No. 649
8 November 2025
Editorial
by Miles Patterson
Welcome to the November 2025 ACF Newsletter. Thanks for all the contributions for this issue, in particular the excellent report from Kuanysh Batyrbekov on Australia’s participation in the World Cadets Championships. Please note the ACF request for nominations for the 2025 awards and medals, and the deadline.
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
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/
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
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.
COMING INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
Please address registrations of interest and other inquiries concerning 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.
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.
2026 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dates: 5th to 15th of January. Venue: The University of Sydney (On-site accommodation available). More details here
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.
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.
News from the States / Territories
Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory Chess Association (ACTCA)
Recent Events
2025 ACT Interschool
By Shaun Press (chessexpress)
The ACT Junior Chess League has had another successful year of Interschool Chess. The first event was held at the start of April and the last events (ASTC playoffs) finished on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of October
In terms of numbers, we had 527 players in our Primary School events and 334 players in our Secondary events. The largest primary event had 115 players (Tuggeranong), and the largest secondary event had 101 players (North Canberra).
The winning school in each event was:
Primary Zones
Central Canberra: Ainslie Primary, Belconnen: Kaleen Primary, Tuggeranong Zone: Trinity Christian School, Gungahlin: Brindabella Christian College.
Primary Final: Brindabella Christian College, Girls Primary Final: Canberra Girls Grammar, ASTC Playoff Primary: Majura Primary
Secondary Zones
South Canberra: Canberra Grammar School, North Canberra: Lyneham High
Secondary Final: Lyneham High School, ASTC Playoff Secondary: Marist College
Upcoming Events
2025 Vikings Weekender
21-23 November at Vikings Club, Erindale, ACT. More details and entry through Vikings Weekender
2025 ACT Rapid Championships
Saturday 20 December, at Street Chess.
2026 Australian Junior Chess Championships
17-25 January, St Edmund's College, Canberra. More information here
2026 Doeberl Cup
2 - 6 April 2026, Canberra Southern Cross Club, 92-96 Corinna Street, Woden ACT
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 Gosford Open Weekender
The 2025 Gosford Open joint winners were WCM Bayasgalan Khishigbaatar and CM Tri Kien Le on 5/6. The 2025 NSW Country Champion is Ben Gordon from Newcastle with 4.5/6. 56 players.
Upcoming Events
2025 NSW Blitz Championship
23 November, Burwood. Details here
2026 Australian Chess Championships
5 - 15 January 2026, Belinda Hutchinson Building of the University of Sydney's Business School. More information here
2026 Sydney International Open
Dates: Wednesday 8th April to Sunday 12th April 2026
Venue: Conference Rooms 5 & 6 at Novotel West HQ. More details here
Northern Territory
Northern Territory Chess Association
Queensland
Chess Association of Queensland
Upcoming Events
2025 QLD Seniors Championship
15-16 November, Grace Lutheran College, Buchanan St, Rothwell
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
Oceania Junior and Youth Championship 2025
13-17 December, Brisbane. More details here
South Australia
South Australian Chess Association Inc (SACA)
