Calendar

July 31st 2010 - Olympiad fund-raiser - Blitz Tournament, Auckland.
Venue: Auckland Chess Centre, 17 Cromwell, St, Mount Eden. Entry fee: $20. Prizes: a wide range of non-cash prizes sponsored by Fuller Tools and other generous supporters (entry fee goes towards Olympiad costs). 9-round Swiss-system Blitz event with a time control of all moves in five minutes. Schedule: player registration 2:30pm; first round 3:00pm; tournament and prize-giving complete by 6:15pm. Fifty players maximum. Register now by email with Hilton Bennett, hiltonb@wave.co.nz. Download information sheet here (pdf document).

August 8th 2010 - Auckland Junior Interclubs, Auckland.
Alexandra Function Centre, Green Lane. Start time: 11 am.

August 13th-15th 2010 - Waikato Open.
Organised by Hamilton Chess Club. Venue: Saint Paul's Collegiate School, Hukanui Road, Hamilton. An Open and an under-1700 6-round Swiss system tournament with a time control of all moves in 90 minutes plus an increment of 30 seconds per move from move one. The Open will be a FIDE and NZCF rated event, open only to NZCF-registered players; unregistered players may register at the tournament ($15). Entry fees: Open $50; under-1700 $40. Free entry for IMs. Family discount $5 per player for two or more from the same family. Prizefund: Open 1st $350, 2nd $225, 3rd $175; Under-1700 1st $175, 2nd $125, 3rd $100; there will be additional grading prizes, and also awards for the best Waikato players. Round times: Fri 13th Aug, players' meeting 7pm, rd 1 7.15pm; Sat 14th Aug, rd 2 9am, rd 3 2pm, rd 4 7pm; Sun 15th Aug, rd 5 9am, rd 6 2pm. Prizegiving when games have finished. A half-point bye may be taken in any of the first five rounds, if claimed at the time of entry. This event is a Millennium Hotels Grand Prix class 1 event. Details from Hilton Bennett, PO Box 604, Hamilton, e-mail hiltonb@wave.co.nz. Download entry form here (pdf document).

August 19th-28th 2010 - World Youth under-16 Olympiad, Antalya, TURKEY.
This is an international junior under-16 team event. If you are interested in playing, please contact Paul Spiller. Players need to be aware that they will most likely need to fund their own expenses aside from their entry fee and accommodation which is normally covered by the organisers for representative players only.

August 21st 2010 - 3rd Gordon Hoskyn Memorial Rapid, Palmerston North.
Details from Stewart Holdaway: e-mail gordonrapid@hotmail.com. More information soon.

August 21st-29th 2010 - Kiwis Abroad.
Our own Mike Steadman, FM, is on a mission to get the IM title. The first event in his European Tour is in Amsterdam in August. It is an all-play-all with the following competitors: IM Manuel Bosboom NED 2455; IM Irina Turova RUS 2394; IM Alexandru Manea ROM 2390; FM Jasper Broekmeulen NED 2371; FM Stefan Kuipers NED 2354; FM Tomek Rej AUS 2334; FM Bart Gijswijt NED 2311; FM Joost van Ruitenburg NED 2296; FM Michael Steadman NZL 2277; Miguoel Admiraal NED 2221. Average 2340 - so 6 from 9 needed for an IM norm.
http://www.hwphaarlem.nl/bdohomeindex.php

August 22nd 2010 - Auckland B-Grade Interclubs, Auckland.
Alexandra Function Centre, Green Lane. Start time 6:30pm.

August 28th - September 7th 2010 - Merdeka Team Rapidplay Championship and the IGB 7th Dato' Arthur Tan Malaysia Open Chess Championship, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA.
Download the entry form here (Word document). The Merdeka Team Rapidplay takes place August 28-31 and the 9-round Malaysian Open September 1-7 (with registration on August 31st). More details available from the organiser, Abd Hamid Majid, email aham@pc.jaring.my or aham4you@gmail.com. Note there is also a Seniors event (over 55 years), 9 rounds, September 1-7.

August 31st - September 1st 2010 - South Island School Teams Championship, Ashburton.
Venue: Ashburton Intermediate School, Walnut Avenue, Ashburton. Contact: Ken Pow, email kenpow@paradise.net.nz. Download more information and entry form here (Word document).

