No. 646

9 August 2025

Aug 08, 2025

Editorial

by Miles Patterson

Welcome to the August 2025 ACF Newsletter. Thanks for all the contributions for this issue. More are always welcome, especially event reports, and photographs are good, too. Please note the ACF request for nominations for the 2025 awards and medals.

Please note: The ACF Newsletter is a long post. If you are reading this in email, please scroll down to the end and open the entire message, so you can enjoy the full content.

ACF Notices

COMING INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Please address registrations of interest and other inquiries concerning the following forthcoming events to selections_director@auschess.org.au and phone 0499 996 559 or 0409 525 963 if not acknowledged within 48 hours. Copies of inquiries relating to events limited to Junior, Youth, Cadet or other under-age categories must also be sent to juniors_coordinator@auschess.org.au

To enable time for local selection procedures and related purposes, ACF application deadlines can be significantly earlier than deadlines indicated in organisers’ published regulations.

FIDE World Seniors Championships

Gallipoli, Italy, October 20 to November 2. Time control: Standard. Eligibility: Seniors>50 born 1975 (or earlier); Seniors>65 born 1960 (or earlier). Links: Host Organiser’s Regulations  Event Information  Deadline: 15 August 2025

Asian Schools Chess Championship 2025

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. October 24 to November 2. Time control: Standard. Eligibility: refer Regulations when available. Links: FIDE Calendar . ACF Deadline: TBA

FIDE World Cadet Championships 18 September - 1 October 2025 - Selections

U8 Official player: Nicholas Chen. Additional players: Aidan Batrybekov, Brian Yang.

U8G Official player: Mia Tan. Additional players: Yun Li (Charlotte) Ong, Eleanor Wu.

U10 Official player: Zining Jia. Additional players: Kaisar Batrybekov, Joshua Kai-En Huang, Taran Nisha Raj

U10G Official player: Adelyn Wang. U12G Official player: Emma Zhou.

Head of Delegation: Kuanysh Batrybekov.

FIDE World Youth Championship 3-16 October 2025 - Selections

U14 Official player: Ashvin Balavignan. U14G Official player: Elaina Qiang.

U16 Official player: Ethan Chang. Additional player: Oscar Gao.

U16G Official player: Linda Qian. Additional player: Yicheng Li.

U18 Official player: Fu Yihe (Ribo). U18G Official player: Chao Xin Cheng.

ACF MEDALS & AWARDS - NOMINATIONS INVITED

Australian Players-of-the-Year 2025

Nominations are invited for potential winners of the following medals, to be awarded to Australian players who have made the greatest impact during 2025. Recipients are offered financial assistance to participate in significant forthcoming national or international events.

Steiner Medal and Steiner-Holt Award – Australian Player of the Year 2025

This medal is to be awarded to the Australian player who has made the greatest impact, not necessarily the highest-rated – it is for the most notable achievement during 2025. There is no limit to the number of times the Steiner or the Viner medal may be won by the same player.

Viner Medal & Award – Australian Senior Player of the Year 2025

On the same basis as the Steiner Medal, the Viner Medal is limited to nominees born in or before 1975.

Arlauskas Medal & Romanas Arlauskas Award – Australian Under-16 Player of the Year 2025

The Arlauskas Medal, also awarded on the same basis as the Steiner Medal, is limited to nominees born in or after 2009. The Arlauskas Medal and Romanas Arlauskas Award may not be won by the same person more than twice.

Previous recipients are listed at https://auschess.org.au/honour-boards/

Koshnitsky Medal

Nominations are also invited for the Koshnitsky medal, awarded annually for outstanding contributions to Australian chess administration at a national or a state level. The medal is a lifetime achievement award, not limited to accomplishments or services during a particular period and not awarded more than once to the same person. Links to lists of previous recipients may be seen at: https://auschess.org.au/honour-boards/

Nominations

Nominations need not be from among a State's own members or residents. A separate document or message containing the following should be provided in respect of each nominee:

• name in full (correctly spelt); • contact details (phone, email, postal address);

• a citation describing relevant achievements, suitable for reading when the medal is presented or published thereafter;

• anything else relevant to the nomination.

Please address email nominations to awards@auschess.org.au

Deadlines

Koshnitsky medal nominations – Saturday 1 November 2025.

Player-of-the-Year 2025 medals & awards – Monday 5 January 2026.

Nominators must retain copies of documents submitted and phone 0409 525 963 or (03) 9787 7974 if not acknowledged 24 hours after expected delivery time.