Recent Events
City of Adelaide 2025
1st CM Tarush Jindal8/9, =2nd Ethan Retnaraja, James Boyd-Norman, Ayman Almutawa, 6.5. Best U1600: Gabriel Harding, 5.5. Best U1350: Raghavendran Kasinathan 5.5
2025 Hosworth Foundation FIDE Weekender
Grand Prix: 1st Place: Ren (Alex) Min 5.5/6
=2nd Place: FM William Jordan, Thomas Rogers, CM Tarush Jindal, Alistair Maria, 4.5
Best Under 1760 (FIDE): Shourya Dash, Weng Yang Joel Su ,3.5
Rating Upset: Roland Brockman
High Flyers: 1st Place: Samuel Mandic 7/8, 2nd Place: Emmanuel Schiavone 6
=3rd Place: Aidan Berg, Sam Smith, Raghavendran Kasinathan, Oliver Cirami, 5
Best Unrated: Mai Rao 4.5, Best Woman: Finn Reiner, Hanyue Li 4, Rating Upset: Bryce Chen
SA Juniors
1st: St Andrew’s 22.5, 2nd: East Marden PS, 21, 3rd: Prince Alfred College, 20
1st: Heritage B, 11, 2nd: Dara, 10, =3rd: St Ignatius’, Linden Park PS, St Andrew’s Red, 9
1st: Richmond PS, 13, 2nd: Heritage Blue, 11, 3rd: East Marden Teal, 10
Upcoming Events
National Arbiter Training Seminar Adelaide 2025
New dates: 29-30 November. More details here
November 2025
Thu 20, 7pm: November Blitz, Chess Centre
Tue 25, 6.45pm: Pennant Teams Allegro, Chess Centre
Thu 27, 7pm: November Allegro, Chess Centre
December 2025
Tue 2, 7pm: Lidums Series #1, Chess Centre
Thu 4, 7pm: Blitz #1, Chess Centre
Tue 9, 7pm: Lidums Series #2, Chess Centre
Tue 16, 7pm: Lidums Series #3, Chess Centre
Thu 13, 7pm: Chess 960, Chess Centre
Thu 18, 7pm: Blitz #2, Chess Centre
Fri 26, 12pm: Lidums Australian Allegro Chess Championship 2025, Glenelg
Community Centre
Tasmania
Tasmanian Chess Association Inc (TCA)
Upcoming Events
Black Square Invitational
13 December 2025, Guilford Young College, 94 Barrack Street, Hobart. Five-division tournament. More details here
Victoria
Recent Events
Melbourne Great Ocean Lions Club Youth Charity Chess Tournament 2025
Upcoming Events
2025 Geelong Open
Date: 15th to 16th November 2025, St Joseph’s College, Geelong, 135 Aphrasia St, Newtown VIC 3220.
Format: 5 Round Swiss (no tiebreaks). More details here
2025 Victorian Seniors Championship
Date: 22nd November and 23rd November 2025, Format: 5 Round Swiss
St Joseph’s College, Geelong, 135 Aphrasia St, Newtown VIC. More details here
2025 Darebin Summer Tournament - ACF rated allegro
Saturday 29th November from 1 - 4:45 pm, Preston Shire Hall, 286 Gower St Preston.
2025 Victorian Championship for Players with Disabilities
Venue: Dandenong Chess Club (Men’s Shed Endeavour Hills)
Dates 6th and 7th of December. More details here
2025 Australasian Masters
Looking for 1 more non-AUS player. Once again we are organising our traditional Australasian Masters IM Norm round robin tournament in Melbourne. 12th to 20th December at Melbourne Chess Club. Webpage with more details here. If you are interested in taking part please let the organiser, Leonid Sandler, know via email leonidsandlerchess@gmail.com
2025 Victorian Blitz Championship
21st December at Melbourne Chess Club. After the Australasian Masters! 2026 Melbourne International Open April 14 to 19, 2026 at Melbourne Chess Club. The 2026 MIO consists of a 9-round classic, a 9 round rapid, and a 9-round blitz tournament. The classic is broken into two divisions with the Masters division being a norm event. More details here
Western Australia
Chess Association of Western Australia Inc (CAWA)
Recent Events
2025 Kingsley Open
1st Place (Open): Ricky Huang - 5.0/6, 2nd Place (Open): Stijn Verlinden - 4.5/6,
Equal 3rd (Open): Jessie De Guzman, Nithuli Liyanage & Edidiong Amos - 4.0/6,
1st Under 1500: Quang Minh Le - 4.0/6, Equal 2nd Under 1500: Elvan Rrasa, Badruun Nyamdorj, Luca Rotter, Daniel Luong - 3.0/6. 20 players
Upcoming Events