September 4th-12th 2010 - World University Chess Championship, SWITZERLAND.
This is an individual tournament for which a team ranking is computed. There are separate events for men and women; the men's event is not in general open to women (or vice versa) and permission would have to be sought if a woman wanted to play in the men's event (or vice versa). It appears that we may be represented by between three and eight players, which must include at least one and not more than five players of each gender. Participants must be born between January 1st, 1982 and December 31st, 1992 and must be enrolled at a university or similar institution in 2010. The organisers expect entries to be made via the university sports association of the country where the student is studying. The New Zealand association address is: University Sport New Zealand, Level 3 Travel Tourism House, Boulcott Street 73-89, Wellington Tel. (04) 4993550 Fax. (04) 4993770 E-Mail admin@universitysport.org.nz. Preliminary informal expressions of interest are now sought. More details, and the full qualification criteria, will be put up here when we have them. In the meantime, if you are interested in playing, please contact Paul Spiller. Website: www.wucc2010.ch

September 5th 2010 - Kapiti Rapid, Kapiti.
Venue: Kapiti Community Centre, 15 Ngahina Street, Paraparaumu, Wellington. Information: from the Kapiti Chess Club's website:
http://sites.google.com/site/kapitichessclub/Home/latest-news/kapiti-rapid-tournament/rapid-tournament. More details in due course.

September 5th 2010 - Auckland B-Grade Interclubs, Auckland.
Alexandra Function Centre, Green Lane. Start time 6:30pm.

September 19th 2010 - Auckland B-Grade Interclubs, Auckland.
Alexandra Function Centre, Green Lane. Start time 6:30pm.

19th September - 4th October 2010 - World Chess Olympiad, Khanty-Mansiysk, Siberia, RUSSIA.
See the Olympiad Page for more details about the event. See also weekly updates at www.chessdom.com.

September 25th-26th 2010 - National Interschool Finals, Christchurch.
Venue: Christchurch Boys High School. More information soon.

October 3rd 2010 - Auckland B-Grade Interclubs, Auckland.
Alexandra Function Centre, Green Lane. Start time 6:30pm.

October 3rd-7th 2010 - South Island Championship, Canterbury.
Organiser: Ashburton Chess Club. The South Island Rapidplay Championship will be held on the 3rd. More details soon.

October 9th-10th 2009 - North Shore Open.
Hosted by the North Shore Chess Club. Venue: Northcote Community Centre, cnr College Rd/Ernie Mays St, Northcote, North Shore, Auckland. A 5-round Swiss in two grades: the B-grade is restricted to players under 1700 on the NZCF rating list. Both tournaments will be nationally rated and are therefore open only to NZCF-registered players; unregistered players may register at the tournament ($15). The Open will also be FIDE-rated. Time control: 40 moves in 80 minutes plus 20 minutes to finish the game, with an increment of 20 seconds per move from move 1. Entry fees: Open $45; B grade $40. Prizefund: Open: 1st $500, 2nd $300, 3rd $200, 4th $100 (with grading/age prizes totalling $210); U-1700: 1st $240, 2nd $160, 3rd $100, 4th $60 (with grading/age prizes totalling $200). Schedule: Sat 9th Oct, players' meeting 9am, rd 1 9:20am, rd 2 2pm, rd 3 6:40 pm; Sun 10th Aug, rd 4 9:20am, rd 5 2pm. Prizegiving when games have finished. A half-point bye may be taken in any of the first three rounds, if claimed at the time of entry. Junior Tournament: There will be a separate one-day junior tournament on Saturday 9th restricted to players under the age of 14 on 1st January 2010 and with a current NZCF rapid rating below 1400. The junior event will have 5 rounds starting at approximately 9:15am, 10:40am, 12:05 am, 2:00pm and 3:30pm with a time control of 30 minutes plus 5 seconds per move. Entry fee for the junior event: $25. Prizes: 1st $140, 2nd $90, 3rd $60 (grading/age prizes totalling $150). Organiser: The Secretary, North Shore Chess Club, PO Box 33-587, Takapuna, North Shore City 0740; telephone (09) 449 1812; e-mail pstuart@xtra.co.nz. This event is a Millennium Hotels Grand Prix class 1 event. Download entry form here (pdf document).

October 17th 2010 - Auckland B-Grade Interclubs, Auckland.
Alexandra Function Centre, Green Lane. Start time 6:30pm.

October 19th-31st 2010 - World Youth Championships, Halkidiki, GREECE.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 31st JULY

This is an international junior event with several age categories, from under-8 up to under-18, open and girls. If you are interested in playing, please contact Paul Spiller. Players need to be aware that they will most likely need to fund their own expenses aside from their entry fee and accommodation which is normally covered by the organisers for representative players only. Website: www.2010wycc.org. Download regulations and registration form here (Word documents).

