Editorial
by Miles Patterson
Welcome to the October 2024 ACF Newsletter. Thanks for all the contributions for this issue. More are always welcome, especially event reports.
ACF Notices
FIDE RATING SUBMISSIONS
Note that events for FIDE ratings that are completed in the last seven days of the month need to be submitted to ACF FIDE Ratings Officer Bill Gletsos for ratings immediately so that any issues with them can be resolved in time for events to be rated in that month. Also note that intended changes of names or dates of FIDE-rated events need to be notified immediately as they may affect the event's rating status. Note also that all FIDE rated events must be submitted for ACF ratings – no exceptions.
FIDE RATED EVENT REGISTRATION
Australian tournaments to be FIDE rated must be advised to the ACF FIDE Ratings Officer at least 40 days prior to the start of the tournament for tournaments where norms are available and at least 7 days prior to the start of the tournament for all other tournaments. Where these conditions are not met, the decision whether to register it or not is solely at the discretion of the ACF FIDE Ratings Officer.
FIDE ID NUMBER REGISTRATION
FIDE has issued a warning that they will not accept tournaments for FIDE rating where those tournaments contain players who do not have FIDE ID numbers. Although new Australian players can be registered by the ACF FIDE Ratings Officer, this does not apply to new players from overseas. Therefore, organisers should not immediately accept the entries of overseas players who lack FIDE ID numbers to FIDE rated tournaments; instead, those players should be required to first obtain a FIDE ID from their own national federation.
Tournaments submitted that include foreign players who do not have ID numbers end up not being FIDE rated. Organisers need to confirm prior to the start of the tournament that all players without a FIDE ID number are either Australian citizens or have a permanent residency visa.
Players without ID numbers should only be submitted as Australian if they are citizens or are a permanent residency visa holder; if a player is registered under the wrong country, they may incur transfer costs later. For further information/clarification contact the ACF FIDE Ratings Officer Bill Gletsos via fide_ratings@auschess.org.au.
AUSTRALIAN REPRESENTATIVE INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR CHESS TOURNAMENTS
Any inquiries can be sent to Selections Director Tom Saltmarsh, at selections_director@auschess.org.au.
ACF POSITIONS
The following ACF Council-appointed positions are vacant. Councillors and others wishing to inquire or register interest in appointment to one or more of these positions are welcome to email executive@auschess.org.au or phone 0409 525 963 at any time.
Advertising Manager. It has been suggested that, ideally, the appointee would be a person with an interest in coordinating advertising in both the ACF newsletter and website, and at or in connection with ACF championships, the Grand Prix and other major ACF events.
Assistant Secretary. This position and the currently filled position of Assistant Treasurer were created to provide opportunities for younger administrators to experience the joys of chess administration at national level.
Archives Director. Generally, the Archives Director would be expected to gather, maintain and build a repository of records and documents that might be of historical interest or value, or which might help in confirming the organisation’s status or credibility for a variety of purposes.
Trophies Officer. Responsibilities relating to trophies and other mementos to be presented in connection with ACF Championships and other events.
ACF FUNDING SUPPORT PROGRAM
The application deadline for activities commencing between 1 March 2025 and 31 August 2025 is 31 December 2024. Application forms and related information are available on request to executive@auschess.org.au.
News from the States / Territories
Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory Chess Association (ACTCA)
Upcoming Events
Street Chess
Every Saturday. From 10.45 to 2.30. King O’Malley’s in Civic.
2024 Vikings Weekender
15th to 17th November 2024, 6 round FIDE-rated Swiss,
Vikings Club, Erindale, ACT
New South Wales
New South Wales Chess Association Inc (NSWCA)
Recent Events
2024 NSWCA October Weekender
1 IM George Wendi Xie 6.5, 2= CM Tri Kien Le, Vu Ky Anh Nguyen 6.0 (117 players)
Upcoming Events
2024 Gosford Open 26-27 October.
Venue: Central Coast Leagues Club (Parkview Room), Dane Drive, Gosford
For full information, and to enter, please go to the NSWCA website, www.nswca.org.au
For further inquiries, please email rod.tiffen@sydney.edu.au or keith@gosfordchess.com
Northern Territory
Northern Territory Chess Association
Queensland
Recent Events
2024 Queensland Chess Championships
1st GM David Smerdon, 7.5/9, 2nd FM Yi Liu 7, 3rd CM Jayden Ooi 6.5 (37 players)
2024 Queensland Under 1600 Championships
1st= 1 Rishik Sood, Benjamin Martin, Grace Yin, Henry Liu, Harrison Bennett, 5.5/7 (57 players)
Upcoming Events
Bundaberg Classic
2-3 November 2024, St Luke’s School, 4 Mezger Rd, Bundaberg.