2025 Kingsley Junior Chess Arena Festival
Saturday 15th November - 1 pm to 4:30 pm, Duncraig Senior High School, Details here
New Zealand
New Zealand Chess News (newzealandchess.nz)
Recent Events
10-12 October NZ Women’s Championship 2025
1st equal: WFM Nadia Braganza (Joint New Zealand Women's Champion) 1st equal: WCM Emily Cathay Gan (Joint New Zealand Women’s Champion) 1st equal: WCM Sarah Wanyao Sun (Joint New Zealand Women’s Champion) 1st equal: WCM Luna Yuexiu Xu (Joint New Zealand Women’s Champion) 1st equal: WCM Sophia Feng (Joint New Zealand Women’s Champion)
25-27 October Merv Morrison Memorial 2025
Open 1st: FM Alphaeus Ang Under 1800 1st: Aidan Prince Under 1700 1st: Thomas Beier Under 1500 1st: Gideon Goh
25-27 October Capital Chess Classic 2025
1st: Ryan Winter
2 November Summit Rapid Championship 2025
Open 1st: FM Felix Xie Under 1800 1st: Jenre Angelo Fabay Junior 1st: Cynthia Wang
Upcoming Events
7-9 November NZ Senior Championship 2025
16 November I Love Chess Rapid November 2025
22 November NZ Fischer-Random Championship 2025
29-30 November Papatoetoe Rapid 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
15 February Hawkes Bay Rapid 2026
28 February 20th Bay of Plenty Rapid 2026
International News
Aussies Overseas
In what is to become a new monthly update, Paul Summers reports on the activities of Australians overseas for events finishing in September and October. All ratings are FIDE. Games from these events, usually with crosstables, can be found on the Australian Chess web page.
September
Five Australian players competed in overseas tournaments ending in September:
FM Reyaansh Chakrabarty (NSW 2271) competed in the 10-player 2025 Golden Horse IM at Hajduszoboszlo in Hungary scoring 4.5/9 and finishing 5th=. He also played in the 58-player 2025 Six Days September event in Budapest again scoring 4.5/9 finishing 25th=.
FMs Ray Yang & Kai Jie Soo (Both VIC and 2081 and 2240 respectively) competed in the 10-player 2025 First Saturday IM #7 in Budapest Hungary scoring 4 and 3 from their 9 games and finishing 6th= and 9th respectively.
FM Albert Winkelman (ACT 2324) scored an excellent 6.5/9 in the 89-player 2025 Malaysia Open #20 in Kuala Lumpur finishing 2nd= with 7 other players.
Edward Losiv (NSW U/R) competed in the 139-player 2025 Slovakia Open in Bratislava in Slovakia scoring 4/9 and finishing 80th=.
October
October is often one of the busier chess months. Ten Australian players competed in events overseas ending in October:
Emma Zhou (VIC 1634) was Australia’s representative in the 123-player 2025 World Cadet Championship U12 Girls #38 in Almaty in Kazakhstan. Emma finished on 4.5/11 ranked 89th=.
CM Aidan Odenthal & CM Anthony Fikh (both NSW and 2045 and 1942 respectively) played in the 58-player 2025 Fagernes International Autumn Open GM in Norway where the majority of the first 30 players were GMs or IMs. Aidan was in a peaceful mood in the early rounds with three draws in a row, but stormed home with 3/3 in the final rounds. He finished on 4.5/9 in 25th=, while Anthony scored 3.5 finishing 43rd=.
FM Yihe Fu (WA 2280) was Australia’s representative in the 119-player World Youth Championship U18 #37 in Durres Albania. Yihe finished with 4/11 and in 96th=.
WFM Chao Xin Cheng (VIC 1916) was Australia’s representative in the 80-player World Youth Championship U18 Girls #37 in Durres Albania. Chao Xin performed at 2018 scoring 6.5/11 and in 15th=.
CM Oscar Gao & Ethan Chang (WA & NSW and 1990 & 2081 respectively) were Australia’s representatives in the 143-player World Youth Championship U16 #43 in Durres Albania. Oscar performed at an impressive 2193 scoring 6/11 and in 45th=, while Ethan didn’t quite make 50% on 5/11 and 82nd=.
