed), Zhao 2390, 2396, Wallace 2388, 2366, Feldman 2369, 2399, Chapman 2338, 2338, Rujevic 2332, 2314, Wastney (NZ seed) 2276, 2241, Allen 2255, 2255, Lukey (NZ) 2234, 2234, Tindall 2225, 2226, Jones (Brian) 2215, 2196, Stead 2135, 2183, Ilic 2015, 2021, Dunn (NZ) Unrated, Jones (Lee) Unrated, Kumar (Fiji seed) Unrated, Albis (PNG seed) Unrated, Stojic S Unrated, Stojic D Unrated.

Women: Berezina 2295, 2295 (Aust seed), Koshnitsky 2156, 2156 (Aust seed), Moylan 2110, 2121, Szuveges 2078, 2046, Mills Unrated, Smith (NZ seed) Unrated, Lip Unrated.

Probables/Possibles (Late entries still being accepted):

Open: Sandler 2400, 2402, Levi 2247, 2245, Fancy 2215, 2215 (PNG), Sonter Unrated.

This tournament commences next Sunday at the Radisson, Palm Meadows, Gold Coast. Spectators are, of course, most welcome.

Open:

1 GM Darryl Johansen 2501 6/7
2 IM Gary Lane 2434 5.5
3 FM Mirko Rujevic 2337 5.5
4 FM Brett Tindall 2201 5.5
5 GM Stefan Djuric 2508 5
6 IM Stephen Solomon 2386 5
7 FM Manuel Weeks 2142 5
8 Brian Jones 2164 5

45 players

Major:

1 Joel Harp 1872 5.5/7
2 Sam Chow 1973 5.5
3 Ian Rout 1899 5.5
4 Michael Lip 1944 5.5
5 Ilija Ilic 1881 5.5

55 players

Minor:

1 Oskar Hellmann 6/7

62 players

Full details at Ian Rout's webpage http://www.lexicon.net/ianandjan/IansPage.htm

1st 6/7 Keven Duncan 2nd= 5.5 David Stephson, John Walker 4th= 5 Alain Pardoen, Michael Davidovici 6th= 4.5 Matthew Sonter, Natalie Mills, Nick Stawski, Craig Stewart, Toshi Kimura, Andrew Dewis.

U1600: Toshi Kimura 4.5
U1300: Matthew Burrage 4
Junior: Anthony Lam 4
Best Downs Player Andrew Dewis 4.5

39 players

I'm delighted to report that Michael Baron has volunteered to become the ACF Tournament Coordinator. This is an important position for many reasons, but the most important role should be, in my opinion, to look ahead and try to ensure all official ACF events are allocated to states and planned well in advance.

Executive:

President, GRAEME GARDINER
Deputy President, ROBERT JAMIESON
Secretary, JOE TANTI
Treasurer, NORM GREENWOOD

Office Bearers:

Archivist/Historian, PAUL DUNN
Auditor, ROSS HAMILTON
Bulletin Editor, GRAEME GARDINER
Corporate Relations, PETER WALLMAN
Director of Coaching, BRETT TINDALL
FIDE Delegate, PHIL VINER
FIDE Ratings Officer, GARY BEKKER
Grand Prix Supervisor/Recorder, NORM BRAYBROOKE
Junior Selection Coordinator, BRETT TINDALL
Medals Coordinator, GARY WASTELL
National Ratings Officer, BILL GLETSOS/GRAHAM SAINT
Olympiad Appeal Coordinator, GRAEME GARDINER
Public Officer, DENNIS JESSOP
Publicity Officer, ASHLEY RAMBUKWELLA
Senior Selection Coordinator, ROBERT JAMIESON
Tournament Coordinator, MICHAEL BARON
Webmaster, PAUL BROEKHUYSE

The NSW Junior Chess League is looking for expressions of interest from people wishing to be arbiters at the 2002 Australian Junior to be held in Sydney. Would all interested parties please email Manuel Weeks at <manuelw@ozemail.com.au> before 5 May 2001.

The Grand Prix Supervisor is Norm Braybrooke <chessnut@windsor.net.au> http://crcchess.topcities.com/GP2001.htm

One new tournament has been added this week: the Adelaide University Open on 7/8 July http://www.smug.adelaide.edu.au/chess.

Details of the 35 events for 2001 are as follows:

(Editor's note: This tournament is very highly recommended. It is the first large Grand Prix event in the centre of Brisbane for many years. David Cowland-Cooper is a new chess organiser who has put together a tournament well worth supporting. We hope to see a good turnout for this event which has a fantastic list of prizes).