2024 Queensland Seniors Chess Championship
November 16-17, 2024, Grace Lutheran College - Rothwell Campus, Anzac Ave &, Mewes Rd, Rothwell QLD
2024 Christmas Special
December14 & 15
Venue: F & J Blocks Grace Lutheran College, Buchanan St, Rothwell.
South Australia
South Australian Chess Association Inc (SACA)
Recent Events
August Rapid 2024 Results
1st Edgar Mdinaradze, 4/4
2nd James Bayliss, 3
12 players
August Allegro #1 2024 Results
1st Mathew Drogemuller, 5/5
2nd Chen Bi Zang, 4
15 players
August Booster 2024 Results
=1st Edgar Mdinaradze & Chen Bi Zang, 4/5
3rd Ayman Almutawa, 3.5
10 players
August Blitz #1 2024 Results
=1st Edgar Mdinaradze & Tony Ayris, 9/11
3rd James Bayliss, 8
18 players
August Allegro #2 2024 Results
=1st Tony Ayris, Ayman Almutawa & Chen Bi Zang 4/5
11 players
South Australian Rapid Championship 2024 Results
1st James Bayliss, 6.5/7
2nd Jeff Hams, 5.5
=3rd Edgar Mdinaradze & Ayman Almutawa, 5.
Best Junior: Manav Karthikeyan
Rating Performance: Ashmit Dileesh
30 players
August Blitz #2 2024 Results
1st Ayman Almutawa, 9/9
2nd Kyle Leaver, 8
=3rd Mathew Drogemuller & David Chesney, 6
13 players
City of Adelaide 2024 Results
1st Kyle Leaver, 8.5/9
2nd Max Pritchard, 7
=3rd James Boyd-Norman, Charles Newbold & Ayman Almutawa; 6.5
45 players
September Round Robin Invitational 2024 Results
1st Gabriel Harding, 5.5/7
2nd Charles Newbold, 5
=3rd James Bayliss & Aaron Perkins, 4
8 players
Upcoming Events
Sunday 13 October, October Booster 2024
Thursday 17 October, October Blitz #1 2024
Thursday 24 October, October Allegro #2 2024
Thursday 31 October, October Blitz #2 2024
Thursdays 7 & 14 November, SA Seniors Chess Championship 2024
Thursday 7 November, November Rapid 2024
Sunday 10 November, November Booster 2024
Thursday 14 November, November Allegro #1 2024
Tasmania
Tasmanian Chess Association Inc (TCA)
Upcoming Events
Launceston Northern Champs 2024
Saturday, November 30, 2024, 09:30 17:00
Rocherlea Memorial Hall, 41 Archer Street, Rocherlea, TAS
Details: https://www.tasmanianchessassociation.org/tournaments-enter/launceston-north-champs-2024
Victoria
Upcoming Events
2024 Australasian Masters
Melbourne, 14th to 22nd December 2024
2025 Australian Open Chess Championships
Melbourne, 2nd to 11th January 2025
Western Australia
Chess Association of Western Australia Inc (CAWA)
Recent Events
2024 South West Open
Tim Hare - Winner of the South West Open 2024 with a score of 5.5/6
Michael Molenaar and Allan Miller - joint WA Country Champions
Seamus Maclaughlin - Winner of the South West Rapid 2024 with a perfect score of 6.0/6
Upcoming Events
2025 Australian Junior Chess Championships - Perth, 13 - 21 January 2025
Manning Community Hall in Manning, WA
New Zealand
New Zealand Chess News (newzealandchess.nz)
Recent Events
28-29 September NZCF National Interschools Finals 2024
1st Primary: Willow Park Primary. 1st Intermediate: Northcross Intermediate. 1st Secondary: Wellington College.
4-6 October Southern Chess Classic 2024
1st: FM Michael V R Steadman. 2nd equal and Southland Champion: Atlas Kerr.
5-6 October Auckland Blitz Rapid October 2024
1st Blitz: Daqi Mao. 1st equal Rapid: Yanbo Jin. 1st equal Rapid: Daqi Mao. 1st equal Rapid: Zi Yao (Kelvin) Wang. 1st equal Rapid: Euan McDougall.