CM Ashvin Balavignan (WA 2023) was Australia’s representative in the 149-player World Youth Championship U14 #39 in Durres Albania. Ashvin scored with 5/11 and was placed 85th=.
Elaina Qiang (QLD 1735) was Australia’s representative in the 107-player World Youth Championship U14 Girls #39 in Durres Albania. Elaina performed at 1832 scoring 6/11 and ranked 33rd=.
FM Yi Liu (QLD 2297) had a great tournament in the 170-player Muensterland Open #42 in Germany finishing in a 5-way tie for first on 7/9. In the last round on Board 1, Yi drew with Israeli GM Alexander Bagrationi in a hard-fought 54 moves, partly when his opponent didn’t handle the rook endgame in the closing stages as he had hoped.
CM Anthony Fikh & CM Aidan Odenthal featured again, this time in reverse order in the Netherlands. Playing in the 69-player Hoogeveen Open, Anthony started as 66th seed and scored an excellent 4.5/9 for 29th=. Aidan scored 4.0 for 42nd=.
GM Bobby Cheng (VIC 2596) playing top board for the German team SV Werder Bremen played in the European Club Cup #40. 102 teams participated, with Bobby’s team finishing in 32nd place. Bobby made 3/7 scoring well from his lower-titled opponents, but not so well against the GMs.
Trip Report: Team Australia at the 2025 World Cadet Chess Championships in Kazakhstan
Bringing Chess, Friendship, and Laughter to Almaty and the Mountains of Shymbulaq
By Kuanysh Batyrbekov, Head of Delegation (with game annotations by GM Darryl Johansen)
The Australian National Chess Team’s adventure at the 2025 World Cadet Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, was nothing short of extraordinary. From the high-stakes tension of competitive chess matches to the laughter-filled journeys through city streets and up mountain roads, every day offered something new and unforgettable. This trip report captures the highlights, cultural explorations, warmth of Kazakhstani hospitality, moments of serendipity—like overhearing a Backstreet Boys concert—and, perhaps most importantly, the friendships forged with young players from across the globe.
Getting to Kazakhstan: The Journey Begins
The team’s story began with eager anticipation and a touch of nerves. Australia was represented by multiple national and state junior champions selected by the Australian Chess Federation, with six Victorians, five Queenslanders and one New South Welshman across five age categories, with the team introduction available here.
Australian National Chess team at the 2025 World Cadets Chess Championship: Taran Nisha Raj (U10), Joshua Kai-En Huang (U10, Kaisar Batyrbekov (U10), Zining (Matthew) Jia (U10), Aidan Batyrbekov (U8), Brian Yang (U8), Nicholas Yuileng Chen (U8), Adelyn Wang (G10), Emma Zhou (G12), Mia Tan (G8), Yun Li (Charlotte) Ong (G8), Eleanor Wu (G8).
Their various plane rides from Australia were filled with strategy chatter, impromptu games in the aisle, and a growing sense of team unity. Arrival in Almaty was met with wide-eyed wonder—especially as a gleaming police escort whisked the contestants through the city, making everyone feel like chess superstars from the very start.
Greeting sign at the Almaty International Airport welcoming over 850 contestants from all over the world
Unexpected Entertainment: The Backstreet Boys Concert
As the competitors took their seats and the clocks began to tick, the tension in the room was larger than life. One player, adjusting his knight with theatrical flair, whispered to his opponent, “I don’t care who you are, where you’re from, what you did—as long as you… resign in 12 moves.” The arbiter raised an eyebrow, but the crowd was already humming “Backstreet’s back, alright!” under their breath. Somewhere in the back, a nervous parent muttered, “Tell me why... ain’t nothin’ but a heartache,” after observing her kid blundering the queen on move five. It was clear: this wasn’t just a tournament—it was a pop-powered battle of wits.
