No. 650
13 December 2025
Editorial
by Miles Patterson
Welcome to the December 2025 ACF Newsletter. Thanks for all the contributions for this issues. Please note the ACF request for nominations for the 2025 awards and medals, and the deadline. Time is short to enter the Australian Championships in Sydney in January, see details below.
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.
The University of Sydney Chess Club presents the Australian Chess Championships 2026 at the University of Sydney Business School in the Belinda Hutchinson Building from the 5th to 15th of January.
The event awards the title Australian Chess Champion, as well as Australian Blitz Chess Champion. The Australian Reserves, USYD Major, USYD Minor, and USYD Rapid will run alongside the event.
There is over $18,000 in prize money across all divisions. Event Schedule: https://australianchampionships.usydchessclub.org/schedule/
Full regulations, schedule, accommodation information and online registration are now available on the official event website:
https://australianchampionships.usydchessclub.org/registration/
Major Sponsors: Jane Street, NSW Chess Association
Supporters: The University of Sydney, The University of Sydney Union, Red Bull
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.
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 Vikings Weekender
By Shaun Press (chessexpress)
GM Jacek Stopa won the 2025 Vikings Weekender, finishing on 5/6. After starting with a round 1 half-point bye, he scored 3 wins, before drawing with 2nd seed FM Fred Litchfeld in round 5. He then faced Masaki Horikawa in the final round, needing a win to overtake Horikawa. He managed to do this in style (winning in 27 moves) to reach 5 points. He could have been joined by CM Hui Li on 5, if Li had decided to push for a win against Litchfield in a significantly better position. However, Li decided that a guaranteed 2nd prize (shared) was better than risking going home empty handed and so took the draw. These results left seeds 2, 3 and 4 (Litchfield, Li and Horikawa) tied for 2nd on 4.5/6
The Under 1600 event finished in a tie between Nicholas Lee and Trent Parker on 5.5/6. Their Round 4 game ended in a draw, and they went 5-0 in their remaining games. Third place on 5/6 was taken by the quickly improving Kyle Zhang (861 ACF!) , whose only loss came at the hands of Lee.
The event attracted a capacity field of 73 players and offered a prize pool of over $3000. Tim Pearce did a great job as Chief Arbiter, handling the various tasks of tournament management, dispute solver, and DGT board wrangler with great skill. The event organisers, Tuggeranong Chess Club, once again put on a great tournament, and look to welcome back all the players in 2026.
Results: https://www.vegaresults.com/vr/4577
Upcoming Events
2025 ACT Transfer Chess Championship
Sunday 14th December. Campbell High School Library, Trealor Cres Campbell (behind the War Memorial). 1pm to 4:45pm. All ages welcome, free entry. Players without a partner can turn up on the day, and ad-hoc partnerships will be arranged.
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
ACT Lightning Championships
Thursday 19 January, 7pm, Tuggeranong Chess Club at Vikings Erindale.
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 NSW Blitz Championship
1st FM Jason Hu, 9.5/11, 2nd CM Tri Kien Le, 9, 3rd= FM Rayaansh Chakrabarty, Ethan Chang, Dmitry Miscenko, Kevin Song, 8. 78 players.
Upcoming Events
Christmas Rapid
16 December 2025, NEX Newcastle City (306 King Street). Details and entry 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
Recent Events
2025 QLD Seniors Championship
Equal 1st on 5/6 were Bruce Holliday and David Beaumont. Third place: Neil Kelson on 4.5. 29 players.
Queensland Blitz Championships
1st: IM Sravan Renjith, 2nd: FM Juan Camilo Tirado, 3rd: CM Bryan Yang
Rating Group prizes: Atash Iddon, Joshua Haojia Liu, Hamsini Dudipalli, and Ernest Bashirov with the best Unrated going to Steven O’Donaghue.
Strategic Minds Chess Club FIDE Rapid
1st= IM Brodie McClymont, IM Anish Vivekananthan, IM Sravan Renjith, 7.7/9. 69 players.
Upcoming Events
Oceania Junior and Youth Championship 2025
13-17 December, Brisbane. More details here
South Australia
South Australian Chess Association Inc (SACA)
Recent Events
November Blitz
1st: Jaden Anstey 10/11, 2nd: Hamish Pattison 9.5, 3rd: Danial Germano Abdurramane, 9. 16 players.
