Australian Chess Federation newsletter

No. 252, February 10, 2004

Chess Today: Check it out at http://www.chesstoday.net/sample_issues.html Daily Chess News - Annotated Games - Chess Lessons and Hints. Interviews, reviews and more. Trial - http://www.chesstoday.net

Australian Chess magazine: Keep up with the latest news and views. Subscribe at http://www.chessaustralia.com.au/index.cfm?p=detail&o=ACSUB1 or telephone Brian Jones on 02-9838-1529

Coaching with IM John-Paul Wallace: Current Australian Open Champion and experienced coach, IM John-Paul Wallace is available for email and live coaching over the Internet. He will also provide a special service with daily preparation for your individual games during tournaments. If you are interested send John-Paul an email and state chess coaching in the subject line.

The Italo-Australian Club 42nd Doeberl Cup: Canberra - Easter weekend 9-12 April - Class 3 Grand Prix - Full details and entry form at http://www.netspeed.com.au/ianandjan/IansPage/

ACF Secretary resigns: Joe Tanti has resigned after serving for several years as Secretary of the Australian Chess Federation. "I would like to thank Joe for the time and effort he was able to give to his job and we all wish you the very best of good fortune for future endeavours," ACF President George Howard said.

The resignation creates an important vacancy on the ACF Executive, and expressions of interest are welcome. The role principally involves preparing timely agendas and minutes for quarterly meetings. The Secretary also needs to organise quarterly telephone conferences.

Other duties are of a minor nature but as part of the ACF Executive the Secretary would be privy to confidential discussion on Australian Chess matters.

Most of the work involved is performed via email, so some compensation for internet access and photocopying when necessary will be made available.

Please apply to George Howard - ACF President on 0414841575 for a confidential chat or by email to georgeshoward@hotmail.com

Review - Australian Schools/Junior Championships: Since the completion of the Australian Schools and the Australian Juniors Championships, conducted under the auspices of our Junior Chess Council, the Chess Association of W.A. has been advised of a range of difficulties experienced by visitors as a result of the administration of these events.

Although the J.C.C. operates as a separate body in W.A., C.A.W.A. would like to reassure all players, parents, coaches and support staff that it welcomes comments on the conduct of the Championships and has already initiated a formal review of both events.

I would like to thank those who have already taken the time to contribute to this review process and to invite others to do so. I would also like to reassure players that the tournament director has reviewed the allocation of cash prizes in the Australian Junior Championships and assure players that those concerned will receive their rightful amount.

A number of participants have made favourable comments about the website established by Joe Klimczak of North Shore Computers and about the professionalism of the daily bulletins. For your convenience, a PDF copy of bulletins 10 and 11 is available by visiting the website at http://www.nscom.net.au/2004ajcc

Please e-mail idledim@yahoo.com.au with any comments and I’ll submit them for review.

Thanks,
Denis McMahon
CAWA President

Chess-playing service upgraded: The popular ChessKit website has upgraded its chess-playing facility, and now offers a very easy and convenient alternative for people who'd like to play another Aussie over the internet. To play, all you need to do is register by typing in a username and a password. Unlike many playing interfaces, there's no software to download. The service also allows you to chat with your opponent if you wish.

In technical terms, the Play Chess server has been upgraded to Dual Xeon 2.4Ghz, 4Gb RAM and a stable and faster version of the interface has just been released.

The service is being continuously developed. The next version should offer Observers/Moderators the ability draw arrows, highlight squares etc. on the board.

To register and play, go to http://play.chesskit.com/. I would suggest 8pm AEST to ensure you find an opponent.

One for the books: Ian Murray has drawn our attention to an unusual new chess book - a work of semi-fiction about Queensland players, written by an Australian.

The Shadow of the Master by James Clegg, Tower Hill Press, $25

chess picture This is a great little book about Queensland chessplayers (and a sprinkling of southerners) in the 1970s, those living legends who populated the tournament circuit and points between. The story is fiction, but the characters are real - only the names have been changed to protect the guilty! Apart from being a rattling good yarn, half the fun is in identifying the cast!

