2024 Victorian Country Chess Championship
A record 44 players from across the state competed in the 2024 Victorian Country Chess Championship, which was held in Bendigo for the first time in 20 years – the last 10 years being hosted by Geelong Chess Club.
Players came from as far as Yarrawonga, Warrnambool, Morwell and Echuca to add to the numbers from the three larger regional clubs, Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong.
The venue was the Old Church on the Hill, with the tournament being hosted by a collaboration of the Bendigo Chess Club and Chess on the Hill communities.
The field was opened up after last year’s winner and top seed, Reinier Milan, (Geelong) was defeated in Round 3 by the young Ballarat player, Declan Smith. Read more...
Checkmate for a Clean Environment
Children’s Week Event - Chess Tournament
Date: Sunday 27th October 2024
Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Players should arrive by 11:45 AM)
Location: Hooper Room, Ballarat Mechanics Institute
117-119 Sturt St, Ballarat Central VIC 3350
Rounds: 7 Rounds of Chess
Time Controls: 12 minutes per side with a 2-second increment
This Children’s Week event is presented by Ballarat Chess Club in partnership with the Victorian Department of Education
Event Details: Please read here for more information about how to enter....
Chess Coaching Term 4, 2024
To all Ballarat Junior Chess Club members, parents and chess players
The chess coaching sessions for Term 4 of 2024 will resume on Thursday 10th October and run until Thursday 5th December. As usual all sessions will be held in the Humffray Room on level 4 of the Ballarat Mechanics Institute at 117 Sturt Street Ballarat, commencing at 5.30pm.
All students who participated in Term 3 are now invited to register and pay the coaching fees for Term 4 using the TryBooking link at https://www.trybooking.com/CVZQC This is the only way to register and pay. The TryBooking system enables us to collect relevant information and streamlines the administration process.
Welcome to the 13th annual Arthur Koelle Tournament 2024
The Koelle Tournament begins on the 10th of October this year, (coincidentally Taiwan's National Day!), and is the last major tournament for the year. Come a little early on the day to register with Peter or Anna, who will be arbiters for the tournament. You can also let Peter know of your intention to play, or if you will be absent and need a half point bye, via email - president@ballaratchess.com
Get in quick! It's Bullet time!
The tournament committee has decided to hold a Bullet tournament at the chess club this Thursday night (October 3rd).
The format is 9 rounds with Swiss pairing, 2 minutes per player with 1 second increment. If we finish early there might be time for more rounds.
Presidents Report 2023-24
Our previous Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, September 21, 2023 and there were a few changes to report. A new Vice President, Peter Stickland, was elected. The Club thanked Rob Bailey for his prior service in that role. In addition, Jordan Furlong was elected to the Club General Committee.
The Club has continued to prosper over the past year, thanks to an active and competent Committee, a well organised program of events, and the enthusiastic participation of our members.
Rounding off the 2023 Calendar year, the Koelle Tournament, with 18 entries in the 'A' and 15 in the Reserves, was won in dominant style by James Watson, his 2nd Koelle title, while the Koelle Reserves tournament was won in even more emphatic style by junior Kanishk Mahasuar.
The 2023 Blitz Championship was won by Paul Dao, who also won the 2023 Rapid Play title. Read more here...
2024 AGM and new and continuing positions on the right
Vic Country Championships
This is a reminder that the 2024 Victorian Country Chess Championship will be held in Bendigo over the weekend of 19th and 20th October.
The early-bird entry fee for the championship will finish on Saturday 12th October. After that time, the cost of entry will be $10 higher. Payment and registration can be completed by card at the TryBooking link of https://www.trybooking.com/CUGJP or by EFT to the bank account shown on the entry form.
The championships are being hosted by the Bendigo Chess Club for the first time since 2004 when they were last held in this city. The address of the venue is The Old Church on the Hill, Community Centre, 36 Russell Street, Quarry Hill, Bendigo. The street number of the address was incorrectly shown on the flyer sent with the previous email, so be sure to go to the correct address. Entries are only coming in slowly at this stage so we would encourage players to register as soon as possible.