The revival of chess on campus at The University of Queensland is getting a kick start with the inaugural UQ Chess Challenge in April. As the only major Grand Prix event in Brisbane city, we're really looking to get a good turnout. The absence of many professional players, thanks to the Oceanic Zonal, should mean that more amateurs and juniors will get amongst the prizes. Here are the details.

When: Saturday April 21 & Sunday April 22
Venue: The Holt Room, Union Building, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia campus
Total Prize Money: $2670
Prize List:

Early Entry Fees: Standard - $60, Concession - $40, Junior - $30
Entries received after Thursday 12th April 2001 will need to pay an extra $10. Entries will be accepted up to 9:10am on Saturday 21st April 2001.
Format: Seven rounds, 60 minutes each way for all moves
Round Times: Saturday: 9.30am, 12.00pm, 2.30pm, 5.00pm Sunday: 9.30am, 12.00pm, 2.30pm
Presentations will be made at 5pm after the final round.
Enquiries: Phone - David Cowland-Cooper 0414 498556 Email - uqchess@hotmail.com.
Light meals and coffee are available on campus.
Accommodation is available on campus and in nearby Toowong and Brisbane City.
Hope to see you there!

Saturday & Sunday - 5/6 May Venue: Laurieton Services Club

Round times: Sat - 10:00 am., 12:45 Pm., 3:15 Pm., 5:45 pm. Sun - 10:00 am., 12:45 pm., 3:15 pm.
Presentation of Cash Prizes & Trophies after Round 7.
Time Limit: G60 - 60 min per Player for Game.
First Prize: $300. Other prizes determined by the number of entries.
This is a Non-smoking tournament.

Fees: $25 1500+ Rating, $20 u1500, $15 u1250, $5 Discount Juniors. $5 Juniors in first ACF Rated tournament.
Tea/Coffee/Cordial/Biscuits supplied free. Club Bistro open for meals.
Contact: John: 6559 7590, Endel 6559 9060.
Try your skill in simul with IM John-Paul Wallace 8pm Saturday!

Enjoy a Weekend of Chess in Pretty Laurieton!!!

Full details at http://www.internet.ad./feva
Email: openandorra@andorra.ad
Fax: 00.376.867846
Telephone: Rechi, F:00.376.327247 Cots, J:00.376.343839 De la Riva, O:00.376.839899

12th International Chess Festival, Pardubice 12 to 29 July 2001
Full details: Dr. Jan Mazuch, Festival Director of CZECH OPEN 2001 - j.mazuch@avekont.cz http://www.proclient.cz/czechopen

It is the end of the wet season here in Papua New Guinea. When it rains, it pours down in a deluge that puts Melbourne's rainy weather to shame. Then, as quickly as the rain came, the sun will shine through, evaporating the moisture from the ground and dense foliage, filling the air with the humidity of a Turkish steam bath. Apart from the cycles of precipitation, the climate is regulated by a mild and steady sea breeze and the temperature never strays too far from a pleasant 27 Celsius. The town of Madang is surrounded by palm and coconut trees and lush green tropical forests, interspersed with colourful exotic flowers. The climate and vegetation remind me of the more remote parts of Indonesia I have been to.

The locals here are friendly and live a relaxed life-style where time is measured in days, not minutes. There is not that much to do other than watch the fishing boats ply their way in and out of the bay, and to follow the games of animated children playing in the sports field near town. Just the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of city life. The town of Madang looks a little run down, but the streets are full of people making use of the two banks, post office, assorted stores and single ATM in the main street. In the marketplace, women sell fresh fish and an incredible variety of local fruits at bargain prices.

During the day we snacked on banana, coconut, small nuts, jack fruit, and other local fruits. One of our favourites was lau-lau, a crispy fruit the size and colour of an over-grown strawberry but tasting a little like tangy apple. For dinner the other night we ate lobster soup, followed by succulent sliced portions of fresh barramundi. Delicious!

The coast line is littered with World War II wrecks. We went on a tour yesterday and ventured towards the hills to see the remains of a Japanese Mitsubishi bomber left crippled at the end of an abandoned and over-grown airfield. The Japanese used light-weight aluminium for their aeroplanes and these have stood the test of time while allied aircraft have rusted and disappeared into the jungle. We also saw the body of a US Armoured Personnel Carrier and the rusting hulls of Japanese transport ships.

In one of the local villages we saw a pet Tree Kangaroo and Cus Cus, a little like a large white possum with tiny ears. The small river which supplies water to the village flows straight from limestone caves, giving the water a distinct sulphur smell and bright blue colour. Josh used vines hanging from a nearby tree to swing over the river which teemed with fish, eels and turtles. We visited another village where we bought pottery made by hand, and fired over an open flame.