Upcoming Events
December 2025
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
2025 SACA December Classical
Sunday the 28th and Monday the 29th of December, 2025, Chess Centre of South Australia, 10 Ranelagh Street, Adelaide. Details here
Tasmania
Tasmanian Chess Association Inc (TCA)
Recent Events
Huon Valley Chess Festival
Main Event
1st - GM Smirnov, 2nd / 3rd - GM Stopa and IM Xie, 4th - GM Zhao, 5th - Adrian Flitney
Best Female - WCM Song, Second Best Female - Mary Khodjaeva
Best Junior and Best U1800 (Split) - Yusuf Khodjaev and Jethro Sih
2nd Best Junior - Esteban Prieto and Lochie Sanderson and Dan Tran
2nd Best U1800 - Esteban Prieto and Lochie Sanderson
Best U1450 - Lucas Parker, 2nd Best U1450 - Le Nguyen
Best New Player - Nathan Hill, 2nd Best New Player - Charlie Senior
Best Senior - Paul Summers, 2nd Best Senior - Carl Gorka, 3rd Best Senior - Alex Nagy
Best Tasmanian - Will Rumley, Best Huon Player - Eric Tiainen
Blitz
1st - GM Zhao, 2nd - GM Smirnov, 3rd - IM Xie, 4th / 5th - Zach Lim and Yusuf Khodjaev and Addison Djatschenko
Classical
1st - Will Rumley, 2nd / 3rd / 4th - Carl Gorka and Zach Lim and Tan Thanh Nguyen
Victoria
Recent Events
Melbourne Great Ocean Lions Club Youth Charity Chess Tournament 2025
Under 21 1st: Jesse Zafirakos 6.5/7, 2nd: Leo Kalina 5.5, 3rd: Emerson Yan 5.5/7
Under 14 1st: Xinyao Fan 5.5/7, 2nd: Matthew Zheng 5, 3rd: Ethan Tai 5, Best Female - Audrey Zhou 5.
Under 10 1st: Kaisar Batyrbekov 5/7, 2nd: Wenzhi Chen 4, 3rd: Adelyn Wang 4, Best Female - Adelyn Wang 4.
2025 Geelong Open
1st=: IM Stephen Solomon, FM Domagoj Dragicevic, Kiet Anh Nguyen 4.5/5.
RG1 winners: Abraham Pitono, Gary Bekker, and Lucas Parker on 3.5
RG2 winners: Henry Musson, Kynan Thomson, Tim Conti, Caleb Sing, Nick Black, and John Cooke on 3.
2025 Victorian Seniors Championship
2025 Victorian Seniors Champion: Milenko Lojanica, 4.5/5. 2nd: Miodrag Milojevic 4, 3rd and best female: Julia Ryjanova ,3.5. Best 65+: Rod Hessing.
2025 Darebin Summer Tournament
Open: 1st - Deethya Sai Katakam (7/7), 2nd - Kaisar Batyrbekov (6), 3rd - Boxiang Feng (5.5).
U18: 1st - Robinson He (5/7), 2nd - Michael Ooi (5), 3rd - Bochen Yang (5).
U15: 1st - Daanish Arora (5/7)
U12: 1st - Jeremy Li (4/7), 2nd - Aadhya Sai Katakam (4), 3rd - Aeson Ha (3.5)
U9: 1st - Aidan Batyrbekov (3/7)
2025 Australian School Teams Championships
Secondary Open: 1st Anglican Church Grammar (QLD), 2nd Knox Grammar (NSW), 3rd Rossmoyne Senior High (WA)
Secondary Girls: 1st Brisbane State High (QLD), 2nd Glenunga International High (SA), 3rd North Sydney Girls High (NSW)
Primary Open: 1st Anglican Church Grammar (QLD), 2nd Sydney Grammar St Ives Preparatory (NSW), 3rd Glen Waverley (VIC1)
Primary Girls: 1st Glendal Primary (VIC), 2nd Somerville House (QLD), 3rd Booragoon Primary (WA)
Friday 12th to Saturday 20th December at Melbourne Chess Club. Details here
Upcoming Events
2025 Victorian Blitz Championship
21st December at Melbourne Chess Club. After the Australasian Masters! Details here 2025 Canterbury Summer Swiss Saturday 27 December to Tuesday 30 December 2025 Huntingdale Golf Club Windsor Ave, Oakleigh South. Details here 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)
Upcoming Events
2025 Christmas Blitz
The 2025 Christmas Blitz will be held at the John McGrath Pavilion, 97 Hensman Street, South Perth WA on the 14th of December. Details here
New Zealand
New Zealand Chess News (newzealandchess.nz)
Recent Events
7-9 November NZ Senior Championship 2025
1st equal: Peter D McKenzie (Joint NZ Seniors Champion) 1st equal: Nick Cummings (Joint NZ Seniors Champion) 1st equal: Timothy Huy Minh Ha (Joint NZ Seniors Champion) 1st equal: Anthony L Carpinter (Joint NZ Veterans Champion) 1st equal: CM R Anthony Dowden (Joint NZ Veterans Champion)