Written by the elusive/reclusive "James Clegg", the back-cover blurb says it all:- Uncounted thousands of books have been written about the game of Chess - but this book is not one of them. It is a fable - a fantasy - about the players themelves. Chessplayers are a weird lot: an odd quixotic fellowship, drawn from every country in the world, and from all walks of life. Amongst them you will find every kind of odd-ball, and every kind of ordinary-ball! The reputable as well as the disreputable - the noble and the ignoble - rich man, poor man, tinker. tailor, soldier, sailor - every exotic thread woven into the wonderful tapestry of life. A passion for the ancient game, or more precisely an obsession with it, is the fellow feeling that unites them. If anything divides them, it is the odd fact that every player looks on every other player as a sometime adversary!

This quaint tale then is a yarn spun for everyone - the onlookers as well as those others who indulge teir obsession; sometimes to the exclusion of all else!

The Shadow of the Master is available from
Chess Stuff Australia
PO Box 5014
Mt Gravatt East Qld 4122
Tel: 07 3349 2745
http://www.chesstuff.com
Price $25 plus postage/packing $5

Ruth Coxhill Memorial: This strong FIDE-rated event - featuring Craig Duxbury (2247 FIDE/2132 ACF), WIM Petra Blazkova 2243, Matthew Sonter (2087/1794), FM Nikolai Stawski (2067/1870) and Justin Pengelley (2059/1834) - has just begun. The top game each round can be followed live at 6.30pm Monday nights, Queensland time, at http://www.gardinerchess.com.

Gold Coast Tin Cup: Casey Barnard and Alex Toolsie have shared first prize in the 2004 Gold Coast Tin Cup. Both scored 5.5/6. There were 74 competitors. Alex Toolsie won the title on countback. Previous winners of this event, inaugurated by Bruce Harris were: 1997 Evan Jones, 1998 John Alkin, 1999 Wally Djachenko, 2000 Leo Wilkinson, 2001 Matthew Sonter, 2002 Jonathan Humphrey and 2003 Phachara Wongwichit.

Prize winners were:
1st= Casey Barnard and Alex Toolsie $350 each
3rd Alex Ruddy $100
Rating Group A 1st= Bruce Harris and Chris Hardy $100 each
Rating Group B 1st Avram Buciu $150 2nd= Daniel Anderson and Steven Cooke $25 each
Rating Group C 1st= Michael Gearing and Jian Blundell $100 each
Rating Group D 1st= Sam Grigg, Jayden Fisher and Ingrid Thompson. My sincere apologies to Ingrid for missing her name out at the prizegiving ceremony.
Rating Group E 1st Greg Scott $150 2nd= Todd Anderson, Shaun Curtis, Alex Buciu and Jonas Muller $15 each

The highlight of the tournament was this game between Casey Barnard and Moulthun Ly in round 5:

Moulthun Ly-Casey Barnard

1 e4 b6 2 Nc3 Bb7 3 d3 e6 4 g3 Be7 5 Bg2 Nf6 6 f4 d5 7 e5 Nfd7 8 Nf3 c5 9 O-O Nc6 10 Ne2 Qc7 11 c3 O-O-O 12 a3 h5 13 h3 f6 14 d4 Nf8 15 dxc Bxc 16 Nd4 fxe 17 fxe Ng6 18 Kh1 Bxd 19 cxd Ba6 20 Rf2 Rhf8 21 Bg5 Re8 22 Rc1 Bb7 23 b4 b5 24 a4 a6 25 axb axb 26 Rfc2 Kb8 27 Rc5 Qb6 28 Qd3 Nh8 29 Rxb5 Qa6 30 Bf1 Na7 31 Qc3 Nb5 32 Bb5 Qb5 33 Qc7 Ka8 34 Rc5 Rc8 35 Qc8 Bc8 36 Rb5 Rf3 37 Bd8 Rc3 38 Ra5 Kb7 39 b5 Nf7 40 Be7 Kb6 41 Ra8 Kb5 42 Bc5 Ba6 43 Rb8 Kc4 44 Rb4 Kd3 45 Rb6 Bc4 46 Rxe6 Ng5 47 Rg6 Nf3 48 Kg2 Ke3 49 e6 Rc2 0-1