There are currently no entry limitations or mandatory government regulations relating to Covid-19. We do ask however, if anybody has tested positive to Covid-19 in the 3 days prior to the event that they do not attend, and a refund will be arranged.
There are numerous accommodation options available in Bendigo, so be sure to check them out online or reach out to Nigel who is a member of the Bendigo Chess Club. If you need accommodation, then it would be best to arrange it early, rather than leave it until the last few days.
The championships will be ACF rated but will not be FIDE rated.
Best wishes to everyone, stay healthy and we look forward to catching up at the championships.
Victorian Rural Chess League Committee
Kevin Perrin (President) 0418 533 517,
Nigel Barrow (Secretary) 0421 674 869,
Jack Smith (Vice-President) 0406 199 457
Teters Memorial 2024
The 14th Arthur Teters Memorial, our 3rd Classical tournament for the year, was held from 1st August to 8th September, and attracted a fantastic entry of 46 players. More than half of them were juniors. Scott Stewart and Declan Smith were the top seeds. As usual in a Swiss tournament, there were no upset results in Round 1, but Round 2 produced a couple of surprising results, with Tom Oppenheim holding strong veteran Bas van Riel to a draw, and feisty Jamie Brotheridge unable to overcome Anna Yates for another draw. Round 3 gave us the first real upsets, when Scott Stewart, from a winning position against Patrick Cook, overlooked a subtle defensive move and fell to defeat. Strong junior Declan Mahar, on the attack against Shanaya Guha, was himself checkmated by Shanaya's counterattack. Jamie Brotheridge was again held to a draw, this time by fast improving Lucas Ware. After 3 rounds, Declan Smith and Patrick Cook lead with 3/3. In Round 4 Declan Smith quickly dispatched Patrick Cook to seize the outright lead, but some juniors starred! Shanaya Guha defeated Michael Leckie and Jimmy Zhang defeated experienced coach Nigel Block. In Round 5, Bas van Riel could not hold a focused Declan Smith, Patrick Cook stayed in range with a good win over Shanaya Guha, Jamie Brotheridge played a 3rd straight draw against Kevin Perrin, and juniors again produced outstanding upsets with Anna Yates falling to Zachariah Jacob, and Steve Nimmo defeated by Suhas Devarapilli. Round 6 saw Declan Smith convincingly defeat Jamie Brotheridge and thus win the tournament with a round to spare, while Patrick Cook fell to his old rival Bas van Riel. And once again a junior stepped up, with solid Vipin Jyani falling to defeat by Zacariah Jacob! Going in to the last Round and our 'C' grade Champion Sam Song took on rampaging Declan Smith, but would not bow, holding Declan to a draw in a very long game, thus denying the title winner a picket fence score. Bas van Riel faced Scott Stewart, but was forfeited when his phone rang in the middle of the game. This enabled Patrick Cook to grab 2nd place with a nice win, playing Black, against newcomer Vasantha Narayana. And again, a junior scored an upset, with Nigel Block falling to Methuja Dissanayake. So Declan Smith wins his first major Ballarat title with a score of 6.5/7, followed by Patrick Cook on 5/7, and Bas van Riel, Scott Stewart, Paul Marko, Sam Song, Jamie Brotheridge, Declan Mahar, and Zachariah Jacob on 4.5/7. Young Zachariah Jacob wins the Reserves title.
Fletcher Morrow 2024
The 14th edition of our annual match against Geelong Chess Club was held in Geelong on Sunday 11th August over 10 boards. As usual Geelong heavily out rated us, and we were unable to field our dream team, so a disaster was a real possibility. We lost the match 3-7, a good score in the circumstances, with Lucas Ware and Jasan Barnett scoring morale boosting wins, and evergreen Kevin Perrin and young Declan Mahar scoring excellent draws against much stronger opponents.