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 JUNIORS CHESS TOURNAMENTS

Any inquiries can be sent to ACF Juniors Coordinator, Mr Hui Lam Teh tehhuilam@gmail.com, with cc to ACF Selections Director Tom Saltmarsh selections_director@auschess.org.au.

ACF FUNDING SUPPORT PROGRAM

The application deadline for activities commencing between 1 March 2026 and 30 August 2026 is 31 December 2025. Application forms and related information are available on request to executive@auschess.org.au.

AWARD FOR ACF INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR

During FIDE’s Centenary celebrations in 2024, awards were presented to individuals who were judged to have made the most outstanding achievements or contributions to chess during the 100 years of FIDE’s existence. Recipients included Susan Polgar (best female player), Magnus Carlsen (best player), Leonard Barden (best journalist), Nona Gaprindashvili (special achievement award), Geurt Gijssen (best male arbiter) and Anastasia Sorokina (best female arbiter). Anastasia is the ACF’s International Ambassador.

ACF International Ambassador, WIM Anastasia Sorokina, receives the FIDE Centenary Award for Female Arbiter of the first FIDE Century, presented by FIDE Deputy President and former World Champion Viswanathan Anand.

News from the States / Territories

Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory Chess Association (ACTCA)

Recent Events

2025 ANU Open

By Shaun Press (chessexpress)

Current Australian Champion IM Rishi Sardana has won the 2025 ANU Open with an impressive 5.5/6. After starting the event with 5 straight wins, a quick last round draw against GM Jacek Stopa was enough the ensure first place. A draw on board 2 between Harry Press and FM Vu Ky Ahn Nguyen put Press and Stopa in a tie for 2nd, where they were joined by IM Junta Ikeda (who beat Masaki Horikawa) and Nomon Vos (who beat CM Hui Li).

Sardana played a tough field on his way to first, beating Press, Ikeda and FM Michael Kethro , and drawing with Stopa. His tournament win was built on the back of victories over Ikeda (rd 4) and Press (rd 5), where he was able to put his opponent under enough pressure to eventually cause them to falter.

The Under 1600 section had an exciting finish, with Nicholas Lee and 8 year old Sanat Hegde playing a dramatic top board clash. Hegde looked to have a clear advantage until Lee was able to drum up enough threats against the Black King to stay in the game. With both sides then exchanging mate threats a double rook and pawn ending was reached, where Hegde hung on long enough to see the game finish in a draw. The result saw the players tied for 1st, where they were joined by unrated junior Teng Yang, who beat another unrated newcomer, Charles Hou, on the 2nd board.

The tournament attracted a good field of 82 players, with 41 entries in each section. With a total of 11 titled players (including 1 GM and 2 IMs) it was one of the stronger editions in recent years. The venue at ANU was once again well received, with both the playing area and surrounding amenities contributing to the success of the event. Thanks must also go to Chief Organiser Shun Ikeda, Chief Arbiter Dr Charles Zworestine, and all the volunteers and helpers from the ACT chess community.

Final standings can be found at https://www.vegaresult.com/vr/4080

Upcoming Events

2025 Vikings Weekender

21-23 November at Erindale. Details to come.

2026 Australian Junior Chess Championships

17-25 January, St Edmund's College, Canberra. More information here

Street Chess

Every Saturday. From 10.45 to 2.30. King O’Malley’s in Civic.

More information here and results/photos here

New South Wales

New South Wales Chess Association Inc (NSWCA)

Recent Events

2025 NSW Rapid

1st Igor Bjelobrk 6.5/7. 2nd= Tomek Rej, Saisiddharth Naraharasetty, 6. 103 players.

Upcoming Events

NSWCA August Weekender

16-17 August, St George Leagues Club 124 Princes Highway Kogarah, NSW. More details here

2025 New England Open

13-14 September. Armidale Ex-Services Memorial Club AKA Servies, 137 Dumaresq St, Armidale. More information here

2025 NSWCA October Weekender

4-6 October, Sydney Academy of Chess Level 2 Suite 2 1-17 Elsie Street Burwood, NSW. More details here

2025 NSW Blitz Championship

23 November, Burwood.

2026 Australian Chess Championships

5-15 January 2026, Belinda Hutchinson Building of the University of Sydney's Business School. More information here

Northern Territory

Northern Territory Chess Association

Upcoming Events

9 August Social Chess 2025 Palmerston Library.

31 August Open Tournament 2025 Casuarina Library.

Queensland

Chess Association of Queensland

Recent Events

2025 UQ July Classic

1st = Ryan Liaw, Isaac Liu, Oscar Kirby, 4.5/6. Rating prize: Chee Seng Lue, 23 players.