16 November I Love Chess Rapid November 2025
1st: Tyler Rust
22 November NZ Fischer-Random Championship 2025
A-grade 1st: Gupta Saptorshi A-grade 2nd: FM Felix Xie (NZ Fischer-Random Champion) B-grade 1st: Billy Heard
29 November North Island Rapid Championships 2025
1st equal: FM Nicolas Croad (Joint North Island Rapid Champion) 1st equal: Ryan Winter (Joint North Island Rapid Champion) 1st equal: FM Ollie Archer (Joint North Island Rapid Champion) 1st equal: WIM Layla Timergazi (Joint North Island Rapid Champion) 1st equal: CM Cohen Young (Joint North Island Rapid Champion)
29-30 November Papatoetoe Rapid 2025
A-grade 1st: FM Felix Xie B-grade 1st: Delos Trino Elmer Junior-grade 1st: FM Felix Xie
Upcoming Events
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
Paul Summers reports on the activities of Australians overseas for events finishing in November. All ratings are FIDE. Games from these events, usually with crosstables, can be found on the Australian Chess web page.
November
Eleven Australian players competed in overseas tournaments ending in November:
Australia was represented by three players in the 2025 World Senior Championship #33 at Gallipoli in Italy:
· CM Aurel John Buciu (QLD 1874) competed in the 154-player 50+ category scoring 3.5/11 and finishing 134=.
· Alan Goldsmith (SA 1970) and Brian Devlin (NT 1444) both competed in the 233-player 65+ category. Alan finished with a plus score on 6.5 and placed 40=. Brian managed 3.5 and finished 203=.
FM Sam Chow (VIC 2370) played in the first two rounds of the 2025-26 4NCL Division 1 drawing both his games. Sam plays on Board 2 for the White Rose team.
Two Australian players competed in the 206-player 2025 FIDE World Cup in Goa India. It was a knockout competition comprising two classical games (40/90 minutes, plus 30 minutes after 40 moves plus 30 seconds per move from move 1). If drawn, the tiebreaks then comprised pairs of games: 2x15+10; 2x10+10; 2x5+3; 2x3+2; and finally, a single sudden death armageddon game is played. White has 4+2. Each player bids for Black’s starting time + 2 seconds increment. The player who submits the lowest time wins the bid and plays with Black. If both players make the same bid, a drawing of lots determines the colours. If the armageddon game results in a draw, Black wins the match. Both players made it to the second round.
· GM Bobby Cheng (28 VIC 2583) faced GM Jagadeesh Siddharth (18 SGP 2491) winning 1½-½ in the first round. In Round 2 he faced veteran GM Peter Leko (46 HUN 2660) going down with ½-1½ and taking home $3,500 in prizemoney.
· GM Temur Kuybokarov (25 WA 2535) had a richer experience. In the first round he faced GM Jan Šubelj (21 SLO 2532), drawing both classical games, but winning both of the rapid games. In Round 2, his opponent was GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (20 IND 2768). Giving away more than 200 rating points, Kuybokarov drew the first three rounds of six rapid games but succumbed in the fourth going down 0-2. A great performance earning $7,500 in prizemoney.
Three Australian players took part in the 98-player 33rd Commonwealth Championships in Goa India:
· IM Morris James (VIC 2428) scored 6.5/9 putting him in equal 6th place, after drawing with the winner and losing to two other players placed above him.
· Ethan Retnaraja (SA 1844) made 50% with 4.5/9 and equal 45th place, defeating lowly-rated GM Nikhil Shyaam along the way.
· FM Angelito Camer (NSW 1638) might have been content with his performance in this company, getting 3.5/9 and 73=, losing only three games.
FM Chakrabarty Reyaansh (NSW 2273) was seeded 76th in the 2025 President’s Cup A in Dushanbe Tajikistan and his score of 2.5 saw him finish in the same position. 91 players officially competed, but 11 were first round forfeiters.