Club Championships Conclude
The 59th Ballarat Chess Club Championships, in the centenary year of F.I.D.E., was an exciting event, despite the absence of so many of our strongest players. Several players who would otherwise not get a spot in the 'A' group grabbed their chance and acquitted themselves well. Defending Champion James Watson was steady throughout and becomes the 10th player to win back-to-back Championships. Declan Smith, new to the Club, pushed James all the way, and only a late stumble prevented him from winning the title himself. As for the rest, Declan Mahar, just 10 years old at the start of the tournament, proved to be a genuine “disturber of the peace”, taking some big scalps on his way to shared third place alongside mystery man Paul Marko and the unpredictable Jamie Brotheridge. As ever, 7-time Champion, veteran Kevin Perrin had flashes of his old strength, it seems that age shall not weary him. Not so our President, 8-time Champion Patrick Cook, who managed to finish last without winning a game! The first time this has happened in all the 40 Championships he has played. The Reserves Championship was also a tight race, with a bunch of players vying for the title. At the end, Lucas Ware and Oscar Heawood finished tied on 8.5/11 and a play-off will be required. They were just a half point ahead of Patrick Frost and Steven Nimmo. The 'C' grade tournament was also close, with junior Sam Song winning the medal on 6/9, a half point ahead of veteran Trevor Ivory.Next year will be the 60th Championship of our modern history, and with our current crop of players it promises to be equally as exciting as this year’s tournaments.
Round 11
Before the last round commenced, it was announced that Andrew Liu had, sadly, had to withdraw from the tournament. Since he has not played half the scheduled games, all his results are annulled, although the games will be rated. Newcomer Declan Smith is the nominal leader, with defending Champion James Watson just a half point behind, but with a game in hand. No one else can catch them. Paul Marko duly fell to Declan Smith, while veteran Patrick Cook was unable to cope with James Watson in a Benko Gambit. Vipin Jyani versus Peter Stickland was a hard fought draw, as was Jamie Brotheridge versus Justin Goodison. Kevin Perrin showed a glimpse of his past glory with a fine win against Michael Leckie. Declan Mahar versus Andrew Liu was not played. James Watson duly played his postponed Rd. 10 game against Vipin Jyani a few days later and again won with the Benko Gambit, his only mistake was playing with the wrong colour! So, James Watson is the 2024 Ballarat Chess Club Champion, his 3rd title overall. In the Reserves, Lucas Ware and Oscar Heawood finished in a tie and a play-off for the title will be required. The 'C' grade title was won by junior Sam Song.
Chess Coaching for Term 3
To all Ballarat Junior Chess Club members, parents and chess players
The chess coaching sessions for Term 3 of 2024 will resume on Thursday 18th July and run until Thursday 12th September. As usual all sessions will be held in the Humffray Room on level 4 of the Ballarat Mechanics Institute at 117 Sturt Street Ballarat, commencing at 5.30pm.
All students who participated in Term 2 are now invited to register and pay the coaching fees for Term 3 using the TryBooking link at https://www.trybooking.com/CTISC . This is the only way to register and pay. The TryBooking system enables us to collect relevant information and streamlines the administration process. More information here.
Sunday Allegro! Book your spot now Sunday, July 28th
Following on from the success of the last Sunday Allegro, we have organised another for the end of July.
� Format: 7-round Swiss Tournament. ⏳ Rate of Play: 15 minutes, plus an increment of 5 seconds per move.