Early warning - Surfers Paradise Rapid Tournament with $3,450 in prizes: The Surfers Paradise Management Association is running a Mind Games Event over the last few days of May. They are generously putting up a very attractive prize fund for a one day chess event. The first prize is $1,000 and the tournament runs from 11am to 6pm on Saturday 29 May. Full details will be available shortly. There will also be a novice event for players who have only ever played socially (eg with their family). Prizes for this event will be trophies/medals.

The whole event is likely to be held under a marquee on the Esplanade.

Gold Coast Active Championship: We are looking forward to hosting the Gold Coast Active Championship at the chess centre on Sunday 21 March. This was a popular tournament last year with over 80 entrants.

Australian Clubs Teams Championship: The successful event from Sept 2003, the brainchild of Kerry Corker and Graeme Gardiner, will be repeated at Rydges Oasis Resort, Caloundra from Monday to Friday 27 Sept to 1 Oct. Please contact Graeme ASAP to indicate your interest in participating.

This is an official Australian title event.
Teams of 8, of which at least three must be female and three male. One of the aims of this competition is to promote the social side and family side of club chess. Teams must play in ACF rating order, with a leeway of up to 100 points, and keep in this order throughout the competition. Reserves may be freely substituted. The three females must play at least 80% of (the number of rounds x 3) between them, and at least two of them must play in each round.
Scoring: The primary method of scoring will be individual points, and count-back team points.
Prizes: Trophies for the winning team and boards plus the title of Australian Clubs Team Champion. There are no cash prizes for this event. Just the glory!
Entry Fee: $400 per team (no extra charge for reserves).
Time Controls: 90 mins a side plus 30 secs a move (Fischer)

Schedule:
Monday 27 September 2 Rounds 10am and 3pm (Teams get-to-know-you BBQ 8pm)
Tuesday 28 September Rest Day
Wednesday 29 September 2 Rounds 10am and 3pm
Thusday 30 September Rest Day
Friday 1 October 2 Rounds 10am and 3pm (Presentation Dinner 8pm)

4 teams: double round robin, 6 games
5 teams: 5 rounds, each team plays 4 games
6 teams: 5 rounds, 5 games
7 teams: 7 rounds, each team plays 6 games
8 teams: 7 rounds, 7 games
9+ teams: Swiss Draw, 6 games

All six teams from 2003 have indicated that they will participate this year.
FIDE rated.

Venue/Accommodation: Rydges Oasis Resort, Caloundra on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. This is a 4.5 star luxury resort, only a very short walk to the beach. It has recently won Queensland Catering and Restaurant Awards for Excellence, was a finalist in the Queensland Tourism awards and winner of the Skal International Sunshine Coast Best Restaurant award. By staying in a three bed self catering apartment sleeping seven, you can stay for five days for a total of just under $100 per person. You can stay for longer if you wish at the same rates. This luxury accommodation suits teams and families on a budget. There is a range of accommodation to suit all tastes.

5 Day Rates:
Hotel Spa Room: $495 single or twin share.
Two Bedroom Villa: $495 sleeps 2 to 4.
Three Bedroom Villa: $675 sleeps 7 (Additional roll-away $20 each). (The St George team all happily fitted in to one of these apartments in 2003).
Full details of this great holiday destination can be found at http://www.rydges.com/oasis.