Tomorrow we'll fly into Port Moresby and look around the city before the chess championship starts. I have set up a web page for the tournament at http://www.auschess.org.au/oceania/pngopen.htm for those who care to follow the results. The field for the competition is relatively strong for a developing nation and contains three internationally ranked competitors.

The ACF Restructure Sub Committee is considering the following proposal from ACF Deputy President, Robert Jamieson. Your comments are most welcome.

It is proposed that:-

1. The ACF Council be replaced by a nine person ACF Commission ("The Commission").

2. The Commission takes over all the powers of the existing Council.

3. The Commissioners are elected at the Annual ACF National Conference.

4. The Commissioners are to be elected based on their experience, expertise and long-term commitment to chess rather than as representatives of any organisation or interest.

5. No more than three Commissioners shall reside in the same state or territory at the time of their election.

6. The Commissioners will be elected for two years and shall hold office till the end of the second Annual National Conference after they were elected.

7. Notwithstanding clause 6, four commissioners must resign or stand for re-election at each Annual National Conference.

8. The four commissioners who do not have to stand for re-election at an Annual National Conference shall be those who have held office for the shortest period of time. Any ties shall be resolved by the drawing of lots where necessary.

9. The Commission shall elect one of the Commissioners to be ACF President and one of the Commissioners to be ACF Deputy-President.

10. The Commission shall appoint the ACF Secretary and ACF Treasurer and such other office-bearers as it sees fit.

11. All office-bearers appointed by the Commission shall hold office until either:-

11.1 They resign.

11.2 Their office is abolished by the Commission.

11.3 Any period of appointment covering their position expires.

11.4 Their appointment is terminated by the Commission.

11.5 In the case of President or Deputy-President, if they cease to be Commissioners.

12. The meetings of the Commission shall be chaired by the ACF President or in his absence the Deputy-President. If neither the President nor Deputy-President is in attendance or has yet been appointed, the meeting chairperson shall be chosen by the drawing of lots by those Commissioners who make themselves available to chair the meeting.

13. Each Commissioner shall have one vote at Commission meetings with the Chairperson having a casting vote.

14. A simple majority vote shall decide any issue.

15. The Commission shall meet at least four times per calendar year. Meetings may be either in person, via telephone link or via the internet. At least one meeting per annum shall be an in person meeting.

16. In addition to considering motions at Commission meetings specific motions may be decided by the Commissioners by means of a postal or email vote.

17. Motions to be voted on by postal or email vote may be raised by either:-

17.1 The ACF President.

17.2 Any two ACF Commissioners.

17.3 Any affiliated State Association.

18. After receipt of a request for a postal or email vote the ACF Secretary shall submit the motion for voting within 14 days. The deadline for votes to be received by the Secretary shall be 14 days unless the ACF President determines that special circumstances warrant a different deadline.

19. Subject to time constraints or confidentiality issues, the ACF Commission shall endeavour to canvas the views of State Associations and individual chess players by means of the ACF Web page, the ACF Internet Newsletter or any other suitable means, on all significant matters to be decided by the Commission.

20. Changes to the constitution can only be made by a vote of the State Associations.

21. A Commissioner may be removed from office by a vote of the State Associations with at least five States voting for removal.

22. If a casual vacancy arises for a Commission position the ACF Secretary must call for nominations to fill the vacancy. The Commission will appoint one of the nominees to be the new Commissioner.

Comment

The main advantages of the proposed restructure are:-

1. The body that runs Australian Chess can be made up of the nine most qualified persons in the country without reference to state affiliation or any other limitation.

2. Having a Commission instead of a Council means that there will be a body which has been appointed to run Australian Chess and whose decisions can be based on "what is best for Australian Chess" rather than on the wishes or interests of the body that each Councillor represents.

3. The Commission will be a continuing body with only minor changes in personnel thereby giving the ACF more continuity than at present.

4. State officials will have more time to administer their state association without having to be involved in the day-to-day running of the ACF.

Safeguards

Whilst the states will forego some of their powers under the proposal, it should be noted that:

1. The Commission is appointed by the states.

2. Commissioners can be sacked by the states.

3. The constitution can only be changed by the National Conference.

4. States can propose motions for the commission to vote on.

5. It is envisaged that all major issues will be subject to rigorous debate in the ACF Bulletin before a decision is made.

Graeme Gardiner

Chess - the clever sport!

PS - If you do not wish to receive this bulletin in future, please email wgardiner@somerset.qld.edu.au