🎉 Prizes: Guaranteed $500 prize pool! Additional prizes will be considered if entry fees exceed expectations
🔍 Categories: Outright: 1st Place - $200, 2nd Place - $100, 3rd Place - $50 Under 1400 Reserves (ACF rating threshold to be set based on the mid-point of
entries): 1st Place - $100, 2nd Place - $50
🎟️ Entry Fee: Full Members of Ballarat Chess Club: $20 Junior/Concession Members of BCC: $15 Non-Members of Ballarat Chess Club: $30 Junior/Concession Non-Members of BCC: $25 GMs/IMs/WGMs/WIMs: Free entry
📝 How to Enter: Secure your spot now by completing your entries and payments online via TryBooking at link. https://www.trybooking.com/CTAKY 🚨 Entries Close: Online entries close 10pm Saturday 27 th July 2024
In person entries (cash only) close 12:15pm on Sunday 28 th July 2024
🦠 Covid-19 Matters: Your safety is our priority. If you've tested positive for Covid-19 in the 3 days prior to the event, please refrain from attending. We'll arrange a refund of your entry fee. For further inquiries, don't hesitate to contact Chris Kolak at 0425 859 903 or via email at chris-wb4@hotmail.com.
Download Flyer here...
Club Championship Rounds 9 and 10
With the Championships nearing the end, James Watson and Declan Smith are best placed in the 'A' group, with Oscar Heawood and Lucas Ware vying for the 'Reserves'. In Round 9, Declan Smith versus Andrew Liu was postponed. Paul Marko could not hold James Watson in a Rossolimo Sicilian, Vipin Jyani won a good game against Justin Goodison, the “drawmeister” Patrick Cook duly drew a quiet game against Michael Leckie, and Jamie Brotheridge versus Kevin Perrin was a rather more dramatic draw.
Meanwhile, several postponed games were played at the Public Library. From Round 2, Patrick Cook versus Declan Smith was a long, absorbing grind that Declan eventually won, after the game was adjourned! A rare occurrence in modern chess. From Round 6, Justin Goodison also fell to Declan Smith, and from Round 7, Peter Stickland collapsed to defeat in a probably drawn endgame against Andrew Liu. In Round 10, Andrew Liu versus Kevin Perrin and James Watson versus Vipin Jyani were postponed. Justin Goodison didn't provoke the somnolent Patrick Cook and a draw was duly agreed. Michael Leckie versus Jamie Brotheridge was a rather more complicated draw. Peter Stickland was unable to punish Paul Marko's Philidor Defence and lost a messy game.
And Declan Smith, leading the tournament, paid the price for underestimating the youngest player in the field, Declan Mahar, who would not die and grabbed his chance near the end of a very long game to cause the upset of the Championships and hand James Watson a lifeline!
Club Championship Rounds 7 and 8
Round 7 saw the much anticipated showdown between runaway leaders Declan Smith and James Watson, with Declan scoring an important win. Paul Marko continued his excellent form with a fighting win over Michael Leckie, and youngster Declan Mahar defeating fellow junior Justin Goodison. Vipin Jyani settled for a draw versus Kevin Perrin, and the traditional grudge match between out of form Patrick Cook and Jamie Brotheridge also smouldered to a draw. Peter Stickland versus Andrew Liu was another postponed game.
In Round 8, Michael Leckie scored an excellent win against Vipin Jyani, Justin Goodison recovered to defeat Paul Marko, James Watson brushed aside Declan Mahar, and Peter Stickland was no match for Declan Smith. Andrew Liu versus Jamie Brotheridge was a curiosity, with Andrew resigning a superior position because he had to leave, unaware that he could have adjourned the game! The 40th Championship tournament game between Kevin Perrin and Patrick Cook ended peacefully in a draw after just 15 moves.
BCC Online Daily Championships
We are thrilled to announce that the 2024 Ballarat Chess Club Daily Championship has officially begun on chess.com! This is your chance to join fellow members in a battle of wits and strategy, all from the comfort of your home. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the game, this tournament promises to be an exciting opportunity to challenge yourself and improve your skills. Tournament Details: Platform: Chess.com Start Date: Already underway! Format: Daily games 3 Days per move in 3 groups playing to qualify for the final 9. Joining: If you haven’t already, please visit the tournament page and make your moves. https://www.chess.com/tournament/2024-ballarat-chess-club-daily-championship
Club Championship Rounds 5 and 6
Round 5 saw more tough, fighting chess. High flying Paul Marko fell to excellent play by Jamie
Brotheridge, Peter Stickland played the Scotch, but was held to a draw by Justin Goodison, junior Declan
Mahar defeated veteran Kevin Perrin, Vipin Jyani was unable to take advantage of Patrick Cooks poor
form and drew after a complex fight, and Declan Smith was held to a draw by Michael Leckie in a lengthy
endgame. James Watson versus Andrew Liu was postponed.