Obviously we as organisers are hoping that all competitors stay at this venue. There are very good reasons why you should:
1. Where else would you get 4.5 star accommodation at a rate of around $20 per person, per day?
2. To maximise the social interaction with your team and opposing team it is always better to stay at the same venue.
3. What a great place to mix a great holiday with serious chess.
4. Social events/dinners/BBQs will be organised. These will be optional at own cost.
5. 200 hotel rooms, suites and self-contained one, two and three bedroom apartments to suit the needs of every guest. All rooms feature free inhouse movies, Sky Channel, direct dial ISD data port telephones. Easy walking distance to the beach and shopping centre. The Deck Restaurant, specialising in fresh seafood and chargrilled steaks. Legends cocktail bar and lounge.
Swimming pool and outdoor heated spa. Children's playground and babysitting service available. Golf putting green. Tennis court. 10 acres of tropical landscaped gardens and water lily lagoons. Comprehensive conference facilities for up to 250 people. 24 hour reception, tour desk. Takeaway meals available from the Restaurant. Games Room. Underwater World not far.
Enquiries and Entries: Graeme Gardiner ggardiner@gardinerchess.com.
Accommodation Bookings: Rydges Oasis Resort rydges_caloundra@rydges.com with a copy to Graeme Gardiner please.

Graeme Gardiner
Gardiner Chess
11 Hardys Road
Mudgeeraba Gold Coast 4213
Australia
Phone +61 7 55227221
Fax +61 7 5522 7760
Email ggardiner@gardinerchess.com
Webpage http://www.gardinerchess.com

Gold Coast Grand Prix events:
Gold Coast Open
Cat 3
Robina Town Centre
26/27 June
Graeme Gardiner 07 5522 7221 ggardiner@gardinerchess.com

Gold Coast Classic
Cat 3
Somerset College
18/19 September
Graeme Gardiner 07 5522 7221 ggardiner@gardinerchess.com

NSW Central Coast January Open:

Place Name                Loc  Score

  1   Nutter, John        1965 8    
  2   Rowlison, Colin N   1739 7    
  3   Robinson, Allen     1551 6    
4-11  Lan, Jonathon       998  4    
      Brown, Phil         1314 4    
      Farrell, Keith R    1352 4    
      Pascoe, John L      1475 4    
      Mathews, Sam        1200 4    
      Skulimowski, Don    1350 4    
      Pandich, Donald     1400 4    
      Hoseman, Bill       959  4    
12-15 Bassett, Duncan     1329 3    
      Burroughs, Adam     1200 3    
      Rizzardini, Armando 1352 3    
      Frias, Joe          1472 3    
 16   Wills, Kevin        924  2    
 17   Delaney, Lorraine   950  1

The Dandenong Club Championship 2003 finished in a four-way tie - now these players are contesting a double round-robin to determine the champion. Round 1 results:
Lojanica, Milenko 0:1 Voon, Richard
Dizdarevic, Mehmedalija 1:0 Machell Don

The Burnie Chess club in Tasmania has a web page at http://www.keypoint.com.au/~phild707/ since 2002. - Phil Donnelly.

Letters: Dear Sir,
I wonder if one of your readers can clear up a mystery for me.
Some years ago, I read about the death of Capablanca, which supposedly occured at the Marshall Chess Club in New York. The article referred to Capablanca " being carried down the stairwell".
When in New York in 1995, I took the opportunity to visit the Marshall Chess Club's premises on 10th Street. I noted the stairwell down which the stricken Capablanca was carried. Everything seemed to fit in nicely with the account I had read.
I spoke to some members present about the death of Capablanca there. They confirmed that this was indeed the place, and even showed me the very table ( which looked out onto a garden courtyard) where he had been playing when he had the heart attack which killed him.
A few years later, I read a second reference to the event, which suggested that it had all taken place at the Manhatten Chess Club ( the other "big" club in New York, of transient venues). I dismissed this as an error.
However, I have just been reading Genna Sosonko's book " The Reliable Past" , where Genna makes reference to the incident, and also claims that it happened at " The Manhattan Chess Club". Furthermore, he suggests Capablanca was playing cards at the time!!
These TWO references to the Manhattan Chess Club ( which, as I recall, was quite distinct from the Marshall Chess Club) have caused me to wonder if Capablanca really did have his heart attack at the Marshall Chess Club on 10th Street ...could it in fact have been someplace else ? Could the apparently kind and helpful members of the Marshall Chess Club been hoodwinking the naive visiting Australian??
I wonder if someone ( perhaps with access to Chess Life and Review from the early forties) might clear this mystery up for me !

