NEWS: Queensland InterSchools Chess; UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS: March; April; May; June; July. CURRENT EVENTS: Doeberl Cup; Queensland Open; Sydney International. RECENT EVENTS: Darling Downs Open; March Madness. INFORMATION: Group Outings -  2009 Australian Junior Championships; 2009 Queenstown Open. CHESS JOBS: IQ Chess Franchise Opportunities; Chess Coaches Required; Chess Shop; Keen on Chess?; CAQ Newsletter; Reports and Tournament Notices; Webpage; Unsubscribe.

Calendars for 2008: General; Official school calendar; Adult Club (on Wednesdays)
and 2008 International Junior Calendar (kindly provided by GM Ian Rogers)

Gardiner Chess employs many coaches (mainly casual part-time) around South East Queensland and Northern NSW. Because increasing numbers of schools are keen to introduce chess programmes we always are on the lookout for more coaching staff. While many of our staff are uni students, others are older and just want to supplement their income. Generally quite strong players are required for high schools, but the playing strength for primary students is not so important, because the vast majority are beginners. The ability to teach and relate well to young people is the most important attribute we are looking for. We provide our coaches with extensive resources plus assistance in training methods and support. Additionally, we hold professional development seminars twice a year. Please contact Graeme Gardiner if you are interested: ggardiner@gardinerchess.com or 5522 7221.

2 to 13 January 2009 - Australian Junior Championships, Adelaide

This important event will be held  at St Ignatius School in Athelstone, Adelaide, South Australia. Graeme Gardiner will be leading a group from Gardiner Chess, and package details will be available in due course. Registrations of interest are welcome to Graeme Gardiner at ggardiner@gardinerchess.com.

15 to 24 January 2009 - 2009 Queenstown Open, NZ

There will be a top class international field, but this is an open event, and anyone can enter.

• Prizes totalling NZ$50,000 (A$45,000 approx) are guaranteed. There are prizes for the lower rating groups (eg Under 2000 $500, Under 1800 $500, Under 1600 $500, Under 15 years of age $125, Under 12 years of age $125).

• The playing venue at the Millennium Hotel is excellent.

• Games don't start until 3pm each day, which means there is plenty of time earlier in the day to do all sorts of things.

Gardiner Chess took a group to this event on the South Island of NZ in 2006. Surely this must be one of the most exquisite locations for a chess tournament in the world. Queenstown is an awesome place, with heaps to see and do, and views to die for. For example, the exhilarating jetboat trip we did out into the mountainous wilderness along the Dart River was indescribably beautiful and heaps of fun for all of us.

There was an interesting innovation at the 2006 event where Cathy Rogers brought along a very challenging 10,000 piece jigsaw puzzle and set it up just outside the tournament hall. It had the fantastic effect of bringing everyone together socially at various times over several days doing this mammoth jigsaw. We even saw a certain well-known Aus Grandmaster who was in the middle of his game on board one standing outside with a group doing the puzzle. It was finally completed on the final day after the last round had finished, and there was not one piece missing despite some mysterious 'sabotage' that occurred overnight. Please repeat this in 2009 Cathy!

Full details at www.newzealandchess.co.nz/queenstownchess/. Gardiner Chess will provide package details soon. Justine Jule, who hails from Kiwiland, but has never been to Queenstown (shame on her!), will be leading the group. Registrations of interest most welcome to Justine Jule at Gardiner Chess on jjule@gardinerchess.com.

Olympiad Appeal

After the World Championship, the Chess Olympiad is the most important event in the international chess calendar. It is certainly the most important teams event in the calendar. It is held every two years. This year it will be held in Dresden, Germany from 12th to 25th November. The official site is at http://f0246.futris02.de/cms/cms/english/.

Unlike most competing nations, the Australian teams receive no government support and must pay their own way, a burden compounded by the distance involved from Australia to Germany and the corresponding high air fares. The costs increase with every Olympiad. They can't do it alone, but depend on the support of the Australian chess community.

We ask you all to reach for the hip pocket, and give what you can to the ACF Olympiad Appeal. No donation is too large or too small - all will get the teams that much closer to Germany and will be acknowledged on this site: www.caq.org.au/olympiad/index.htm.

All donors to the last Olympiad Appeal received email bulletins from the players direct from Turin. A similar thank-you gesture for donors is anticipated from the players in Dresden.

Ian Murray, who has been a volunteer chess administrator in Queensland for some 30 years is the Olympiad Appeal Coordinator for 2009. Thanks Ian!

Here are some sites to visit, where you will find a wealth of information:

• FIDE at www.fide.com. This is the official site of the World Chess Federation.

• Australian Chess Federation (ACF) www.auschess.org.au. The official site for Australian Chess.

• Chess Association of Queensland (CAQ) www.caq.org.au. Queensland's official site.

• The Week in Chess (TWIC) www.chesscenter.com/twic/twic.html  - news about the latest top class tournaments worldwide.

• Chess Base www.chessbase.com.  World chess news.

• www.letsplaychess.com is a friendly online chess club where you can play chess with players from all over the World.

• Internet Chess Club (ICC) www.chessclub.com  - this is the number one site for serious players to play online.

• Free Internet Chess Server (FICS) www.freechess.org  - another very good free chess playing server.

• Chess Chat bulletin board http://chesschat.org/  Unofficial Australian bulletin board
  
  ...and of course www.gardinerchess.com

Chess Shop at Gardiner Chess

For a complete range of chess goods, including sets, clocks, books, DVDs etc, please visit us at the chess centre at Mudgeeraba, or online at www.gardinerchess.com.

CAQ Newsletter

If you wish to subscribe to the CAQ newsletter, please contact Brian Thomas on brian_thomas_au@yahoo.com.au

Reports and Tournament Notices

Reports and tournament notices are most welcome for inclusion in this bulletin. Please email info@gardinerchess.com.

IQ Chess Franchise Opportunities

Our aim is to provide schools throughout Queensland with ongoing chess coaching services. David Cowland-Cooper is already running an excellent franchise in Cairns.

If you are passionate about chess, can teach primary students, have good communication and business skills, then an IQ Chess franchise might be for you. Please contact Graeme Gardiner to discuss. Email ggardiner@gardinerchess.com or phone 5522 7221.

Unsubscribe

To unsubscribe from this email bulletin, please simply reply to this email and advise accordingly.

Webpage

There are a number of upcoming events promoted in this bulletin. Entry leaflets can be downloaded and printed from our webpage at www.gardinerchess.com. All Gardiner Chess events, and some other events, can be entered online with your credit card number using the secure 'pay online' button.

All the very best in chess

Graeme and Wendy Gardiner
Gardiner Chess
11 Hardys Road Mudgeeraba Qld 4213
Phone +61 7 5522 7221
Fax +61 7 5522 7760
Email ggardiner@gardinerchess.com Webpage www.gardinerchess.com