Upcoming Events
13 October Summit Rookies October 2024
20 October NZ Fischer-Random Championship 2024
26-28 October Merv Morrison Memorial 2024
9-11 November NZ Women's Championship 2024
16 November North Island Rapid Championships 2024
1 December Otago Summer Rapid 2024
1 December Summit Rookies December 2024
7-8 December Papatoetoe Rapid 2024
2-12 January NZ Chess Congress 2025
13-19 January Bob Wade Masters 2025
8 February Hawkes Bay Rapid 2025
22 February 19th Bay of Plenty Rapid 2025
International News
Olympiad Postscript
By IM Leonid Sandler
I am sure that many of our readers were following our team's endeavours at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. Paul Power, David Smerdon, Jack Rogers wrote excellent reports from the ground amongst some others.
For me it was a pleasure to captain the Women's Team from Saint Lucia, a small island nation (population of 180000 people) in the eastern Caribbean.
Saint Lucia team at the team breakfast
Thanks to the FIDE Women's Commission (Chair Australian Anastasia Sorokina) a fantastic new project called the National Female Team Initiative, Saint Lucia Women's team (amongst seven other small nations teams) participated in their very first Olympiad! The FIDE Women's Commission excellent report with plenty of photos can be viewed here.
I am very proud of my Team who performed admirably with all players who were always eager to learn. Three winning matches and two draws was very solid result and with a bit of luck with last round pairings we were very close to winning medals in Group E. Full results for Saint Lucia Women's Team can be seen here
Team Captain in Budapest. Go Saint Lucia!
During the Olympiad I was regularly meeting my fellow Australians including International Arbiters Peter Tsai and Elsa Yueh Huang. Jamie Kenmure was listed to captain a team from the Central African Republic but unfortunately this team was not able to obtain visas. This was Chess Olympiad number 10 for me with hopefully more to come.
Upcoming International Events
Singapore International Open 2024
Study of the Month
White to play and win
Solution at the end of the newsletter.
Book Review
By IM Gary Lane
The London Files- Defanging the London System,
by Vassilios Kotronias & Mikhail Ivanov published by Russell Enterprises, 272 pages.
An opening repertoire for Black to take on the dreaded London System starting with 1…Nf6.
There is a strong case that with online chess that The London is played by people who want something formulaic and boring to avoid any opening traps. I think they might have a point, but the reality is that White continues to win many games with the solid system, so it is impossible to refute.
The aim of the Greek and Russian grandmaster authors is to give Black a variety of decent move-orders to lure White away from the ability to plod out the standard moves every time without thinking.
In one of the chapters The London Benoni, a radical idea caught my attention After the moves 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bf4 c5 3 e3 Black can choose to continue with 3…Nd5 which looks great and gives White a major decision to make after a handful of moves. If that all looks too modern for some then there is an alternative line for Black featuring 3…Qb6, which also requires accurate play by White to maintain the equilibrium.
The illustrative games tend to be analysed to around move twenty so that most of the important work is concentrated in the opening. This works well and although a lot of positions end up being equal there is plenty of prose to explain the plans for both sides making it easier to successfully transition from the opening to the middlegame.
The other chapters include King’s Indian Setups, Nimzo-Indian and Queen’s Indian. There is even time for 30 pages looking at 1 d4 and now …d5 so the coverage for Black is fairly comprehensive. It certainly makes it easier for improving players to be given options on how to cope with the London rather than having to navigate thousands of games on a database trying to work out a good response.
An excellent guide on how to take on the London System and provoke mayhem.
Looking Back
The Chess Engine Room of Yesteryear
By Bob Meadley
Recently on a visit to the Mitchell Library and the City Council Archives in Sydney, a very helpful Archivist, Jennifer Palmer, sent me architects sketches of 1 Bond Street for the 1911 renovations. This was the chess engine room from 1938-1962 when Cecil Purdy had his Chess World offices that produced the famous magazines “Check” “Australasian Chess Review” and then from 1946 “Chess World”. He continued after then at 333 George Street near Wynyard.
This fine four-story building had offices occupied by E.A. Dunstan who had an export business and also a love of chess which resulted in him giving a room to Cecil, which ended in occupation of all the offices. The fourth-floor plan on the bottom RHS has a freehand line and arrow from the offices to the stairs and lift. Cecil Purdy had strong legs going up & down those stairs. The ornate building was in brick and the lift and stairs were at the eastern end of the building on the southern side of George Street and Bond Street. The Work Room and offices are shown on the right. (See X)
It was quite a climb for chess book buyers if the lift wasn’t working. Cecil then took the typed monthly instalment of ACR or CW to the printer Harry Campbell in Bridge Street Epping. And he did that every month for 24 years here and five more from 333 George Street once 1 Bond Street was demolished for Australia Square. I only went there three times at most but had the pleasure of seeing the very young Max Fuller & Trevor Hay there and meeting and talking with Cecil ca 1958-62.