Thank you - Peter Frost

Peter.Frost@kingston.vic.gov.au

Can anyone help? - Ed

Games:

Short, N (2702) -- Pogorelov, R (2451)
Gibraltar Masters (4) Catalan Bay ENG
2004.01.30 1-0 B48

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qc7 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 b5 8.O-O-O Nxd4 9.Bxd4 Ne7 10.Kb1 Nc6 11.Be3 Ne5?!

Call me old-fashioned, but this looks like a waste of precious time - and white is already way ahead in development

12.f4 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Qxc4 14.Bd4!?

Retards the development of the Bf8

14...f6 15.g4! Be7 16.g5 O-O 17.b3 Qc6 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Rhg1 b4 20.Nd5!!

A spectacular start to a remarkable, prolonged attack

20...exd5 21.e5! Be7 22.e6! Rf6

( If 22...Bf6?! 23.e7!! Re8 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.Qxd5+ and white wins the Ra8 )

23.f5! dxe6 24.Rxg7+!!

Another stunner

24...Kxg7 25.Qg5+ Kf7 26.Rg1

threatening Qg8 mate

26...Bf8

There doesn't seem anything better

27.Qxf6+ Ke8 28.Rg8 Qd6 29.fxe6 Qe7

( 29...Bxe6 30.Rxf8+!! Qxf8 31.Qxe6+ Kd8 ( 31...Qe7 32.Qc6+ and white will emerge a piece ahead ) 32.Bb6# )

30.Qh6

Threatening Bg7

30...Rb8 31.Bf6 Qxe6

( 31...Qd6 32.Qh5# )

32.Rxf8+ Kd7 33.Qg7+ Kc6 34.Be5! Rb7 35.Qh8

There's no defence against the two threats of Rxc8+ and Rf6. A superb game!

1-0

Naiditsch, Arkadij -- Enders, Peter
DEM 2004 (5.6) Höckendorf
2004.02.03 1-0 B98

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 h6 9.Bh4 g5!?

Provoking wild complications

10.fxg5 Nfd7 11.Nxe6!

This has been seen before - in Tal-Benko from the 1960s, I think - but it's always nice to see

11...fxe6 12.Qh5+ Kf8 13.Bb5!!

Rh7

( 13...axb5 14.O-O+ Bf6 15.Rxf6+ Nxf6 16.Rf1 Nd7 17.e5 dxe5 18. Ne4 is one possibility )

14.O-O+ Kg8 15.g6! Rg7 16.Rf7! Bxh4 17.Qxh6! Rxf7

( 17...Bf6 18.Rxg7+ Bxg7 19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Rf1+ Nf6 21.Rxf6+ Bxf6 22.Qf7# )

18.gxf7+ Kxf7 19.Rf1+ Bf6 20.e5! dxe5 21.Ne4 axb5 22.Qh7+ Kf8

( 22...Ke8?? 23.Nd6+ Kf8 24.Qf7# )

23.Qh8+ Ke7 24.Qh7+ Kf8 25.Nxf6 Qb6+

( 25...Nxf6 26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Qxf6+ Kd7 28.Rd1+ +- )

26.Kh1 Nxf6 27.Rxf6+ Ke8 28.Rf7

Lovely to watch!!!