No one expected to start a chess tournament with a singalong to “I Want It That Way,” but that’s exactly what happened when the championship commenced next to this open-air concert in Almaty. The Backstreet Boys’ rehearsal music drifted into the team bus, sparking laughter and nostalgia amongst the parents, a chorus of voices, and the decision to crown “Backstreet’s Back” as the unofficial theme song of the trip.
Strong Start on the Opening Day
Following the opening ceremony, recently-crowned Victorian G12 Champion Emma Zhou was paired against the #1 rated girl in the whole event and G12 Kazakhstani champion: WCM Zhansaya Sholpanbek. The opening moves on this board were done by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and Kazakhstani Deputy Prime Minister Yerzhan Kosherbayev (pictured below with the two contestants).
Below is Emma’s game with annotations by GM Darryl Johansen.
□ Zhou,Emma 1634 ■ WCM Sholpanbek,Zhansaya 2083
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 d5!? Always ambitious to play ...d5 so early. [6...d6]
7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Re1 Bg4 9.h3 Bh510.Nbd2 [10.g4 This pawn win is frowned upon these days, though it’s playable. Bg6 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Rxe5 c6 (12...Bxf2+ 13.Kxf2 Qf6+ 14.Qf3 Qxe5 15.Qxd5 Qh2+ 16.Qg2 Leads nowhere for black.)]
10...Nb6 11.Bb5 [11.Bb3 Qxd3 12.Nxe5 Qf5 13.Nef3 is more commonly played, but it doesn’t give white much. (13.Ndf3!?)] [11.b4!? Bd6 12.Bb3] 11...Bd6 12.a4 [ 12.Ne4 ] 12...a6 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.a5 [14.Ne4!?] 14...Nd5 15.Qa4?! This attempt to win a pawn by Emma is the justification for the previous few moves, but it is very two edged.
15...Nf4! 16.Re3 Bg6?! Stockfish likes the sharp 16....f5, with the following exchange sac by white considered best. [16...f5 17.Rxe5 (17.Qxc6 Rf6 with storm clouds looming over the white king.) 17...Bxe5 18.Nxe5 Ne2+ 19.Kh2 Qd5] 17.Qxc6 Nxd3?! [17...Bxd3 18.Nc4 e4! 19.Nxd6 exf3] 18.Ne4 Nxc1 This feels a bit wrong. [18...Nf4!?] [ 8...Qe8 (Engines)] 19.Rxc1 Bxe4? This feels very wrong! [19...f6 20.Rd1∞] 20.Qxe4 f6 21.Rd1 Qe7 22.Nh4! g6 23.Rg3 g5?? A move I’d hate to play! [23...Rad8 and A) 24.Nxg6 Doesn’t work. hxg6 25.Qxg6+ (25.Rxg6+ Kf7) 25...Kh8 26.Rg4 Qh7; B) 24.Nf5 Qe6 25.b4 Rd7 26.Nxd6 f5 27.Qc6 e4 28.Qxa6 and Stockfish reckons white is winning.]