Links
Laws of Chess
FIDE Laws of Chess with effect 1 January 2023
Ratings
Pairing Programs
Vega or Orion only accepted for FIDE and ACF rating with effect 1 June 2021
Other FIDE endorsed pairing programs:
Calculators
ACF Rating Calculator with Barry Cox
ACF Rating Lookup Dave Thomas
Federations
Commonwealth Chess Association
State & Territory Associations
Australian Capital Territory Australian Capital Territory Chess Association Inc (ACTCA)
New South Wales New South Wales Chess Association Inc (NSWCA)
Queensland Chess Association of Queensland Inc (CAQ)
South Australia South Australian Chess Association Inc (SACA)
Tasmania Tasmanian Chess Association Inc (TCA)
Victoria Chess Victoria Inc (CV)
Western Australia Chess Association of Western Australia Inc (CAWA)
Junior Chess
West Australia See "Juniors" tab
Correspondence chess
Correspondence Chess League of Australia
International Correspondence Chess Federation
Variants
Chess960 Position Generators
Internet Forums
United States Chess Federation
Newspaper columns archived
West Australian David Ellis
Blogs
chessexpress FM Shaun Press
chess.business/blog Gary Lane's Book Reviews
GM Max Illingworth’s Blog GM Max Illingworth
Infinite Chess IM Junta Ikeda
newzealandchess.nz New Zealand Chess News
YouTube
Games Archive
Australian Chess Paul Summers
OzBase Paul Dunn
Problem Composition
World Federation for Chess Composition
OzProblems Peter Wong
Graphics
VirtualPieces Peter Wong
Disability
International Physically Disabled Chess Association
International Braille Chess Association
International Chess Committee of the Deaf
Suppliers
Australian Chess Enterprises Richmond NSW
Australian Chess Supplies Online Chess Shop
Canberra Academy of Chess Phillip ACT
Chess Australia South Yarra Vic
Chess School SA Salisbury SA
Chess Store Australia Burleigh Heads Qld
Chess World Ormond Vic
Gambit Chess Supplies Harrington Park NSW
Gardiner Chess Mudgeeraba Qld
Knights & Bytes Hindmarsh SA
Lakner Chess Perth SA
Northern Star Chess Balwyn North Vic
Sydney Academy of Chess Burwood NSW
Topchess Qld
Total Chess Perth WA
Chess Clubs
Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory Chess Association Inc (ACTCA)
Gungahlin (Belconnen) Gungahlin
Canberra Woden
Tuggeranong Wanniassa
Street Chess Canberra Home Page Street Chess
New South Wales
New South Wales Chess Association Inc (NSWCA)
For details and links of NSW chess clubs, see: NSW Chess Association (nswca.org.au) chess clubs
Albury
Armidale
Bathurst Community Chess Club Inc.
Cabra-Vale Diggers Chess Club – Canley Vale
Campbelltown Collegians
Canterbury Bulldogs - Lakemba
Central Coast Leagues (aka Gosford)
Circular Quay Chess Club
Coffs Harbour Chess Club
Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club - Lidcombe
Dubbo
Ettalong
Harbord Diggers - Freshwater
Knightclub – Marrickville
Laurieton
Moree Chess Club
Newcastle District Chess Association
Norths (Chatswood) – Cammeray
NSW Junior Chess League (for players Under 18)
Optus Yes Chess Club – Macquarie Park
Orange NSW - Colour City Chess Club
Parramatta Chess Club
Penrith RSL Chess Club
Richmond Club Chess Club
Rooty Hill RSL
Ryde Eastwood – Rest Ryde
South Sydney Juniors Chess Club – Kingsford
St George -Kogarah
Sydney Academy of Chess – Burwood
Sydney Chess Club – Burwood
Tamworth Chess Club
University of NSW – Kensington
University of Sydney
UTS Chess Club – Ultimo
Wagga Chess Club
Wollongong Chess Club
New Zealand
New Zealand Chess Federation Inc (NZCF)
Mount Maunganui RSA Chess Club
Northern Territory
Northern Territory Chess Association
Queensland
Chess Association of Queensland Inc (CAQ)
Brisbane Woolloongabba
Bundaberg https://bundabergchessclub-com.webs.com/
Cairns Facebook
Gold Coast Coomera/Burleigh Heads
Logan City Rochedale
Mackay