Upcoming Events

2025 Mackay Open Chess Tournament

August 23 - August 24, Jubilee Community Centre (off Alfred Street near the MECC). More details here

2025 Great Barrier Reef Chess Open

6-7 September, Newman Catholic College Smithfield. James Cook University Campus (JCU), Cairns. Details here

2025 Leo Wilkinson Memorial

Rothwell, September 27-28. More details here

2025 Byron Capital Darling Downs Open incorporating QLD Championships

October 2 - 6, Toowoomba Grammar School, Margaret Street, Toowoomba. More information here

The Bundaberg Classic

November 1 - 2, Middle School, St Luke’s Anglican School, Mezger Street, Kalkie, Bundaberg. More details here

2025 Christmas Special

13-14 December, Grace Lutheran College, Buchanan St, Rothwell. Enquiries: Text / phone / email Gail YOUNG on 0411 704 815 / qwclqwcl@gmail.com

South Australia

South Australian Chess Association Inc (SACA)

Helping Rural Chess

Bob Cowley writes:

I think that there's scope for good chess players from our capital cities to enjoy boosting regional chess, via holidays in some country towns.

Recently I visited Mount Gambier, which has about 28,000 people. Its scenic attractions mainly relate to extinct volcanoes and underground caves. It's a very scenic SA farming town, with a well-established chess club.

Following emails with the club's Val Pylypenko, about 15 to 20 players, with a very good range of ages, came to my chess function. The club's venue is the town library.
I played short time handicap games, showed the folk a couple of humorous problems and answered questions. They tell me that it went very well.

Mount Gambier is in southeast SA, very near the Victorian border. Maybe there are good Victorian chess players who would enjoy doing something similar for that club.

Recent Events

Mdinaradze Megableetz 2025

1st Place: Ethan Retnaraja, =2nd Place: James Boyd-Norman, WCM Athena-Malar Retnaraja, 4th Place: CM Tarush Jindal
Best Under 1700: Hariharan Ayyar, Best Under 1550: Mark Lian, Best Under 1300: Sam Smith, Best Unrated: Brendan Ho

Upcoming Events

SA Rapid Chess Championship 2025

12.00pm, Sunday 24th August. Venue: Chess Centre of South Australia,
10 Ranelagh Street, Adelaide. More details here

Hosworth Foundation FIDE Grand Prix 2025 and Hosworth Foundation FIDE High Flyers 2025

4-6 October, Chess Centre of South Australia, 10 Ranelagh Street, Adelaide. Details: Hosworth Foundation FIDE Grand Prix, Hosworth Foundation FIDE High Flyers

Tasmania

Tasmanian Chess Association Inc (TCA)

Upcoming Events

Tasmanian Lightning and Rapid

23-24 August 2025. Tasmanian Rapid details here. Tasmanian Lightning details here

Huon Chess Festival

6-9 November 2025, Scout and Guide Hall, 8 Heron Street, Huonville, TAS

More information here

Victoria

Chess Victoria Inc (CV)

Recent Events

2025 Victorian Junior Chess Championship

Upcoming Events

2025 Best in the West

30-31 August, Louis Joel Arts & Community Centre, 5 Sargood St, Altona. More details here

Western Australia

Chess Association of Western Australia Inc (CAWA)

Recent Events

2025 WA Junior Chess Championships

2025 WA Junior State Champion: Eamon Harris
U16 State Champion: Issa Majidi, U14 State Champion: Ashvin Balavignan
U12 State Champion: Angus Chen, U12 Girl's Champion: Senudi De Vas
U10 State Champion: Gia Bao Ho, U10 Girl's Champion: Audrey Tan & Uranbaigali Uuganbaatar (Title shared)
U8 State Champion: Daniel Luong, U8 Girl's Champion: Lily Lin

2025 WA Blitz Championship

2025 WA Blitz Champion: IM Patrick Gong, 2025 WA Women's Blitz Champion: WFM Kathryn Hardegen, 2025 WA Seniors Blitz Champion: Lyndon While. 44 players

Upcoming Events

2025 Perth International Open

26-29 September, Manning Hall Community Centre, 2 Conochie Cres, Manning WA.