24.Nf5+- Qe6 25.h4 Kh8 26.hxg5 fxg5 27.Rxg5
A pawn up,, a safer king and a pretty good knight versus bishop, Emma should convert this into a win, and she does, slowly but surely. 27...Qf6 28.Qh4 Rf7 29.Rd3 Be7 [29...e4!?] 30.Nxe7 Qxe7 31.Rh5 OK. I’d keep queens on, because of the safer king thing, but White trusts her technique!? [31.Qe4 Re8 32.Rf5] 31...Qxh4 32.Rxh4 Raf8 33.Rd2 Kg7 34.Rc4 Re7 35.Rd5 Ra8 36.Rdc5 Ra7 37.Re4 Kf6 38.g3 Kf5 39.Rh4 Kg6 40.Rc6+ Kf5 41.Rhh6 Ke4 42.Rxa6 Rb7 43.b4 Kd3 44.Rac6 e4 45.a6 Ra7 46.b5 Rf7 47.c4 e3 Hard to drum up counterplay with one rook sitting on a7! 48.fxe3 Kxe3 49.c5 Rg7 50.Kg2 Kd4 51.Rhe6 Kd5?! [51...Ra8!] 52.Re8! Rd7 53.Rb8 Rf7 54.Rb7 Ra8 55.Rcxc7 Rff8 56.a7 Rae8 57.c6 Fearless! [57.Re7 Rxe7 58.Rxe7 Kxc5 59.Rb7 Ra8 60.b6]
57...h5 [57...Re2+ leads to nothing. 58.Kh3 Re1 59.Rf7] 58.Rf7 Rg8 59.c7 h4 60.Rb8 Rxg3+ 61.Kf2 Zhansaya has seen enough. Well played Emma! 1-0
Force Majeure
Just as Round 3 was entering its third hour of play, the Championship took an unexpected turn when multiple cell phone emergency alarms went off in the playing hall. It turned out to be a local earthquake alert, which triggers an alarm on the phones even when they are fully turned off. The tournament’s Chief Arbiter, IA Ivan Syrovy of Slovakia, ordered an evacuation of the playing hall, which eventually turned out to be only temporary.
Players, coaches, and spectators were escorted out of the Baluan Sholaq Arena as a precaution. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and after Kazchess confirmed the safety to proceed with local authorities, the tournament resumed. The incident, while startling, showcased the organisers’ preparedness and the resilience of the young competitors, many of whom returned to their boards with renewed focus and determination.
All the unfinished games were restarted from the beginning with full time control to comply with the FIDE Fair Play measures, which has triggered an appeal from multiple chess federations – eventually rejected by the Appeals Committee chaired by FA Akaki Iashvili of Georgia.
Whilst most Australian players have encountered such a game disruption for the first time in their careers and preferred to continue their games from the paused positions, they have duly complied with the CA’s decision – demonstrating the trademark resilience and tenacity that Australian chess players have become known for.
Heads of Australia and Chinese Taipei Delegations NA Kuanysh Batyrbekov and IA Elsa Yueh with the Chief Arbiter and Chairman of the FIDE Arbiters Commission IA Ivan Syrovy
Other Chess Highlights and Competitive Games
The competition itself was fierce and exhilarating. Australian players not only found themselves facing off against some of the world’s rising talents but also discovering new strengths in themselves.
Memorable Victories: Several Australians clinched impressive victories, including nerve-racking endgame wins and creative tactical flourishes that drew appreciative nods from coaches and onlookers alike (e.g. Zining (Matthew) Jia’s win over American CM Sasha Milo Schaefer and Adelyn Wang’s obligatory drubbing of a Kiwi opponent). Emma Zhou’s opening day victory galvanised the whole team and quickly became the talk of the tournament. Several other members were asked to comment on their victories by the extensive press corps throughout the tournament.
Charlotte Ong (G8) and Kaisar Batyrbekov (U10) explaining their winning game tactics to the press.
Blitz medal: Australian G8 Chess Champion Eleanor Wu won a bronze medal in the 2025 World Cadets Blitz tournament in a hard fought competition, with Zining (Matthew) Jia and Kaisar Batyrbekov coming tantalisingly close to a medal as well (half a point off).
Eleanor Wu of Queensland awarded a bronze medal in G8 category at the Blitz tournament.
Competitive Spirit: Many games saw Australian players fight back from difficult positions, turning potential losses into draws or even wins. Across the team, such tenacity, resilience and sportsmanship shone just as brightly as the gold on their uniforms.
Team Bonding: Each evening, hotels echoed with laughter as teammates analysed their games, replayed critical moments, and even staged friendly blitz tournaments against other competitors.
Experiencing Kazakhstani Culture
Almaty provided a feast for the senses, from the bustling markets drenched in color and fragrant with spices, to the majestic Tian Shan mountains that stood like silent sentinels over the city. The team’s explorations between the extensive 11 rounds of classical games have revealed a city rich in history and hospitality, and the team embraced every opportunity to immerse themselves in local traditions. A rest day trip to the breathtaking slopes of Shymbulaq proved a particular favourite. Between group photos with mountain vistas and impromptu snowball fights, the team found themselves both awed and inspired by the landscape.