Two more games, Andrew Liu versus Patrick Cook, and Justin Goodison versus Declan Smith, were
postponed in round 6. The other four games were decisive with Jamie Brotheridge defeating Vipin Jyani,
Kevin Perrin inflicting a 2nd
successive defeat on Paul Marko, Michael Leckie seeing off Declan Mahar,
and James Watson dispatching Peter Stickland.
With so many postponed games the standings are a bit confused, but defending Champion James Watson
is best placed.
Club Championship Rounds 3 and 4
The tournament(s) continued with feisty and absorbing play in Round 3. The favourites for the title, James
Watson and Declan Smith, continued to show their strength with convincing wins. 10 year old Declan
Mahar grabbed his chance to snatch a draw from veteran Patrick Cook, and Paul Marko mated Vipin Jyani
in a messy fight.
Only 3 games were played in Round 4 on the night, with the others postponed. Patrick Cook showed
continuing poor form, falling to Paul Marko after going astray late in a complicated struggle, Kevin Perrin
was dealt with by Declan Smith, and Jamie Brotheridge was stunned by the ever alert Declan Mahar.
First Sunday Allegro won by local Paul Dao
The event was well attended with 31 players vying for the $500 prize money, and many just enjoying a Sunday full of chess at the wonderful Ballarat Mechanics Institute. Paul managed 6.5 points out of the 7 available, only conceding a draw to Scott Stewart. He was a full point ahead of second place, Arthur Koelle, with event organiser Chris Kolak, and James Watson both on 5 points. The Under 1400 first prize winner was Peter Stickland on 4.5 points, with Julian, Sam and Jyani sharing 2nd place. See the results here..
News Update
1. Patrick receiving his medal for playing in 40 club championships and Shanaya for winning the Reserves section of the Spielvogel Memorial tournament.
Some photos from Pearl Yung’s Northern Star Kryal Castle school tournaments on 17 and 18 April. Clarendon won both Primary and Secondary events on each day. An amazing event with around 200 children competing each day.
Championships Rounds 1 & 2
There was only one real upset in Round 1: Peter Stickland took advantage of an underdeveloped Patrick Cook who had gone pawn hunting, and successfully attacked the uncastled black king, netting material which lead to Patrick's resignation. Round 2 went to ratings, however, with draws and adjournments, only two players are on full points - 2023 champion, James Watson, and upcoming Justin Goodison.
1. Before the start of the 1st rnd of the BCC 2024 & 2. BCC'24 Round 1
Sunday Allegro! Book your spot now Sunday, May 5th
🏰 Discover Chess in Historic Ballarat! 🌟 Greetings Chess Aficionados near and far! Step into the enchanting world of chess amidst the historic charm of Ballarat! 📅 Save the Date: Sunday, May 5th, 2024 🕐 Time: 1 pm onwards 📍 Venue: Humffray Room, Ballarat Mechanics Institute, 117 Sturt St, Ballarat.
Join us for a riveting chess experience presented by Ballarat Chess Club Inc. Nestled within the storied walls of the Ballarat Mechanics Institute, prepare for a day filled with strategic manoeuvres and thrilling gameplay. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting your chess journey, our event promises excitement and camaraderie against the backdrop of Ballarat's rich heritage. Read below for more details and secure your place at the board for an unforgettable day of chess in Ballarat! Ballarat Chess Club Inc.
� Format: Prepare for a thrilling 7-round Swiss Tournament. ⏳ Rate of Play: Each player will have 15 minutes, plus an increment of 5 seconds per move.