October 22nd-25th 2010 - Merv Morrison Memorial Chess Tournament, Auckland.
Organised by the Auckland Chess Centre. Live games will be shown on www.aucklandchesscentre.co.nz. Venue: Auckland Chess Centre, 17 Cromwell St, Mount Eden, Auckland. An Open and an under-1700 tournament, each a 6-round Swiss system with a time control of all moves in 90 minutes plus an increment of 60 seconds per move from move one. The Open will be a FIDE-rated event. Both tournaments will be nationally rated and are therefore open only to NZCF-registered players; unregistered players may register at the tournament ($15). Entry fees: Open $40 (no junior entry fee in Open); U-1700 $40 (junior under 20 on 1/1/2010 $30). Prizefund: Open: 1st $320, 2nd $200, 3rd $100, grading prizes totalling $80; U-1700: 1st $320 and the Merv Morrison Trophy for 2010, 2nd $200, 3rd $100, grading prizes totalling $80. Round times: Fri 22nd Oct, players' meeting 6:15pm, rd 1 6:30pm; Sat 23rd Oct, rd 2 9:00am, rd 3 3pm; Sun 24th Oct, rd 4 9:00am, rd 5 3pm; Mon 25th Oct, rd 6 9:00am. Prizegiving when games have finished. A half-point bye may be taken in round one only, if claimed at the time of entry. This event is a Millennium Hotels Grand Prix class 1 event. Details from Michael Steadman, 2/3 Rogan St, Hillsborough, Auckland, e-mail steadmanm@hotmail.com. Download entry form here (Word document).

October 25th - November 7th 2010 - World Senior Championships, Arco, ITALY.
This is an international senior event for men aged over 60 and women over 50. There is usually a parallel women-only event for women over 50. If you are interested in playing, please contact Paul Spiller. Players need to be aware that they will most likely need to fund their own expenses aside from their entry fee and accommodation which is normally covered by the organisers for representative players only.

November 12th-27th 2010 - Asian Games, Guangzhou, CHINA.
Chess is included as a 'sport' in the Asian Games. See the official website: www.gz2010.cn/en. If you are interested in playing, please contact Paul Spiller. Players need to be aware that they will most likely need to fund their own expenses aside from their entry fee and accommodation which is normally covered by the organisers for representative players only.

December 4th 2010 - MIT Open, Auckland.
Venue: NO Block, North Campus, Manukau Institute of Technology, Otara, Auckland. Download map here (gif image). A 6-round swiss-system rapid-play tournament. Time control 25 min + 5 sec/move. Entry fee: $45 for A- and B-Grades, $35 for C- and D-Grades; $10 for Junior Trophy Grade. Prizefund: A-Grade (1900+): 1st $450, 2nd $300, 3rd $200. B-Grade (1900-1500): 1st $300, 2nd $200, 3rd $1500. C-Grade (1499-1100): 1st $200, 2nd $150, 3rd $100. D-Grade (1099 and below): 1st $150, 2nd $100, 3rd $80. Junior Grade (1000 and below, 14 years and under): three trophies + Grade Prizes. Schedule: players' meeting 9:00am. Rounds at 9:30am, 10:45 am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:15pm, and 4:30pm. This event is a Millennium Hotels Grand Prix class 1 event. More details from Barry Hooton, PO Box 14-160, Panmure; tel 09-527 7250; email barryhooton@xtra.co.nz. Entry form available soon.

January 2nd-14th 2011 - 118th New Zealand Congress, Auckland.

Organised by Auckland Chess Centre. Venue: Alexandra Function Centre, Lyell Creek/Owners & Trainers Lounge, Green Lane, Auckland. Events: running from 2nd-12th January, the 118th New Zealand Championship and the Major Open; January 13th-14th, the New Zealand Rapid Championship; 14th January, the New Zealand Lightning Championship. Download entry form here (Word document). A page for the Congress, with full details, will be made available soon.

January 25th-31st 2011 - Oceania Zonal 2011, Rotorua.
The official Oceania qualifying event for the World Chess Championship and the Women's Chess Championship. Venue: Millennium Hotel, Rotorua. Organiser: New Zealand Chess Federation. Format: 9-round swiss-system, with an Open event and a separate Women's event. Time control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move from move 1. Prizefund: total overall prizefund NZ $9000. Open to players from the Oceania zone only (ie Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Palau, and the Solomon Islands). Download entry details here (low-resolution pdf file).

Full details at the Zonal website, www.newzealandchess.co.nz/Zonal2011.

Call for Expressions of Interest for Zonal places
New Zealand is entitled to nominate one player for the Open Zonal and one player for the Women's Zonal to receive free entry and free accommodation. In the past, nominees have usually been the winners of the NZ Championship and Women's Championship. However, since Congress is only a couple of weeks before the Zonal, we have decided to have a selection procedure instead. If you are interested in taking the free place, please email Paul Spiller before 30th September. Selections will be made by the end of October. Please note that all New Zealanders are welcome to play on payment of the entry fee.