1-0

This was arguably the decisive encounter from the recent Australian Junior. Bourmistrov beat tournament favourite, Sam Chow, and went on to win the tournament.

Denis Bourmistrow -- Sam Chow
Australian Junior 2004, Round 5
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Nh4 e6 7.Nxf5 exf5 8.e3 g6 9.Bxc4 Bg7 10.O-O O-O 11.f3 Nbd7 12.Qc2 c5 13.Rd1 cxd4 14.exd4 Rc8 15.Bb3 Nb6 16.Bg5 Qd7 17.d5 Qd6 18.Qd3 a6 19.a5 Nbd7 20.Na4 Nc5 21.Nxc5 Qxc5+ 22.Be3 Qd6 23.Qd2 Nd7 24.Rac1 Qe5 25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.d6 Qb5 27.Qd5 Qxd5 28.Bxd5 Bxb2 29.Bxb7 Rd8 30.Bxa6 Ra8 31.Bb5 Nf8 32.a6 Ne6 33.a7 f4 34.Bb6 1-0

Wohl in Geneva: IM Alex Wohl scored 4.5/9 in the Geneva International last week.
Leading final scores (45 players including 17 grandmasters):
E.Alekseev (GM RUS 2609), V.Milov (GM SUI 2632), A.Moiseenko (GM UKR 2623), P.Eljanov (GM UKR 2596) all 6.5

Another Aussie troubador, Nick Speck, was less successful in the Gibraltar tournament, apparently withdrawing from the event.

Leading final scores of the German Championship in Hockendorf (46 players, including 15 grandmasters, 9 rounds):
A.Graf (GM 2629) 7.5, J.Gustafsson (GM 2572) 6.5

Upcoming tournaments

2004 Chart/Zylstra Challenge Fremantle Chess Club Stan Reilly Centre, 94 South Terrace, Fremantle Times: 7.45 p.m. Six consecutive Tuesdays, commencing Tuesday, February 10. 6 round Swiss 40 minutes + 30s/move per player. Fees: Players may pay either $25 or $12.50. Players electing to pay $12.50 will be eligible for 50% x prizes. No cash no play, no exceptions. Prizes: 1. 40% 2. 25% 3. 15% U1750: 15% Entries: Ray Johnstone, 7 Bruce St, Nedlands 6009 ray@iinet.com.au Entries close: 7.15 p.m. Tuesday, February 10. All competitors should be registered with CAWA.

City of Sydney Championships 2004 29 Feb to 28 March Venue: Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club 117 Ryedale Rd, West Ryde Registration Closes 23rd Feb, late applications accepted until 10:30am 29th Feb (Sundays) 9 rounds - 2 rounds a day Starting Times: Morning Rd 11.00am Afternoon Rd 4.00pm Presentation then City of Sydney Lightning 4.00pm, 28th March FIDE time control 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move from the start Entry Fees: Adult $80, Under 18 $50, Under 14 $30. $10 Late fee for Registration after 22nd Feb Open: 1st $600 2nd $400 3rd $200 U2000, U1800, U1600, U1400, Junior: 1st $250 2nd $150 3rd $100 FIDE rated All NSW resident players must be members of (or join) the NSWCA or the NSWJCL Contact Ralph Seberry [0403 991 730], NSWCA website: Cheques payable to NSWCA Inc. [or email to Ralph Seberry] NSW Chess Association G.P.O Box 2418 Sydney 2001

Drouin Open Chess Championship ACF Grand Prix Category 1 Tournament Saturday/Sunday, 21st & 22nd February Old Council Chambers Young St, Drouin View Map 7 Round Swiss 60 minutes + 10 seconds per move Entry fees: free Entry for GM’s & IM’s $40 Full $35 Concession $20 Juniors (under 18) Payment accepted by cash, cheque or credit card. Phone 9576-8177 to enter over the phone. Late entry after 14th Feb will incur $10 late-fee. Enter online Prizes: $500/$300/$200 plus Ratings Prizes and Junior Prizes depending on entries Confirmed entry IM Leonid Sandler **Chess Kids will be taking a group of kids, cost $154 all inclusive (entry fees, transport, food, accommodation, coaching (with IM Sandler and Cordover) and game preparation). Email for bookings.