Noosa Shire Tewantin Contact Peter Cam: noosachess@gmail.com
City of Redcliffe Rothwell
Suncoast Buderim Suncoast Chess Club - Home
Springfield Ipswich Chess Club Springfield Lakes. Contact Tyson Walker, president@springfieldchessclub.com.au
Toowoomba Contact: Sam Buckley sam@toowoombachessclub.com.au
Townsville Pimlico
South Australia
South Australian Chess Association Inc (SACA)
Adelaide University North Terrace
LeFevre Queenstown
Marion Cultural Oaklands Park
Modbury Modbury North
West Torrens North Plympton
Tasmania
Tasmanian Chess Association Inc (TCA)
Burnie Havenview
Devonport East Devonport
Hobart Sandy Bay
Launceston Kings Meadow
Victoria
Chess Victoria Inc (CV)
Bandicoot Craigieburn
Box Hill Ashwood
Canterbury Junior Ashwood
Chess Artists Caulfield
Hobsons Bay Altona
Melbourne Fitzroy
Western Australia
Chess Association of Western Australia Inc (CAWA)
Albany Chess Club e-mail: akritaspearce556@gmail.com
Rockingham City Chess Connection e-mail: gregburgess1949@yahoo.com.au
South Perth Senior Citizens Social Chess Club Tel: 9367 9880
Southern Suburbs Chess Club (Facebook page)
UWA Chess Association (Facebook page)
Crobs Coffee and Chess (Facebook page)
ACF Personnel
The Australian Chess Federation is an incorporated association (number A 01325) under the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 of the ACT. It is the governing chess organisation in Australia and is affiliated to FIDE (the Fédération Internationale des Échecs).
ACF COUNCIL
State Asssociation Delegates
NSWCA Delegate: Richard Gastineau-Hills nswcouncillor@auschess.org.au
CV Delegate: Leonid Sandler viccouncillor@auschess.org.au
CAQ Delegate: Shaun Curtis qldcouncillor@auschess.org.au
SACA Delegate: Misheck Muza sacouncillor@auschess.org.au
TCA Delegate: Tom Saltmarsh tascouncillor@auschess.org.au
ACTCA Delegate: Cam Cunningham actcouncillor@auschess.org.au
CAWA Delegate: Andrew Hardegen andrewhardegen@iinet.net.au
Executive Committee
President: Gary Wastell president@auschess.org.au
Deputy President: Bill Gletsos deputy president@auschess.org.au
Vice-President: Kevin Bonham vice president1@auschess.org.au
Vice-President: Andrew Hardegen vice president2@auschess.org.au
Secretary: Rob Watson secretary@auschess.org.au
Treasurer: Bob Keast treasurer@auschess.org.au
COUNCIL-APPOINTED PERSONNEL
Assistant Secretary: Vacant
Assistant Treasurer: Misheck Muza asst treasurer@auschess.org.au
Auditor: Ross Hamilton auditor@auschess.org.au
Equipment Coordinator: Bob Keast equipment officer@auschess.org.au
FIDE Delegate & Admin Officer: Dr. Kevin Bonham fide delegate@auschess.org.au
FIDE Ratings Officer: Bill Gletsos fide ratings@auschess.org.au
Junior Chess Coordinator: Vacant. Enquiries to: junior chess coordinator@auschess.org.au
Medals & Awards Convenor: Gary Wastell awards@auschess.org.au
National Ratings Officer: Bill Gletsos acfratings@auschess.org.au
National Ratings Officer: Graham Saint g_saint@tpg.com.au
Newsletter Editor: Keong Ang auschessnews@chessnews.asia
Newsletter Editor: Miles Patterson newsletter editor@auschess.org.au
Public Officer: Cam Cunningham public officer@auschess.org.au
Publicity Director: Paul Power publicity@auschess.org.au
Selections Director: Tom Saltmarsh selections director@auschess.org.au
Webmaster: David Esmonde webmaster@auschess.org.au
Solution to Study of the Month
White to play and win
Solution:
1 Bh7+ Kd4 (1…Kf4 2 Qg3++) 2 Qb4+ Kd5 3 Bg8+ Qxg8 4 Qb3+.
(Alexey Troitsky 1898)
Newsletter Article Contributions
Please email the editor if there is something you would like published in the next edition of this newsletter.
Examples of articles:
Upcoming chess event.
Results of a chess event that was completed since the last newsletter was published.
Any information that is chess related, especially Australian chess, that could be interesting.