🎉 Prizes: Get ready to win big with a guaranteed $500 prize pool! Additional prizes will be considered if entry fees exceed expectations
🔍 Categories: Outright: 1st Place - $200, 2nd Place - $100, 3rd Place - $50 Under 1400 ACF rating: 1st Place - $100, 2nd Place - $50
🎟️ Entry Fee: Full Members of Ballarat Chess Club: $20 Junior/Concession Members of BCC: $15 Non-Members of Ballarat Chess Club: $30 Junior/Concession Non-Members of BCC: $25 GMs/IMs/WGMs/WIMs: Free entry
📝 How to Enter: Secure your spot now by completing your entries and payments online via TryBooking at link. https://www.trybooking.com/CPPPZ 🚨 Entries Close: Online entries close on Saturday, May 4th, 2024. In-person entries (cash only) close at 12:45 pm on Sunday, May 5th, 2024.
🦠 Covid-19 Matters: Your safety is our priority. If you've tested positive for Covid-19 in the 3 days prior to the event, please refrain from attending. We'll arrange a refund of your entry fee. For further inquiries, don't hesitate to contact Chris Kolak at 0425 859 903 or via email at chris-wb4@hotmail.com.
To all Ballarat Junior Chess Club members, parents and chess players
The chess coaching sessions for Term 2 of 2024 will resume on Thursday 18th April. As usual all sessions will be held in the Humffray Room on level 4 of the Ballarat Mechanics Institute at 117 Sturt Street Ballarat, commencing at 5.30pm.
All students who participated in Term 1 of 2024 are now invited to register and pay the coaching fees for Term 2 using the TryBooking link at https://www.trybooking.com/CQUOJ . This is the only way to register and pay since PayPal, EFT or cash are no longer available. The TryBooking system enables us to collect relevant information and streamlines the administration process. More...
Begonia Open 2024
President's report, photos and games are all posted here for your perusal!
Club Championship
Dear members,
Our club championship is due to commence on Thursday 18th April (details of the tournament listed below). To help with the smooth organisation of this tournament can you please respond to the following by Monday 8th April.
Please advise if you intend to play in the tournament or not?
Please advise if you wish to compete in the Grade indicated by your ACF rating or if you would like to play in a higher Grade if there is a vacancy (or even play in a lower Grade, noting that if you play in a lower Grade you won't be eligible for a prize).
Club Championship Rules: This tournament is arranged in three Grades based on ACF rating. The winner of B Grade in 2023 is automatically eligible to play in A Grade, the winner of C Grade in 2023 is automatically eligible to play in B Grade. A and B Grades will consist of 12 players and be conducted as round-robin tournaments over 11 weeks. All other players will play in C Grade; using Swiss pairing with the number of rounds determined by the tournament committee based on the number of entrants. A Grade games will have a 90 minute + 30 second time control. B and C Grade games will have a 60 minute + 30 second time control. A and B Grade games will be ACF and FIDE rated. C Grade games are only ACF rated. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me or another member of the tournament committee (Julian and Anna).
Spielvogel Memorial
Rounds 5-7
Round 5 saw more fighting chess, with Justin holding Jamie to a draw, veteran Patrick Cook falling to Scott Stewart, and Jordan recovering with a win over Kanishk Mahasuar. JB still leads with 4.5 while Scott, Jordan, and Paul Marko are hot on his heels with 4.
In round 6, Jamie fell to Paul Marko, Scott inflicted another defeat on Bas, while Ttom Oppenheim stepped up and held Justin to a draw. Paul and Scott lead with 5/6 going in to the last round, with Patrick, Justin, and Tom a point behind.
The last round, and Scott secured the title with a win over Paul, while JB grabbed 2nd after a tough win over Tom, and 3rd went to Patrick after a smooth win over Justin. Noteworthy also was another loss by Bas to junior Kanishk, and 9 year old Shanaya Guha defeating Anna Yates to take the Reserves title.