Toukley under 2000 21-22 Feb NSW Toukley RSL Club Holmes Avenue, Toukley 2263 DOP: Brian and Lee Jones First prize $300 plus many other prizes 60 minutes followed by 10 seconds/move Adult Fee $50 Concession Fee $35 Junior Fee $35 Please make cheques payable to White Knight Chess Club Mail cheque and entry form to: Brian Jones, PO Box 370, Riverstone, NSW 2765 02 9838 1529

Laurieton Chess Club Chessplayers are invited to the 4th annual Laurieton 'One Day Chess' Tournament Sunday 29 February 2004 10:30 am. Start - 7 Rds., 25 min. per Player Venue: Laurieton United Servicemen's Club Games Rated - Cash Prizes subject to entries The decision of Tournament Directors is final. Primary & High School Students most welcome. Entry Fees; $ 12 Seniors - $ 5 under 18 years. This is a Non-Smoking Tournament. Free Refreshments. Club Bistro open for $ 4 Lunch. Contact: Endel 6559 9060

Box Hill New Season Swiss Starts Tuesday 10 February Finishes 30 March 2004 7 round SWISS 60 minutes +30sec/move ppp/pg 7.45pm start each evening Entry $20, $15 Visitors fee $15 covers whole tournament Entries close 7.30pm 10/2/4. Messages can be left on the club mobile 0409 259 490

38th Ballarat Begonia tournament (6-8th March 2004). We are hoping to even emulate last years effort when we had a record of 120 entrants. Invitations are extended for the 38th Ballarat Begonia Open to be conducted by the Ballarat Chess Club Inc. The tournament will be FIDE rated. It will be held at the regular venue, which offers excellent playing conditions and is located in the heart of the city close to all facilities. Date: The Victorian Labour Day long weekend, Saturday 6th to Monday 8th March 2004. Venue: Amenities Centre, Old Gaol Building, School of Mines, Lydiard St South, Ballarat. Schedule: The tournament will be a 7 round Swiss starting at 1.30 pm Saturday with the final round on Monday at 2.00 pm. The rate of play will be 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move increment from move 1. Entries: $60.00 adult, $50.00 concession for pensioners and unemployed $30 for juniors under 14 years of age. Prizes: Outright prizes: 1st $1,000 2nd $500 3rd $300 4th $200 Three Rating Groups: 1st $250 2nd $100 All prizes are guaranteed by the club. General: The organising committee has pre-booked a limited quantity of budget accommodation, which will be allocated on first application basis, so if you are interested please contact us early.
Contacts. Telephone: Patrick Cook 0353316658 or Bas van Riel 03 53316439 Postal: Box1242, Ballarat Mail Centre Vic 3354 E-mail: bvanriel@ncable.net.au Web site: http://www.auschess.org.au/ballarat/bccindex.htm
Chess Kids coaches (one of our sponsors) will be providing supervision and coaching at the Ballarat Begonia Weekender (Mar 6-8). Fly in from another state and they will meet you at the airport to get you there! Please contact David Cordover on 0411 877 833 or cordover@chessworld.com.au if you would like more details or to receive application forms.

