Saturday & Sunday, 18 & 19 September

$3,200 in prizes, including $600 for teams

Have some fun and invite your friends to make up a team of 4. But the average rating for a team must be below 1500 ACF.

Haven't got a team? Relax-we'll put you into one on the day

Full details and entry form here

This tournament is dedicated to Nell; at 95 we think she is Australia's oldest active chess player. She plays chess daily on her computer and very regularly over the board with friends.

This photo was taken at her birthday celebration only 2 weeks ago. What an inspiration she is!

Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 27-29 Sept and 1 Oct

The usual great mix of chess coaching, activities, rated tournament chess and outdoor breaks

Full details here

Broadbeach Mall Junior Tournament

Thursday 30 Sept

Well this is not actually at the chess centre, but it is organised from here and is possibly my favourite tournament of the whole year.

It takes place outdoors under the sails, and it's usually a balmy September day (though we have had flooding rain on 1 notable occasion, but the tournament went on ok!)

Full details here

Queensland Women's Championship

Saturday & Sunday, 2 & 3 October

$375 in prizes plus trophies

This is a great event for girls whose chess is improving,
as well as for adults

Full details here

Queensland Veterans and Disabled Championships

Saturday & Sunday, 2 & 3 October

$375 in prizes for each event

Full details here

Gold Coast Allegro Championships

Sunday 17 October

$450 in prizes

9 rounds, 15+5 Fischer Time Controls

Full details here  

Student Free Day Chess Tournament
Monday 18 October

We hold a junior chess tournament on each of the three official student free days during the year.

Full details here

Regional Qualifying Events for the 2011 Queensland Championships

• Sat & Sun, 7 & 8 August
  North Queensland Winner and qualifier Mike Van Renen. Full results here

• Sat & Sun, 14 & 15 August
  Mackay/Whitsundays Winner Tony Weller; Qualifier Noel Olsen. Full results here

• Sat & Sun, 21 & 22 August - this weekend!!
  Bundaberg Open (Wide Bay region)
  $1750 in prizes. New venue, not Central State School but now U3A rooms 80a Woongarra Street Bundaberg. Full details here

• Sat & Sun, 28 & 29 August
  Cairns Open (Far North Queensland region)
  $750 in prizes Full details here

Gardiner Chess is sponsoring each of the regional qualifier's air fares up to $300 for the 2011 Queensland Championships. These are scheduled for the Queen's Birthday weekend from Thursday evening 9 June through to Monday 13 June 2011 at the Gardiner Chess Centre.
The Queensland Championships has a history dating back to 1895. The Chess Association of Queensland and Gardiner Chess are working to bring the Queensland Championships back to its former eminence.
 

Gold Coast Lightning and Transfer Champs

Sunday 21 November

Morning: Lightning $340 in prizes

Afternoon: Transfer $340 in prizes

Full details here

at Grace Lutheran College, Rothwell

Sat & Sun, 9 & 10 October
$1475 in prizes
Full details here

at Queensland Contract Bridge Club, Woolloongabba

Sun 12 Dec 

Full details here

Sun 12 Dec

Venue to be confirmed

$2200 in prizes, FIDE rated

Full details here

2011 Australian Open

2-13 Jan 2011

This event will be run over 11 rounds from 2 to 13 January 2011, along with the Minor (U/1600, same times), Norths Classic 2 to 8 January and Australian Lightning 8 January.
Venue: Norths 12 Abbott Street, Cammeray, NSW The tournament web site is now up here

Entry: Early entry closes 13 December - Open $145 (concession $105), Minor $100 ($75), Classic $70 ($50). Enter via web site.

2011 Australian Junior Chess Championships

15-23 Jan 2011 Mooroolbark, Victoria

See the tournament site here for details.

Gardiner Chess will not be taking a group this year. However, all keen juniors interested in championship chess should try and enter this event.
There is a change of format this year, meaning that parents would only have to take a week off work, and it is cheaper. Why? Because each age group had to play for two weeks in the past, but for this tournament there is a new shorter format:
Under 8s and 10s - 3 days; Under 12s and 14s - 5 days; Under 16s and 18s - 9 days.