More information here

New Zealand

New Zealand Chess News (newzealandchess.nz)

Recent Events

12-13, 19-20 July Auckland Double Weekends July 2025

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

1st equal: Timothy Huy Minh Ha
1st equal: Sai Vivan Karthikeya Somaraju

Upcoming Events

16-17, 23-24 August Auckland Double Weekends August 2025
6-7, 13-14 September Auckland Double Weekends September 2025
24-27 September South Island Championships 2025
27 September I Love Chess Rapid September 2025
28 September South Island Rapid 2025
10-12 October NZ Women’s Championship 2025
25-27 October Merv Morrison Memorial 2025
2 November Summit Rapid Championship 2025
7-9 November NZ Senior Championship 2025
16 November I Love Chess Rapid November 2025
22 November NZ Fischer-Random Championship 2025
2-11 January ACC Chess Festival 2026
2-12 January NZ Chess Congress 2026
15-21 January Bob Wade Masters 2026
24-26 January Auckland Anniversary Weekender 2026
6-8 February Auckland Waitangi Weekender 2026
28 February 20th Bay of Plenty Rapid 2026

International News

Upcoming Events

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Asian Schools Chess Championship 2025 UlaanBaatar, Mongolia 15-25 Aug-25
Asian Cities Chess Team Championship Salalah, Oman Aug 2025
Asian Seniors 50+ and 65+ Chess Ch 2025 Erbil or Sulaymaniyah, Iraq 08-16 Sep 25
20th Malaysian Chess Festival 2025 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 12-21 Sep 25
Japan Open 2025, Tokyo, 19-23 September
Asian Youth Chess Championship 2025 Bangkok, Thailand 20-30 Nov-25
Hong Kong International Open 2025, 23-29 December

Check details via the FIDE Chess Calendar

Research Volunteers Wanted

PhD candidate conducting research on the factors that contribute to chess ability

Christina Lombardi, PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland writes:

I am a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland and a member of the University of Queensland chess club. I am currently conducting research for my doctoral dissertation on the personal characteristics that contribute to chess ability. I am seeking volunteers who are currently active FIDE- or ACF-rated players and are at least 18 years old to participate in a 5-minute online survey. My questionnaire can be found at the following link: https://uniofqueensland.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2bBQZHJcKB1hDam

Study of the Month

White to play and win

Solution at the end of the newsletter.

Book Review

By IM Gary Lane

The Philosopher and the Housewife by Willy Hendriks

Published by New In Chess, Softback, 392 pages.

An insight into chess history, mainly featuring the talented players Aron Nimzowitsch (1886-1935) and Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934).

It is easy to think that players of old would play the King’s Gambit and attack with fury and win. The art of defence had not been completely worked out in that you could happily sacrifice back material if necessary. This was the thinking at the time, when first World Champion Steinitz would defend the Evan’s Gambit by grabbing the extra pawn even if it meant giving up the right to castle and having passive pieces. His costly defeats paved the way for a new generation to offer their views on how to play correct chess.

Hendriks has lots of fun describing the many writings of Nimzowitsch and Tarrasch while prudently emphasising that chess styles evolved rather than changed dramatically. The classic book ‘My System’ generally survives the test of time, but both of them have views on some openings which are understandably rather antiquated.

This is all part of the dialogue keenly conducted by the author who supplements his thoughts by featuring various games, in particular the Tarrasch and Nimzowitsch encounters. Alapin gets a mention as the era of solid calculation is introduced, rather than vaguely relying on chess principles which to a chess historian is intriguing.

The layout is impressive to make it easy to read, while the numerous black & white photos are a welcome addition to make it more accessible to place a name.

In my experience at the chess bookstall the cover is rather polarising. People look twice when they see an old-fashioned photo of a woman holding a vacuum cleaner, but it has certainly not dented the European sales where it has sold out.

A chess history lesson that is bound to entertain.

Looking Back

Chess with Living Pieces - Bathurst

From the Australian Town and Country Journal, 19 May 1894

Chess with living pieces was one of the attractions at a fancy fair in aid of the Church of England organ fund which took place at the School of Arts, Bathurst, recently. The stage of the hall was the chessboard, and was painted in black and white squares of 2½ft each, under the direction of the Rev. R. Livingstone and Mr. Chas. Joseph, who played the games and called the moves from a board placed at the wings and facing the audience. The games consisted of three openings known as the "Sicilian," "King's Gambit," and "Petroff's defence," and the perfect way the living pieces responded to each move showed the able and diligent training of their tutor, Mr. Hatley-Boyd, the young pawns more especially deserving a word of praise. A grand march, to the music of a string band, preceded and ended the games, which greatly assisted in adding interest in the exhibition. Apart from the novelty (in Bathurst) of the display, the dresses, all of which had been specially procured for the occasion, were very handsome, and the spectacle of the figures as they stood or moved from square to square on the "board" was an imposing one.