ACF Bulletin #197, December 30, 2002 ---------------------- In This Issue ---------------------- * Australian Open about to start * ACF Conference delegates - players' meeting cancelled * U16 World Youth Chess Olympiad report * NSWCA contact number * More on registering * Letters * Grand Prix 2003 * Upcoming tournaments ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pratt Foundation 2003 Australian Open Championships ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One of Australia's top chess events is about to start in Penrith, an outer suburb of Sydney. The Pratt Foundation 2003 Australian Open Championships run from 2-10 January 2003. A wide range of events is planned, and players include five IMs and visitors from Germany, Denmark and other countries. Phone Brian Jones on 02-9838-1529 for details or visit the Championships website at www.chessaustralia.com.au/penrith/ IM John-Paul Wallace is top seed, and Smerdon, Solomon, Lane and Froehlich are playing. Australian WFM Slavica Sarai heads the women's table. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ACF Nomination of delegates for Conference ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The following delegates have been nominated for the ACF NATIONAL CONFERENCE - Sunday, 5 January 2003, 9.00 am. NSWCA - 7 - Bill Gletsos, Norman Greenwood, Peter Cassettari, Kerry Stead, Tom Accola, Mal Murrell, Paul Sike. CV - 5 - Gary Wastell, Robert Jamieson, David Cordover, Paul Huver, Bas Van Riel, Alistair Anderson (1 of 6 named to be later withdrawn). CAQ - 4 - Mark Stokes (2), Nathan Davidson, John Alkin. SACA - 2 - George Howard, Joseph Tanti. CAWA - 2 - Michael Wilkins, Jay Lakner. TCA - 1 - Graeme Gardiner. ACTCA - 1 - Denis Jessop. CANT - 1 - Peter Bender. Affiliates: CCLA - Roy Lawrence. AWCL - NSWJCL - Richard Gastineau-Hills (Res: Charles Zworestine) ACTJCL - Total: 23 The PLAYERS MEETING, originally scheduled for Saturday, 3 January 2003, has been cancelled. The quorum for the meeting is15, but only 9 nominations were received. ACF COUNCIL MEETING - Sunday, 5 January 2003, 2.00 pm. The following persons are currently listed as State Association delegates and/or Council Officers, and entitled to vote at ACF Council meetings. (* confirmed attendees) President - Graeme Gardiner * Deputy President - Robert Jamieson * Treasurer - Norm Greenwood * Secretary - Joseph Tanti * NSWCA - Bill Gletsos * CV - Gary Wastell * CAQ - Howard Duggan (Not attending. No replacement yet named.) SACA - George Howard * CAWA - Denis McMahon TCA - Kevin Bonham (Not attending. No replacement yet named.) ACTCA - Denis Jessop* CANT - Terry O'Neill Regards - Joseph Tanti -------------------------------------------------------- U16 World Youth Chess Olympiad -------------------------------------------------------- Report by Catherine Lip: If people observed carefully through the chaotic congestion of Sydney International Airport crowds, midday on 10th August 2002, they would have been happily rewarded with the spotting of a small congregation of teenagers wearing green and gold jackets and their parents. If they had a considerably good eye sight they would have read the impressive gold lettering that boldly read on the back of the green jackets 'Australia Chess'. And if they had an even keener eye they would have noticed two boys seated on the ground bent over a miniature chessboard that was laid out before their alert eyes. This group of people were no normal group of tourists loaded with cameras and maps ready to jet set overseas for a holiday. Oh no, in fact these worthy people were just a small portion of the Australian U16 World Youth Chess Olympiad representatives whose current destination was set towards Mega Mall, Kuala Lumper, Malaysia. And with our suitcases bulging with chess books, chessboards and a large stash of lollies we were all prepared for what was going to be, for many, the time of our lives! ... Read the rest of Catherine's (long but fascinating!) report at http://www.auschess.org.au/catlip02.htm ---------------------------------------------- Magazine: Australian Chess ---------------------------------------------- The first issue of Australian Chess has hit the streets!! Includes Nick Speck's excellent report on the Bled Olympiad, The Art of Checkmate by IM Lane, German Championships games annotated by IM Wallace, Problem Billabong, Club Bullwinkle, Gambits Galore, Australian News and much more! A sample page is available online. For more information see http://www.chessaustralia.com.au/index.cfm?p=detail&o=ACSUB1. Annual subscription is $50. Send payment to: Australian Chess PO Box 370 Riverstone NSW 2765 Alternatively phone 02-9838-1529 or subscribe online at www.chessaustralia.com.au Overseas Airmail subscribers: NZ/Oceania add 20%, America/Asia add 40%, Europe add 50% Brian Jones Editor --------------------------------------- NSWCA contact number --------------------------------------- Dear All NSWCA Inc now has a phone number for any enquires or information, if email is not sufficent: 0403 775 476 If phone diverts to messagebank, your call will be returned by a member of the NSWCA council. Regards Peter C ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACF Bulletin: please register - and why you should ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to everyone who registered after last week's bulletin - and some gentle encouragement to those who still haven't done so! Some people were confused about how it all works. First of all, if you received a message saying you can't be registered because your name's already in the database, don't worry: it means what it says. You've been more diligent than you realise! Second, some people had trouble finding the "online form". It's not a piece of paper, nor is it a link: it's a box on the far right-hand side of the ACF site homepage where you type your details. Go to www.auschess.org.au and look for the box that says "Want to receive the ACF Bulletin?". Then just type in your name, state and email address, and click on "Submit". That's all it takes. Finally, some people had trouble because after they'd hit the "Submit" button, something went awry. This means the database is temporarily out of service. Please try again. Please note that *unless* you register by this method, you soon won't be receiving the Bulletin: a fate worse than, say, breaking a fingernail, missing the bus, or being trampled by a horde of ASIO agents after straying across the path of a power-walking PM. ------------------------------------------------------ Grand Prix - co-ordinator needed ------------------------------------------------------ Norm Braybrooke is stepping down as GP co-ordinator for 2003. Please advise Graeme Gardiner ggardiner@auschess.org.au if you are prepared to take on this job. - Graeme Gardiner ------------- Letters ------------- (Intended to webmasters in Australia who are maintaining chess website) Dear Paul, As a contribution to the chess playing world. I am launching a non-commercial chess website soon. This will feature ChessGenie - an application I developed using Actionscript of Macromedia Flash. My intention is to provide a simpler and interactive way of rendering chess games on the web. Here's the pre-view of the ChessGenie: a) ChessGenie0 - accepts FEN-formatted parameter from HTML file to generate dynamic Chess Diagram. Best for Chess puzzles. b) ChessGenie1 - loads SAN-formatted (Standard Algebraic Notation) file to view Chess games. This is a dynamic chess game viewer with playable pieces. c) ChessGenie2 - loads a text file that contain pointers to SAN-formatted file. Similar to Chessgenie1 but intended for multiple games, eg. tournaments records or collection of games. All chessgenies can be easily embedded and positioned anywhere on the web, making life easier for webmaster. With its dynamic and playable chess pieces, in between moves analysis become enjoyable and challenging. These features are new and have not been tried before on the Net. With ChessGenie displaying chess diagrams and viewing