SWISS PERFECT
The ACF is still offering free licences for the Swiss Perfect pairings
computer programme. This programme is ideal for all club organisers for
tournaments of all standards. It is particularly useful for the efficient
running of events with large numbers of competitors where rounds need to follow
on quickly, one after the other. It is also very useful for quickly producing
all necessary records.
To date, 81 licences have been issued to states and clubs right around
Australia. I estimate that there are around another 100 clubs in Australia that
have not taken advantage of this offer. Even though some of these may be quite
small, the Swiss Perfect programme would give clubs an important tool to enable
them to increase their numbers.
A reminder that the owner of Swiss Perfect, Robert Rozycki, has
approved free use of relevant state licences by all schools in Australia.
MANY CLUBS MISSING OUT ON GREAT
DEAL
There are probably a few states and over 150
clubs who have not taken advantage of this great offer (shown below). I do not
believe that any club can match the great purchasing power of the
ACF.
Did you know that if your club has less then 50
members, you can join the ACF policy providing $10M of Public Liability
Insurance Cover for just $121 per annum? This is ridiculously inexpensive. Any
club that does not have insurance is irresponsible and any club that is paying
more than $121 is plain crazy! Any club that only has (say) $2M public liability
insurance is almost certainly under insured!
To take advantage of this special offer, all you
need to do is email NORM GREENWOOD normg@bigpond.com.au with the
following details: Name of club, number of current members, main meeting venue
(if any), incorporated or unincorporated, any previous liability incidents,
contact name/address/phone/fax/email, interested parties to be noted on policy
(if any).
You will then be contacted directly by the insurer,
CHRIS ZUCCALA of Vicwide Insurance Brokers, who will advise you of the pro rata
premium to pay to the common renewal date (31 August). The insurer is Lumley
General Insurance. Each club taking advantage of this offer will, of course, get
their own copy of the policy with the name of their club endorsed.
If you wish to contact Chris Zuccala direct please
do so on email vicwide@hotmail.com or
phone 03 9569 1569 or fax 03 9569 1515.
2001 GRAND PRIX
I have discussed the Sydney Easter Cup with NSWCA
President ROBERT KEAST. This event was included in the Grand Prix Calendar of
Events in good faith. There was a genuine misunderstanding. Under the
circumstances we have decided that to be fair to those who entered the Sydney
Easter Cup believing it to be a Grand Prix event, the tournament will stand as a
Grand Prix tournament and points earned in that event will count.
Please support the two upcoming Grand Prix events
being held on the weekend of 19/20 May; The Adelaide Cup and the NSWCA
weekender.
The Gap Open is no longer a Grand Prix
event.
The Hobsons Bay Open, which was scheduled for 5/6
May, has been postponed to a later date to be advised.
Details of the 35 events for 2001 are as
follows:
INAUGURAL SOUTHERN SKIES CHESS
TOURNAMENT
The inaugural Southern Skies Chess Tournament will
be held at Brisbane Boys' College on 2, 3, 5 and 6 July. Boys and girls
under 19 are eligible and competition will be for individuals and for teams of
four. Two rounds of chess will be played per day over four days of
competition with a one hour per player time control each game, using chess
clocks. The Swiss Pairing System will be used and FIDE laws of Chess
apply.
Please contact Julie Kelly, Tournament
Administrator for a brochure.
This is part of a sports tournament sponsored by
Couran Cove Resort. The founder of Couran Cove was Ron Clarke, the famous
distance runner.
AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES TEAMS CHESS
CHAMPIONSHIPS
It is looking as though this important event will
be held somewhere around 23-28 September at Sydney University in parallel with
the Australian University Games. I expect the organiser, Allan Richards
inter_uni_comp@hotmail.com , will be
submitting full details for the bulletin very shortly.
Start organising your teams now!
COMMENT – GRAEME
GARDINER
There has been quite a deal of discussion about the
merits of the recent Oceanic Zonal and indeed the format of the FIDE World
Championships generally.
For my money, I think of the traditional chess
World Championship rather like Test Match cricket and the FIDE World
Championships rather like the International One Day cricket. Each has its place.
Test cricket is for the purists and leading players – One Day cricket is for the
popularisation of the sport.
I would very much like the traditional form of
chess World Championship to continue. But I do not agree with the three Ks who
want to continue the tradition of the World Championship being ‘owned’ by the
players. Their view is obviously borne by self interest. In my view, the World
Championship should be owned by the world governing body on behalf of the sport.
The title is owned by the World Champion for the time being.
While I’m on the subject of chess being a sport,
ACT President Denis Jessop gave me examples of why he thinks that chess is being
accepted almost automatically as a sport. But I notice from the bulletin
board that some chess players still mock the idea. The vast majority of the
159 member nations of FIDE have governments who recognise and fund chess as a
sport. If Australian chess is ever to receive government funding it is almost
certainly going to have to be through the Department of Sport because it is
highly unlikely to get anything from any other department. Whatever the personal
views of members of the chess community, we are going to have to be united in
pressing on for recognition of chess as a sport.
Many of our opinions are borne out of our cultural
surroundings. Almost certainly the reason that some Australians mock the idea of
chess as a sport is because of the Australian obsession with the outdoor sweaty
sports and because far too few Australians understand the chess culture. The
peoples of many overseas nations think the idea of chess as a sport is normal
because they have a different cultural approach.
I used to mock the idea of synchronized swimming
being a sport. Now I realise that I was allowing my prejudices to rule me. If
people involved in synchronized swimming think that it is a sport, then as far
as I’m concerned, it is.
We need to stick together on this issue.
VICTORIAN OPEN
CHAMPIONSHIP
Prize Pool: 1st $700 2nd $450* 3rd
$200* 5 Rating Prizes of $100* Top Junior $125* : Top Lady
$75*
Prizes subject to a minimum of 50
players.