IM Ari Dale competed in the 2025 World Corporate Championship; a rapid team event held in Goa in India. Ari’s team, Deloitte 1, placed second in the preliminary and third in the knockout final. Overall Ari scored 10/14.
Games from the World Cup
From reporting by Paul Power, Australian Chess Federation, publicity@auschess.org.au
Bobby Cheng advanced to the second round with a win over Singapore’s Jagadeesh Siddharth.
Cheng (White) faced a Nimzo-Indian Defence from Siddharth, arriving at the same position after 7... O-O
as Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand, Grand Slam Chess Final, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2011, where Carlsen continued 8. Bg5; Cheng 8. e3.
After 12. O-O
as the same position as Jeffery Xiong vs Fabiano Caruana, US Championship, Saint Louis, USA, 2023.
After 14. bxc4
by transposition, as Anatoly Karpov vs Garry Kasparov, USSR Championship, Moscow, 1988. So there was plenty of historical praxis to draw upon. There Kasparov played 14... b5; Siddharth 14... Qc7
There followed 15. a4 Rfd8 16. Rfc1
where White has more space and the Two Bishops. Then 16... Ng4 17. h3 (Correct was 17. d5) 17... Bxf3 18. Bxf3 Qh2+ and Black has the slight initiative.
A critical position occurred after 26. d5
Black was down to 9 minutes to White’s 17. There followed 26... Ne4 27. Qf3 and Black, down to 3 minutes 30 seconds, played 27... f5 dropping the f-pawn (Correct was 27… Nd6). Then 28. Qxf5 and Black immediately played 28... Ndc5 blundering the Exchange of Rook for Bishop 29. Bxe8
Cheng finished clinically. 29... Rxe8 30. Qg6 Rf8 31. f3 Ng5 32. h4 Nh7 33. Ra3 Qe7 34. Re3 e4 35. fxe4 Rf4 36. g3
Black resigned. On 36... Rxe4 37. Rxe4 Nxe4 38. Qe6+ spells the finish, or 36... Rf7 37. Rf1 Rxf1 38. Kxf1 Nf8 39. Qf5 Qe8 (39...g6 40. Qe5) 40. e5.
Australia’s Temur Kuybokarov faced the World #7 in the second round. After drawing both classical time control games Kuybokarov and India’s Praggnanandhaa faced each other in Rapid Play tie break matches. The first winner of any two game match advances to round 3.
Game 1 of the 15+10 saw Kuybokarov (White) playing a Ruy Lopez, drawing after 32. h4
Game 2 saw Praggnanandhaa (White) in a Ruy Lopez launching a speculative sacrificial attack with 17. Nxf5
Kuybokarov successfully beat the attack, emerging a Bishop ahead, but White was menacing Black’s King with Queen and Knight by 34. Qh4
There followed 34... Qf1+ 35. Kh2 Nxe5 36. Ng8+ Kf8 37. Qd8+ Kg7 38. Qxc7+
where 38... Nd7 or even 38... Kxg8 39. Qxe5 Qf5 preserves Black’s winning advantage. But, instead, Black played 38... Nf7 and White pounced with 39. Qg3+. Sadly for Kuybokarov 39... Kf8 is forced as 39... Kh8 40. Ne7 wins for White and Praggnanandhaa escaped with a draw, remaining in the Cup.
Upcoming Events
Hong Kong International Open 2025, 23-29 December https://calendar.fide.com/calendar.php?id=3175 Oceania Youth Chess Championships 2026, 9-13 April, Christchurch, New Zealand https://sites.google.com/view/oceaniayouth2026
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
Chess Imbalances: A Grandmaster Guide by Mauricio Flores Rios, published by Quality Chess, 472 pages.
After the opening you might have an advantage but how to convert it or even defend successfully? Here are numerous examples of how to exploit a positional advantage and make it decisive.
It is never easy to make progress in a game where the material is balanced, but the Chilian grandmaster is keen to reveal how to try and take advantage of certain situations.