Rotorua, New Zealand

 25-31 January
Full details here

• Gold Coast Open won by GM Zong Yuan Zhao (details here)

• Queensland Junior Championships - Winner Yi Liu (details here)

• Runaway Bay Junior Tournament - Winner Gene Nakauchi (details here)

• Queensland Minor Championship - Winner Tyson Walker (details here)

• Queensland Championship - Winner Yi Liu (details here)

Queensland Inter-Schools Competition

Term 3 tournaments - results to date here

For full details of the competition, including calendar, rules, regions, newsletters and how to enter please go here

...and for full details of each event plus photos, please go here

See the Official Calendar here

The Australian Open and Women's teams will soon be travelling to Khanty-Mansiysk in Siberia for the pinnacle of world chess being held from 19 September to 4 October.

The official website is at http://www.ugra-chess.com/

The Australian teams with FIDE and ACF ratings are:

Open team

GM Zong-Yuan Zhao NSW 2582 2606
GM David Smerdon ACT 2531 2510
IM George Xie NSW 2448 2463
GM Darryl Johansen Vic 2420 2412
IM Stephen Solomon Qld 2434 2371

Reserves
IM Alex Wohl NSW 2412 2415
IM Igor Goldenberg Vic 2386 2328
IM Gary Lane NSW 2367 2328

Captain: Manuel Weeks

Women's team

WIM Arianne Caoili Qld 2243 2186
Giang Nguyen SA 2108 2010
WIM Biljena Dekic NSW 2091 1930
WFM Emma Guo ACT 1954 1843
WFM Vaness Reid NSW 1839 1628

Reserve

Sarah Anton Vic 1804 1720

Captain: Leonid Sandler

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 Siberia 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 Khanty-Mansiysk and will be acknowledged on this site.

Full details here

For School Teachers, Coaches and Parents

Easy Daily Chess Exercises for your Students

Why not suggest to your children that they make a daily visit to our webpage www.gardinerchess.com to do the three puzzles, which are updated daily (courtesy Shredder). They are composed at three levels, and offer a variety of different themes. There is even a hint button if the puzzle is proving too hard. Whilst on the webpage, no doubt students will get used to looking for their latest rating, their results in the inter-schools competition, upcoming events and heaps of other information - all of which add to the chess culture.

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 and due to demand for chess in schools is currently widening his operation into Townsville.

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

Keen on Chess?

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.

• Oceania Chess www.auschess.org.au/oceania/index.htm 
  FIDE Oceania Zone President Gary Bekker's site.

• 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.

• Chess Vibes http://www.chessvibes.com/ World chess news. Along with Chess Base, this is perhaps the most interesting site around in the serious chess world.

• Chessdom http://www.chessdom.com/ Current chess happenings around the world.

• Chess.com http://www.chess.com/ Very popular site!

• Let's Play Chess 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 to keep up to date with 'things chess' go to www.gardinerchess.com 

Chess Blogs

Two good Australian blog sites are:

• The Closet Grandmaster http://closetgrandmaster.blogspot.com/

• Chess Express http://chessexpress.blogspot.com/

• There are many overseas sites, which include (for example) the informational one by Susan Polgar http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/ 

Want to Find a Chess Club?

• Go to the CAQ site here http://www.caq.org.au/htm/clubs.htm

• Or to the Gardiner Chess Website -  http://www.gardinerchess.com/links.htm#Clubs

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. If your school is keen to upgrade their chess resources, call us for our 'specials for schools' - for example we have unbeatable prices for chess sets (tournament, terrace and giant sets)

Gardiner Chess 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.

School Chess Coaches Required
 

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 once or twice a year. Please contact Graeme Gardiner if you are interested: ggardiner@gardinerchess.com  or 5522 7221.

CAQ Newsletter

If you wish to receive the regular CAQ email newsletter, please sign up at http://www.caq.org.au/