Rounds 3 & 4
In round 3, the always dangerous Jamie Brotheridge took down veteran Bas van Riel, while Jordan Furlong dispatched strong junior Justin Goodison, so Jamie and Jordan are quick out of the blocks with 3/3. In round 4, Jamie defeated Jordan and now leads alone with 4/4.
Rounds 1 & 2
It really is 'Chess for everyone' in the Spielvogel Memorial this year. Thirty three participants with good representation from women and juniors, both boys and girls. After two rounds, 5 players are on two points. Round Two upsets were Declan Mahar defeating Scott Stewart, and Shanaya Guha holding veteran Patrick Cook to a well fought draw. See the game here...
Rapid Play #1
28 players entered the 1st of 3 Rapid Play tournaments for the year and an exciting event ensued. At the end of the 1st night, no less than 6 players shared the lead on 2.5/3. Going into the last round, Patrick Cook and Harrison Harrison remained unbeaten and fought out a tough game, with Harrison prevailing to win the tournament with a great score of 5.5/6.
Blitz #1
A score of players entered the first Blitz tournament, with Chris Kolak taking the full 7 points, and James and Jordan trailing the leader with 5 points. See the crosstable on the Blitz page...
New Year's Blitz and Bullet Tourney
The first Saturday in 2024 was a beautiful sunny day at Lake Wendouree, and around a dozen people turned up for some OTB chess to start the year. Despite some early wind hazards blowing over the pieces, things settled down with 7 rounds of 5m +2s blitz. Only unforeseen event was Justin G got some help from a fellow dressed in black, wearing red lipstick, and soundly defeated Rob L (see picture below). James W won the Blitz with 7/7 and Chris K the Bullet, a double round robin. Thanks go to Andrew Liu for organising the event!
Presidents Report 2023-24
Our previous Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, September 21, 2023 and there were a few changes to report. A new Vice President, Peter Stickland, was elected. The Club thanked Rob Bailey for his prior service in that role. In addition, Jordan Furlong was elected to the Club General Committee.
The Club has continued to prosper over the past year, thanks to an active and competent Committee, a well organised program of events, and the enthusiastic participation of our members.
Rounding off the 2023 Calendar year, the Koelle Tournament, with 18 entries in the 'A' and 15 in the Reserves, was won in dominant style by James Watson, his 2nd Koelle title, while the Koelle Reserves tournament was won in even more emphatic style by junior Kanishk Mahasuar.
The 2023 Blitz Championship was won by Paul Dao, who also won the 2023 Rapid Play title.
Following a 2 year hiatus due to Covid and other issues, the Ballarat Chess Club Triathlon tournament was revived and attracted a record entry of 32 players. The Gold medal was won by Paul Dao, with Andrew Liu taking the Silver medal.
Following our traditional Christmas/New Year recess, the Club resumed its activities for the 2024 calendar year on Thursday, 18th January with the 1st of 5 tournaments in our Blitz Grand Prix, and the 1st of 3 Rapid Play tournaments over the following 2 weeks. Both titles are still up for grabs, and will be reported on in next years Presidents Report.
Our 1st Classical event for the year was the Spielvogel Memorial, which attracted a good entry of 30 players. Scott Stewart won the title, with junior Shanaya Guha taking the Reserves title.
Our annual “Begonia” Open tournament, one of the most prestigious events in Australian chess, was again held over the weekend of 9-11 March, 2024. This was the 58th consecutive “Begonia” Open, a magnificent achievement for a provincial chess club, and our Club can rightly be proud of this tournament. Much of the success of this tournament is due to our sponsors, supporters, excellent tournament officials, and the contribution of many of our members, including, of course, Kevin Perrin who has been involved in all 58 events! Again we attracted a record entry of 224 players, including a very encouraging 27 locals. The field was headed by world class English GM Gawain Jones, with 2 Australian GM's, 1 WGM, 5 IM's, 1 WFM, and numerous Candidate Masters also in the strong field.