chess games on the net will never be the same again. I intend to feature selected games from the forthcoming 2003 Pratt Foundation Australian Chess Open Championship on its initial launching. Anyone willing to contribute chess-related articles or who wants to display sponsorship banner are welcome. For advance evaluation copy of ChessGenie please send e-mail to chessgenie@ambalong.com (Australia only). Watch out! CHESSgenie is coming soon. Respectfully, Robert Ambalong PS. Merry Christmas to all. For Christmas carols, jingles and jokes visit www.christmas.ambalong.com ----------------------------------------- International tournaments ----------------------------------------- Dear chess friend, I'm IM Lajos Istvándi from Hungary, a chess organiser and trainer. We're holding an IM/GM tournament and a chess camp for children. Information: www.freeweb.hu/kalituristahaz Thanks and Happy New Year! IM Lajos Istvándi xxxxxxxx 25th Copenhagen Open POLITIKEN CUP 14th - 25th of July 2003 The Politiken Cup will be an 11-round open tournament played in one big group - from novices and club players to strong grandmasters The Tournament takes place from the 14th to the 25th of July 2003 at Nørrebrohallen, Bragesgade 5, 2200 København N Further information and online enrolment at www.politikencup.dk Part of the Danish Chess Federation's centenary 1903 - 2003 ------------------------------------ ACF Grand Prix 2003 ------------------------------------ Australia Day Weekender Category 2 NSW Jan 25-26 Contact: P.Cassettari pcass@zeta.org.au Newcastle Open 2003 Category 2 NSW Feb 8-9 Contact: for info phone (02) 49433862, (02) 49469627, (02) 49612223 Taree RSL Open Category 1 NSW Feb 15-16 Contact: Endel Lane (02) 6559 9060 endel@fasternet.com.au Tasmanian Open Championship - Burnie Category 1 TAS Mar 8-10 Contact: Neville Ledger (03) 64311280 nlchess@tassie .net .au Dubbo RSL Open Category 1 NSW Mar 15-16 Contact: Alexander Aich (02) 68844561 sjaich@tpg.com.au Doeberl Cup Category 3 ACT Apr 18-21 Contact: Roger McCart 'phone (06) 6251 6190 Roger.McCart@anu.edu.au 37th. Peninsula Open Category 1 QLD May 3-5 Contact: Mark Stokes (07) 32056042 markcstokes@hotmail.com Laurieton May Open Category 1 NSW May 3-4 Contact: Endel Lane (02) 6559 9060 endel@fasternet.com.au NSWCA May Weekender Category 2 NSW May 17-18 Contact: P.Cassettari pcass@zeta.org.au Tasmanian Chess Championship Category 1 TAS Jun 7-9 Contact: K.Bonham (03) 62248487 k_bonham@tassie.net.au NSW Open Championship Category 3 NSW Jun 7-9 Contact: P.Cassettari pcass@zeta.org.au Taree RSL June Open Category 1 NSW Jun 14-15 Contact: Endel Lane (02) 6559 9060 endel@fasternet.com.au Gold Coast Open (Gold Coast CC) Category 3 QLD Jun 21-22 Contact: Graeme Gardiner ggardiner@gardinerchess.com (07) 55305794 Caloundra Open 3? QLD Jun 28/29 Contact: Derrick Jeffries chesswis@australis.aunz.com NSWCA August Weekender Category 2 NSW Aug 2-3 Contact: P.Cassettari pcass@zeta.org.au Gold Coast Classic (Gold Coast CC) Category 3 QLD Sep 20-21 Contact: Graeme Gardiner ggardiner@gardinerchess.com (07) 55305794 12th. Redcliffe Challenge Category 2 QLD Sep 27-28 Contact: Mark Stokes (07) 32056042 markcstokes@hotmail.com Tweed Open Category 3 QLD Oct 4-5 Contact: Audie Pennefather, pennefather@iprimus.com.au Koala Open Category 3 NSW Oct 5-6 Contact: Brian Jones chessaus@chessaustralia.com.au Laurieton Open Category 1 NSW Nov 1-2 Contact: Endel Lane (02) 6559 9060 endel@fasternet.com.au Tasmanian November Weekender Category 1 TAS Nov 1-2 or 1-3 Contact: K.Bonham (03) 62248487 k_bonham@tassie.net.au Gosford Open Category 2 NSW Nov 8-9 Contact: Lachlan Lee I.yee@unsw.edu.au Taree RSL Spring Open Category 1 NSW Nov 15-16 Contact: Endel Lane (02)6559 9060 endel@fasternet.com.au NSWCA Navember weekender Category 2 Nov 22-23 Contact: P.Cassettari pcass@zeta.org.au Total 20 NSW 14 QLD 6 ACT 1 TAS 3 --------------------------- Flagfall for 2003 --------------------------- Best wishes to everyone in the festive season, and happy new year. - Paul Broekhuyse