Culinary Adventures: Flavors of Kazakhstan
Kazakh cuisine delighted the team with bold flavors and generous hospitality. Tasting besbarmak, kymyz, manti, and baursak became not just meals, but moments of cultural exchange and laughter. Each meal turned into a story-sharing session, with teammates comparing notes on their favorite dishes and new friends offering tips on local etiquette.
Unforgettable Hospitality and Police Escorts
Throughout the trip, the constant presence of police escorts reminded the team of the event’s significance and the warmth of Kazchess hosts. Whether zipping through city streets or pausing for impromptu photo ops by scenic overlooks, the escorts became part of our daily routine—and even the subject of a few inside jokes among the team.
Making Friends Across the World
One of the most rewarding and enduring aspects of the championships was the friendships formed with fellow competitors from all corners of the earth. Between rounds and over shared meals, the team’s circle of friends grew to include players from Bulgaria, Tunisia, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, New Zealand, South Africa, and many more countries besides.
The Springboks in particular quickly became fierce chess rivals and fast friends. It wasn’t long before a spirited debate broke out: who wore the green and gold more fashionably? The discussion, at first serious, soon turned into impromptu posing and mock-judging by players from other countries. In the end, the Australians naturally claimed victory, but both teams agreed that the real winners were those who wore their colors with pride and a smile.
These cross-cultural friendships added a vibrant energy to the entire event. Team members left with new WhatsApp groups, promises of postcards, and the hope of future reunions—perhaps even at the next world championships in Georgia. Chess, it turns out, is much more than sixty-four squares; it’s a passport to global community and lifelong connection.
International cooperation between Kazakhstan and Australia to beat the AI-powered Sense Robot.
Reflections and Farewells
As the closing ceremony approached, emotions ran high. The team cheered for their friends from every corner of the globe, exchanged hugs and souvenirs, and reflected on just how much they had grown. The Australian squad left Almaty and Shymbulaq not just as better chess players, but as more curious, compassionate global citizens than when they arrived.
The 2025 World Cadet Chess Championships in Almaty and Shymbulaq became a treasured memory for all who took part. From fierce games and funny fashion debates to new friendships and musical detours, the trip was a celebration of all the ways that chess can unite and inspire. For the Australian National Chess Team, the experience was a reminder that the world is wide, friendships are rich, and life—like chess—is best enjoyed when you play with heart.
Nicholas Yuileng Chen (U10), Kaisar Batyrbekov (U10), Brian Yang (U8) and Aidan Batyrbekov (U8) with the two-times Women’s World Blitz Champion and the former G8, G9 & U12 World Cadets Champion GM Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan.
Upcoming Events
Asian Chess Championship for Players with Disabilities, 1-8 December, Tagaytay Hong Kong International Open 2025, 23-29 December
Check details via the FIDE Chess Calendar
Study of the Month
White to play and win
Solution at the end of the newsletter.
Book Review
By IM Gary Lane
Rogers’s Practical Endgame Guide by Ian Rogers, published by Australian Chess Enterprises, 164 pages
Australian grandmaster Ian Rogers continues his successful book career with a look at endings for experienced players.
The approach is practical to suit club players in online games or local tournaments to instinctively go for the right set-up. The author asks “Are you one of the many chess players who understand the basics but struggle for a plan when most of the pieces have been exchanged?” and the majority will raise their hands. The idea is to offer insight and shortcuts so that you will have the tools to ensure you know how to win or successfully defend typical endgames. It sounds too easy and Rogers selects lots of practical examples to illuminate his thoughts. There are examples from well know masters but also top Australian players such as Chris Depasquale, Darryl Johansen and Eddy Levi.
