Australian Correspondence Chess Quarterly Australia Post No PPn 230594/00010 Correspondence Chess League of Australia Postal Address: GPO Box 2360, Sydney, NSW, 2001 Website: www.ccla.net.au February 2017 Vol. 70 No. 1 pp 1-24 $4.00 Editor: Shaun Press ISSN 819-7806 2 Auburn St, Amaroo, ACT, 2914 [email protected] Despite the date on the masthead, I am actually writing this editorial in March. A combination of an over long holiday, and catching up with outstanding tasks, are the main reason for this. Unfortunately the latest of this issue has a knock on effect for other CCLA activities, as the February issue is the last one before the start of the yearly championship events. As a consequence the deadline for entries has been pushed back to the end of this month, with an early April starting date now being scheduled. While I my overseas trip did not contain much CC business (apart from trying to keep up with my own games), I ended up doing a bit of writing for other periodicals. Based on my own experience with this (and other magazines), I contributed a few articles, assuming that they would need all the copy they could get. I was therefore very surprised when they asked if they could hold over some of my articles for future editions, as they already had enough content for the current issue! This is a stark contrast with the ACCQ, which is beginning to shrink as a periodical. Officially it is a 32 page magazine, but in recent years some issues have only contained 24 pages, and in fact this is now happening more often than not. Currently I am relying on the yeoman efforts of some regular contributors, plus the occasional bonus article from an enthusiastic member or two, but it is fair to say that magazine isn’t what it once was. To be fair, I do not think it is all doom and gloom at this point, but you, the readers, do need to think about what magazine you want (and what you might get). For the moment the balance is tilted towards to what I would consider CCLA business (tournament results, ratings, news), but a few extra contributors might return it to the days of tournament reports, instructional articles, and informative game collections. 2 3 International News 85th Anniversary CCLA a superior tiebreak (three wins). This invitational tournament Derek Roebuck and John Mulder started in December 2014, shortly finished with 5.5/10 and 4.5/10 after we hosted the ICCF Congress respectively. in Parramatta. Although there remains one unfinished game, the 19th AA Zone Preliminaries top places have already been The 19th Africa Asia Zone decided. The winner with 7.5/12 is Individual Championship Harry Ingersol (USA) who finished Preliminaries have started with 101 ahead of IM James Henri (HKG) players from 15 countries and Anthony Balshaw (WLS) on competing in 14 groups. Eleven tiebreak. Australians Gordon players were seeded direct to the Dunlop and Colin McKenzie semi-finals which are scheduled to finished with 6/12. LGM Veronica start in October 2018. Australia Henri and Max Willow finished entered most players 34, followed with 5/12. Mihail Balutescu by India 15, Indonesia 15 and finished with 3.5/12 in his last South Africa 13. The 1st Africa Australian tournament before Asia Zone Team Championship is transferring to Romania. due to start later in 2017. 2015 Australian Masters ICCF Champions League tournaments Champions League 7 has been There are two games remaining in announced and will start in May the 2015 Australian Masters 2017. The format will revert to that tournament and SIM Olli Ylonen used in Champions League 5. This (FIN) needs to win both games to is an event for strong teams of 4 overtake SIM Ken Holroyd (USA) players, with new teams only who finished with 6/10. accepted in the Promotion Australians IM Gordon Dunlop Division. Any interested players and SIM Steve Kerr finished with rated over 2100 should contact me 5/10 and 4.5/10 respectively. The in March – the closing date for 2015 Candidate Masters is now entries is 16 April 2017. concluded with Australian LGM Veronica Henri finishing in first 7th WebChess Open place on 6/10 ahead of IM John With 861 entries from 52 Ballow (USA), Frank Lux (GER) countries, the 7th WebChess Open and Barrie Mulligan (AUS) due to preliminaries have started in 123 4 groups. Most entries were australia.com submitted by Russia (111), Germany (102) and USA (90). AA Zone is at www.iccf-aa.com Australia submitted 10 entries. AA Zone webserver is at www.aa- 6th Chess 960 World Cup