The chapter headings covering the subject are Bishop against Knight, Opposite-Coloured Bishops, The Bishop Pair, and Rook against Two Minor Pieces, which indicates what to expect. The annotated games offer an insight on how to make small but consistent improvements. The range of players is wide so while Carlsen always makes a welcome appearance, there is also for example the game between Englisch-Steinitz from the year 1883! In that game he has an interesting but valuable line: “An unfortunate opening result for White. After only 12 moves he has lost the pair of bishops, with nothing in return.” I think this a sign that the book is designed for improving players that want to reach the next level. This is because plenty of competitors are only too willing to exchange the bishop for a knight because the horse can produce lots of annoying forks. However, at master level the view is that something like the Fischer favourite The Exchange Ruy Lopez is accepted because such a piece swap gives Black doubled c-pawns. However, in general the bishop pair in the opening is seen as superior compared to a pair of knights so when nothing positional is conceded, it is a plus for the one with the bishops.
The section on Material Imbalances is a good excuse to present spectacular games where brilliant onslaughts are often the answer. The chapter headings give more than a hint of what to expect: Pawn Sacrifices, Exchange Sacrifices, Piece Sacrifices and Queen against Anything. As usual there is plenty of prose to explain how to imitate the masters and it is inspiring stuff for those who want to refine their attacking skills.
The final topic Imbalances in Practice allows a demonstration of key ideas already explored but one can clearly see how perfectly it can alter the outcome of a game. It is also excellent material for an aspiring chess coach because the collection of game snippets is a great and succinct way to explain complex ideas.
A powerful and practical way to improve your chess prowess.
Looking Back
100 Years Ago
New Field for Deportation - A Dread Menace - What of the Chess Men?
The Prime Minister has not yet dealt with, nor attempted to deal with, the most dangerous enemies of society. He has actually been blind to the deeds of these formidable adversaries of any system of law and order - the chess players.
It is useless, however, for Mr. Bruce to shut his eyes to this menace. Talk about ‘foreign agitators’. What about the Capablancas, the Maroczys, the Laskers, the Philidors and the Dufresnes? Does the Prime Minister not know that every Chess Club is a breeding ground for Communist ideas? In every Australian city there are dozens of secret subterranean rendezvous where the doctrine of chess and international opponents are fostered.
Many a right-thinking Australian is drawn into the net. First, he has a game with a chap in his office, then with a Russian (Bolsehvik?), later with a German ‘rebel’ and finally, perhaps with an ex-editor of a one-time I.W.W. organ, who is a noted international player. Thus, the players allegedly become Bolshvised. How could it be otherwise? Nearly all are workers. But add to the modern-day system the chess disease, apply the two to a coterie of irreputables, representing the tongues and nationalities of the four corners of the earth, and an essentially explosive mixture may result.
“What made you lose that game?” I asked a young Russian, who was playing a hay and corn merchant from the Western Suburbs. “Crushed by the system.” was the reply. “Look at him, a capitalist. He sits there, he smokes his pipe, he’s full of energy. What am I? Only a cog in the wheel of his game ‘check!’” Had this man been sane, he would have foreseen that playing sixty-seven chess games on a Saturday afternoon is not likely to leave his constitution on a par with that of the burly hay and corn merchant.
To my knowledge, the loser was there every Saturday afternoon and every evening, until the sweeper pushed him out. His diet during these hours consisted of lemonade, biscuits and cigarettes, his only leisure being spent in watching those International chess matches, on the slow motion pictures.
If Mr. Bruce only realised it, here must be an actual breeding ground for Internationalists! Apparently, he doesn’t see the great merits of the chess world, with its relentless disregard of national boundaries, and the eagerness of its cosmopolitan students to try out new the new gambit, even though it might originate in Russia!
The Labor Daily, Sydney, 15 December 1925
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For details and links of NSW chess clubs, see: NSW Chess Association (nswca.org.au) chess clubs
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Cabra-Vale Diggers Chess Club – Canley Vale
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Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club - Lidcombe
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Knightclub – Marrickville
Laurieton
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Newcastle District Chess Association
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NSW Junior Chess League (for players Under 18)
Optus Yes Chess Club – Macquarie Park
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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
Magnetic Island magneticislandchessclub@gmail.com
Mackay Mackay Chess Club
Noosa Shire Tewantin Contact Peter Cam: noosachess@gmail.com
City of Redcliffe Rothwell
Suncoast Buderim Suncoast Chess Club https://suncoastchess.com.au/
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 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
FIDE Delegate & Admin Officer: Dr. Kevin Bonham fide delegate@auschess.org.au
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 c7 b2 2 Bg6 Kxg6 3 c8=Q b1=Q 4 Qxg4+ Kh6 5 Qh4+ Kg6 6 Qh7+
(Pal Benko, 1991 - corrected version of study by Johan van den Ende, 1935)
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.