University Open: 10th & 11th of July 4th Floor Union Building, Adelaide University $4000 Prizes, $1000 first A Category Three Grand Prix event Entry Fees: $40 Adult, $30 concession GM Ian Rogers is a confirmed entrant Details

Asian Cities Chess Team Championship 20-28 March 2004, Manila, Philippines Organizing Committee Secretariat: 4th Floor, Philippine Sports Commission Admin Bldg., RMSC, Pablo Ocampo Sr. St., Malate, Manila, Philippines Tel: +63-2-525 49 33, 521 33 67 Fax: +63-2-303 10 32 attn: Mr. Ariel Paredes 20th (arrival) to 28th (departure) March 2004 in Manila. The Organizing Committee shall host one team per country composed of 4 players plus 1 reserve and captain. Extra teams may participate at their own expense. Attached are the regulations, confirmation form, team composition and registration form. Please confirm your participation by 31st January 2004 to FIDE Delegate Casto Abundo of the Organizing Committee and submit the team composition and registration forms by 20th February 2004. - Atty. Matias V. Defensor President National Chess Federation of the Philippines

The Italo-Australian Club 42nd Doeberl Cup A Class 3 ACF Grand Prix Event 9-12 April 2004 Location: The Italo-Australian Club, 78 Franklin Street, Forrest, Canberra, ACT. Total Prizes: $10,000 Premier Division (FIDE-rated; Rated over 1600 only): First $2200 Full details

World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad Calicut (Kozhikode), Kerala, India July 1-9 10 Round Swiss. 4-player teams 90 minutes/30 seconds increment Free board and lodging to a team of 4 players and the official, for nine days from 1st July to 9th July. For further details, please contact: P.T. Ummer Koya, Organising Secretary and Secretary General, AICF and Vice President FIDE, Chessindia Complex, Meenchanda, Post Nallalam, Calicut – 673 027, INDIA Phone : (91) 495 – 2420327, 2420727 Fax : (91) 495 – 2422033, 2421005 Email Website

Dubbo RSL Open (NSW) Class 1 Grand Prix Event Incorporating the NSW Country Championship (NSWCA country members eligible for Country title) Dubbo RSL Club Corner Brisbane and Wingewarra Streets, Dubbo 13-14 March 2004 Saturday 10:30am 1:30pm 4:00pm Sunday 9:30am 12:00pm 2:30pm Registration: 10:00am - 10:30am $350 first prize guaranteed Also U1700, U1400, unrated, junior prize depending on entries Entry fees: Adults $40, Concession $30, Juniors $20 (a $5 dollar discount if paid by 1/3/2004) Cheques payable to Dubbo RSL Chess Club 60 minutes + 10 sec per player. Contacts: Alexander Aich 02 6884 4561 or Trevor Bemrose 02 6882 2725. (come an extra day and visit our famous Zoo)

Chess World Open Friday night starts Feb 13 7.30pm Enter individually or as a team (up to 4 players). 7.30pm start. 7 rounds IM Sandler, FM Depasquale, Bjelobrk, Hacche playing $50 entry fee or $150 for team of 4.

Mt Buller, January 2005. Australian Open, Australian Junior and National Schools Finals! Plus the International Mind Sports Olympiad! Cheap accommodation, plenty of activities, movies, coaching, games and more - much, much more! Keep your eye on mindsports

Grand Prix tournaments:

Drouin Open Chess Championship
ACF Grand Prix Category 1 Tournament
Saturday/Sunday, 21st & 22nd February
Old Council Chambers Young St, Drouin
View Map

The Italo-Australian Club 42nd Doeberl Cup
A Class 3 ACF Grand Prix Event
9-12 April 2004
Location: The Italo-Australian Club, 78 Franklin Street, Forrest, Canberra, ACT.
Total Prizes: $10,000
Premier Division (FIDE-rated; Rated over 1600 only): First $2200
Full details

Gold Coast Open
Cat 3
Robina Town Centre
26/27 June
Graeme Gardiner 07 5522 7221 ggardiner@gardinerchess.com

Gold Coast Classic
Cat 3
Somerset College
18/19 September
Graeme Gardiner 07 5522 7221 ggardiner@gardinerchess.com

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Best wishes till next time
- Paul Broekhuyse
broekhuysep@bigpond.com
19 Gill Avenue, Avoca Beach, NSW 2251
02 4382 4525
0408 824525