webchess.com Two Australian players, Mike Stubbs and Joseph Tanti, have Brian Jones entered the 6th Chess 960 World CCLA International Secretary Cup which starts on 15 March [email protected] 2017. Registration will close on 28 23 February 2017 February 2017. IM Ralph Basden Australian News Long-serving CCLA member IM Ralph Basden passed away in CCLA Major Tournaments 2017 Wollongong on 24 January 2017. The closing date for entries to the Ralph continued to play by post 2017 Australian Championship and until recently but will be most supporting events is 25 March. It is th remembered for his 4 place in expected that all webserver events World Championship 21 Semi- will start on 2 April 2017. There final 5 and his good performances will be Australian Reserves, th st in the 29 and 31 Australian Senior, Junior and Ladies events as Championships. well as NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA and TAS State Championships. I IA Peter Maylott would particularly encourage Congratulations to Peter Maylott players to enter their State who has recently been awarded his Championships. International Arbiter title by ICCF. Peter is the first CCLA member to Australian Interstate Team receive the IA title since George Championship Stibal, who died in 2010. Queensland continue to lead the 2016 Australian Interstate Team New Chess Websites Championship with 25/32 ahead of Please note our new Australian and NSW (20.5/33) and Victoria AA Zone websites are as below. (19/28). Tasmania, ACT, WA and Please visit regularly for news and SA all have less than 50% scores. send feedback. The 2017 Interstate team Championship will commence in CCLA Australia is at www.iccf- 5 June so states should appoint team Rating List captains and select their players A list of 26 players who have been soon! re-rated from some or all of the 57 games received for the quarter STANDARD CCLA 6/1 and from 1 September to 30 November CCLA 4/2 events 2016. During 2017 we will continue to G=Grandmaster; I=Intnl, W=Intnl offer CCLA 6/1 and CCLA 4/2 Lady, C=Candidate Master; events on the ICCF webserver. M=Master; S=Senior IM; L=Life These will be open events (no Member. rating restrictions) with similar * indicates fewer than 12 games time controls as used in 2016. rated. Please do not hesitate to drop me a Anderson C.L. 933 line if you require more games. Basden R. MI 2169 Bell Mrs L.E. 922 Entry fees for CCLA events Boswell E.H. 789 Except for the Major Tournaments, Bubb D.C. 1503 all BICYCLE, FAST, CCLA 6/1, Cariss D. 1225 CCLA 4/2 and CHESS 960 events Cavendish M.F. 1403 will continue to be free. Send Deacon G. 1432 entries to Griffiths M.T. 1678 [email protected] Hughes D. 1104 Hughes P.J. 1126 Brian Jones Johnson R.S. 1395 CCLA International Secretary Johnston G.A. 897 [email protected] Kruse P.D. 1250 23 February 2017 Laguerta C. 1309 Luey R. 1933 Macnab A. 1690 Martin A.W. 1451 McIntyre Dr G.N. C 1861 Showkati-Tabrizi Y. 1433 Sims A.T. L 1487 Tierney A.J.H. 1423 Truebridge K. 1211 Valiaho V. 1300 Walters Brenden 1167 Warters C.D. 1615 6 Games Column by IM John-Paul Fenwick I was wondering what I would do comfortable equality. for this edition of the games column 9.Nxd4 when I received an email titled The alternative, 9.Bxf7+ gives “Finally won one” from my brother Black the two bishops and a lot of Chris. Of course the penalty for pressure for the pawn for example sending me a great game is a 9… Kxf7 10.Nxe5+ Kg8 11.Qxd4 request for an annotated version! Bb7 12.Nc3 c5 13.Qd1 Qc7 14.Ng4 Unusually for a decisive Nxg4 15.Qxg4 Rae8 correspondence game, tactics seem 9…exd4 10.e5 Ne8 11.c3 to play no part and I hope our 11.Qxd4 c5 12.Qe4 Rb8 is fine for readers can learn from a highly Black. instructive positional game. 11…c5! The structure is far more important Jacek Tomczak – Chris Fenwick than the extra pawn. 11…dxc3!? US Invitational A 2016 gifts White a comfortable game. Notes by Chris Fenwick 12.cxd4 c4 13.Bc2 d5 The US Invitational A 2016 is an invitational with all players rated 2550+. To spice things up a bit, invitations were also extended to a few FIDE GMs. My opponent is a young (27) Polish GM rated 2601 over the board. With $950USD on offer for first place in the tournament, wins have been hard to come by. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O- O 8.d4 My opponent commented after the The battle-lines are drawn. White’s game: “I really wouldn't like to play prospects on the king-side look Marshall but 8.d4 proved worse :)”.