Rogers tries to covers endgame ideas that are easy to understand rather than provide complex computer variations and this eases the path to success. A sense of this entertaining approach is revealed in the chapter titles such as Saving Bad Positions, Tricky Knight or the Hyperactive King. I particularly liked Winning Equal Positions where he gives fragments from his own games to show how a subtle way of playing can transform equal positions. It is neatly explained “Improve your pieces and pawns in order to build pressure, perceived or real. Scare your opponent into thinking that they might actually lose the game and encourage a panicky reaction”.
The book manages the neat trick of being fun to read but also instructive.
A great addition to any chess library and will definitely help to boost your rating.
Signed copies are available direct from the author or from https://chessaustralia.com.au/
Looking Back
150 Years Ago
Chess, so
The latest novelty in keeping lodgers quiet, comes to us of an old lady who taught all her lodgers chess; consequently, you would fancy there was only one person in that house.
(Sydney Punch, 3 September 1875)
Punishment for Playing Chess
Many chess players know that Middleton wrote a comedy called “A Game of Chess.” for the performance of which King James the First sentenced the author to imprisonment for making political allusions. That event occurred in 1610. There, is, however, a more modern instance of the “gentle’s game” getting one of its votaries into trouble. We were informed the other day that not a hundred miles from Sydney, a gentleman who receives apartments at the expense of her Majesty, was caught playing chess secretly, for which heinous crime he was put in “dark Cimmerian darkness’ for twenty-four hours - rather a sell, we should imagine.
(Australian Town and Country Journal, 28 August 1875)
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The Australian Chess Federation Inc is incorporated under the ACT Associations Incorporation Act 1991 and is recognised by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs as the governing chess organisation in Australia.
ACF COUNCIL
State Association Delegates
NSWCA Delegate: Richard Gastineau-Hills nswcouncillor@auschess.org.au
CV Delegate: Walter Wolffs walterwolffs.ca@gmail.com
CAQ Delegate: Michael D’Arcy michaeldarc@gmail.com.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: Tim Hare wacounsellor@auschess.org.au
NTCA Delegate: Chris Depasquale agechess@ozemail.com.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
Arbiter Training Director: Peter Tsai chess@t-s-a-i.com
Archives Director: Mahesh Kulkarni sellaus14@gmail.com
Assistant Secretary: Mahesh Kulkarni sellaus14@gmail.com
Assistant Treasurer: Bill Gletsos asst treasurer@auschess.org.au
Auditor: Ross Hamilton auditor@auschess.org.au
Equipment Coordinator: Bob Keast equipment officer@auschess.org.au
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FIDE Ratings Officer: Bill Gletsos fide ratings@auschess.org.au
Government Relations Director: Kuanysh Batyrbekov Kuanysh.Batyrbekov@anz.com
International Ambassador: Anastasia Sorokina sorokinachess@gmail.com
Juniors Coordinator: Hui Lam Teh tehhuilam@gmail.com
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 mp19370@gmail.com
Public Officer (incorporation): Cam Cunningham public_officer@auschess.org.au
Publicity Director: Paul Power publicity@auschess.org.au
Selections Director: Tom Saltmarsh selections director@auschess.org.au
Trophies Officer: Terrence Tang terencetjc@gmail.com
Webmaster: David Esmonde webmaster@auschess.org.au
Annual Appointments
All Council appointments terminate each year at the first Council meeting after 30 June, when incumbents and new applicants are eligible for reappointment. Offers to serve in any of the above positions need to be written (email acceptable) and emailed to executive@auschess.org.au.
Applicants should phone 0409 525 963 or (03) 9787 7974 if an application has not been acknowledged within 48 hours of transmission.
Solution to Study of the Month
White to play and win
Solution:
1 Ke7 d2 2 Rd6 c3 3 Kf7 Kh7 (3…c2 4 Rd3 and 5 Rh3) 4 g4 c2 5 g5 d1(Q) 6 Rh6+ gxh6 7 g6+ Kh8 8 g7+ Kh7 9 g8(Q) mate
(Pal Benko, 1990)
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.