At the Opening Ceremony, ACF President Gary Wastell announced the award of the very prestigious Koshnitsky Medal to our President, Patrick Cook. Chess Victoria President, IM Leonard Sandler, had the honour of presenting the medallion. The medal is awarded intermittently to a worthy chess official for their contribution to chess administration, and this is the second time we have been so honoured, after Kevin Perrin in 2004.
The tournament was won jointly by GM Jones and IM James Morris with the imposing score of 6.5/7.
The Time Handicap Tournament was again held over 2 weeks at the end of March and beginning of April, and was again won by Paul Dao.
The 59th Club Championships were again held in 3 separate tournaments, for Championship, Reserves (both round robin), and 'C' grade (Swiss). James Watson won the Championship, after a tight race with Declan Smith, becoming the first player to successfully defend the title since Patrick Cook in 2005/6. Lucas Ware won the Reserves after a play-off with Oscar Heawood, and Sam Song won the 'C' grade title.
Our 3rd Classical tournament for the year was the Teters Memorial, which attracted a fantastic entry of 46 players, including many members of our Junior Club. Declan Smith won his 1st major title with an imposing score of 6.5/7. Junior player Zachariah Jacob won the Reserves.
Attempts have been made to keep chess tragics happy, with regular Sunday Allego tournaments through the year. Two such events have been held, the first, on Sunday 5th May, with 31 entries was won by Paul Dao with 6.5/7, and the 2nd on Sunday 28th July, with 33 entries was won by Paul Dao and Declan Smith with 6.5/7.
The 2023 Country Victorian Championships was again hosted by Geelong Chess Club on behalf of the Victorian Rural Chess League and had an entry of 38 players, of whom no less than 13 were from Ballarat. Paul Dao finished 2nd with 5/6, Om O'Carroll was =3rd with 4.5/6, and Jamie Brotheridge and Patrick Cook took =3rd Reserves with 3.5/6.
Kevin Perrin was re-elected President of VRCL, and we continue to host the VRCL website.
Our annual Challenge matches against fellow country Victorian Clubs were again held. The 14th edition of our match against Geelong Chess Club was another defeat (3-7), while the 7th edition of our match versus Bendigo Chess Club was tied 2.5-2.5.
Our Junior Chess Club continues to prosper thanks to the dedicated efforts of Scott Stewart, Kevin Perrin, and their team of coaches. Increasingly, many of the youngsters are now staying on to compete in the Senior Club, with obvious enthusiasm and growing success!
We continue to maintain an on-line presence, born in the Covid crisis, and the 2024 on-line Championship, hosted by global chess behemoth Chess.com, is currently in progress.
The above is a summary of the Ballarat Chess Clubs activities over the past year, and it would suggest that our future is assured. We have excellent office bearers, and a wonderful playing venue, and we welcome new members and encourage young players.
Finally, I would like to advise members that I will not be available for re-election to the position of President. After 28 years in the role, I feel it is time for a new, more energetic person to take on the job. It has been a great privilege for me to serve in this capacity, and I thank the many members, past and present , who entrusted me with it.
Patrick Cook, President, 25/09/2024
Elected positions for 2024 to 2025
President Peter Stickland
Secretary Anna Yates
Treasurer Kevin Perrin
Vice President Julian Laffey
Webmaster Rob Loveband
Assistant Webmaster Julian Laffey
Club Captain Patrick Cook
General Committee Scott Stewart, Vipin Jyani, Jordan Furlong
Junior Coaching Committee Scott Stewart, Rob Bailey, Kevin Perrin
Begonia Committee Patrick Cook, Anna Yates, Kevin Perrin,
Scott Stewart, Peter Stickland, Trevor Ivory
Tournament Committee Anna Yates, Julian Laffey, Peter Stickland, Dilbagh Guha
Online Chess Coordinator Scott Stewart