A computer supplied by Independant Computers of
Australia will be competing. Prizes to a limit of $300 will be paid to players
who defeat or draw with the computer. A condition of entry into the tournament
is that competitors agree to play the computer if so paired.
We thank
Independent Computers of Australia for their participation and
support.
Time Control: 40 moves in 75 then all
in 15minutes +30 sec per move from move 1.
Venue: Senior Citizens Centre, Latham Cres.
Dandenong mel ref. 90C2
Entry Fees: $45, Concession & Juniors
$35
Entries: will be received till 2pm prior to the
first round or sent by mail to reach the DCC Treasurer, 8 Pickford St. East
Burwood, no later than last mail Wednesday 6 June
Cheques to be made out to
Dandenong Chess Club
Inc.
Playing
Schedule:
Saturday 9th June Sunday 10th
June Monday 11th June
2pm entries
close 9.30 am Round
3 9.30 am Round 6
2.30 pm Round
1 2.30 pm Round
4 2.30 pm Round 7
7.30 pm Round
2 7.30 pm Round
5 6.30 pm Presentation
*Free Entry To G'M's, I'M's,
WGM's and WIM's
ARBITER FIDE International Arbiter Dr John Frew
All
enquires Paul Huver 03 9791-6184 or Don Maciulaitis 03 9791-3541
Email
phuver@chessnet.com.au donmac@chessnet.com.au
Editor’s note: Whilst I am happy to advertise this
important event and wish it every success, I find it difficult to conceal my
disappointment that another Victorian event has chosen not to be a part of the
ACF Grand Prix. Victoria used to be the powerhouse of Australian chess and its
chess community should have the opportunity to play in more Grand Prix
tournaments.
CORRESPONDENCE
KEVIN BONHAM
With regard to the letter by Kramnik, Kasparov and
Karpov concerning FIDE's attitude to the World Championship concept, my view is
that they are right and that FIDE's world title is an interesting and worthwhile
event, but a joke of a "world championship". In practical Australian
terms, while I support ACF supporting any Australian participation in the FIDE
zonals and knockouts, I hope that ACF will also support any Australian
participation in any qualification cycle for the real world title presently held
by Kramnik. Furthermore, I hope we will vigorously resist any attempt by FIDE to
impose sanctions on anyone involved in such a cycle. I have outlined my
views in more detail in a posting to the ACF Bulletin Board.
BRIAN FIEDLER
I couldn't agree more with the note from the 3
K's.
Is there a website containing a petition to support
their view against FIDE's recent policies?
BILLY HAYNIE
Hello Australian chess players.
Will you be available for a game of chess in late
August and early September? I have a North American chess expert going to
Australia in 2001 to play rated games of chess for his chess records! He
is Robert Feldstein rated 2000(USCF) and he holds a variety of national and soon
to be international chess records for the Guiness Book of World
Records.
PAUL MOORE
Hi there.
My name is Paul Moore and I would like to extend an
invitation to you and your members to consider taking part in an unusual but
exciting event.
I am in the 'T.H.E. Theatre Company, Ryde, Inc'
production of 'Chess' the Rock Musical, which will be playing at the Argyle
Theatre, Blaxland Rd, Ryde in June/July.
A few of us from the cast are in charge of
organising this special tournament and we have obtained your contact details
from an internet site of NSW Chess Clubs.
As part of our show's marketing strategy we have
decided to stage a Chess tournament (with prizemoney) to be staged at various
Sydney shopping centres, on Saturdays, June 9, 16 & 23 (next
month).
Additionally, I need to get some information from
people who are experienced in how Chess tournaments are run. Any advice that you
could provide would be greatly appreciated so that all competitors feel
comfortable with the set up.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Regards,
Paul Moore
h) (02) 9660 7660
w) (02) 8296 4827
m) 0413
488 599
1 William St
Annandale 2038
Imagine, if you will, that it's 1982. Ronald
Reagan just delivered his speech to the House of Commons denouncing Russia as
the "Evil Empire." As the two
world superpowers battle it out, Chess
has become more than just a game ...
It's The U.S. Versus U.S.S.R!
... And you and
your club members are invited to participate in a historic
tournament.
What: The Cold War CHESS
Tournament
Conducted over three consecutive Saturdays, this high profile
tournament will mix calculating strategies with live music, to be performed by
the cast members of the THE Theatre Company Ryde, Inc.'s production of the rock
musical 'CHESS.' In the spirit of the Cold War, each player will represent
either the U.S. or the U.S.S.R.
The Stakes: Fame & Fortune
Plus
In addition to receiving notoriety by the Media (which will
be invited to cover this historic event), the champion will also receive $500
cash.
When: Saturdays, June
9, 16 & 23 @ 10:00am – 2:00pm
(Specific schedules to
follow.)
Where: Assorted
Sydney Venues
(Specific venues to follow.)
Why: To promote the
rock musical 'CHESS'
(Music by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus,
Lyrics by Tim Rice)
Entry Fee: $20 per
person*
(*$15 if you register prior to 21 May,
2001)
R.S.V.P.: By 21 May,
2001
Paul Moore Phone: 0413 488
599 or (02) 9660 7660
(OR)
Email: ppaul_moore@yahoo.com.au Postal Address for payments: 1 William St,
Annandale, 2038
Make cheques payable to ‘THE Theatre Company Ryde, Inc’
(*Please include commitment to participate, name, club name, address
and contact numbers.)
... It's Your Move!
[Editor’s note: For those who have not seen ‘Chess”
the musical it is highly recommended. The music is great!]
Very best wishes to all.
Graeme Gardiner
Chess - the clever sport!