2025 Dubbo Open

 An early shout out for the 2025 Dubbo Open. It will be on the weekend of the 29th & 30th March at the usual venue of the Dubbo RSL Club, Corner Brisbane and Wingewarra Streets, Dubbo NSW 2830.

It will be a 6 round swiss with a time control of 60m+10s. Entry fees are Adults $45, Concession $35, Juniors $25, and the 1st prize will be at least $450

The event usually gets a good mix of players from country NSW, Canberra, and Sydney. While the occasional GM and IM have dropped in to play, the majority of players are below 2000 (ACF). There is also a novelty blitz event on the Saturday night, after the tournament dinner.

Further information can be found at  www.facebook.com/DubboOpenChess

Chess and Bach

 I ran across the following on ABC Classic FM. It is from a video game (It Takes Two) , but is also based an earlier work by JS Bach. No animation, just music. Enjoy.

More found scoresheets

 This is what happens when you leave your scoresheet lying around at the chess club (although i suspect it is the winners discarded copy)

White v Black
Gungahlin Chess Club 2025

2025 O2C Doeberl Cup - Entry update

 The 2025 O2C Doeberl Cup is starting a little later this year (17th April), due to the phases of the moon. I normally start tracking entries 8 or 9 weeks out, so as to prepare for how much equipment, arbiters, furniture etc are needed. As of today the total entries have just passed the 100 player mark, which is a good start for the tournament. Last year we had over 400 players (in the main events), and increasing that number would be fantastic.

The other thing I start tracking around this time are the emails that ask us to ignore the rating restrictions so they (or more commonly their child) can be admitted into the Premier.  The number seems to be up this year from previous years, including emails from people who were told no last year, but thought they'd give it another shot (in one case the player concerned then simply refused to play in a lower section). Again, the rules here are quite clear. No exceptions :)

No books for me

 For the first time ever, I managed to walk out of the Lifeline Bookfair without any books. Not just chess books, but any books at all. The reason was a scheduling conflict meant I missed the Friday morning opening, and when I got their on Saturday, all that was left was the detritus of what had been there before. Then having no chess books in my bag, I felt uninspired to  purchase any books (including any of the bridge titles, which were legion in number). 

So empty handed I left the hall, hoping for better finds later this year.

Failed Experiments

 With all the brouhaha in the chess world over Freestyle Chess (Chess 960, Fischer Random, the thing invented by David Bronstein chess), it is worth remembering that it was once held as part of the Doeberl Cup. However it turned out to be less popular than the blitz, so the experiment was not repeated.

I suspect one of the reasons was: Players love Chess960 because their opponent can't rely on opening theory. Players hate Chess960 when they realise they can't rely on opening theory

But if you want to see it played at the top level (although it is missing Wesley So) you can at https://lichess.org/broadcast/freestyle-chess-grand-slam-tour-2025-weissenhaus--round-robin/round-1/SjKjf4b0

Stewart Reuben (1939 - 2025)

 Legendary chess arbiter and organiser Stewart Reuben has passed away, while on a cruise in Jamaica. Born in 1939, Stewart began playing and organising events in the 1950's and was a leading figure in the world of chess for over 60 years. Although he started his working career as an Industrial Chemist, he worked as a school teacher before becoming a chess author and organiser. He served on various FIDE Commissions, either as Chairman or Secretary, and made significant contributions to the authorship of the Laws of Chess.

He was also a talented player, with a peak rating above 2200 (and possibly 2300), as well as earning the Candidate Master title in later years (a title he created as Secretary of the Qualification Commission). One of his proudest playing moments was drawing with Bobby Fischer in a blitz event in 1963. His authorship of "The Chess Organisers Handbook" provided an invaluable resource for many aspiring chess arbiters, including myself.

I first met Stewart at the 2000 Chess Olympiad, and he was always an engaging and entertaining companion. Indeed I earned my FIDE Arbiter title after bumping into him at breakfast during the 2008 Olympiad, when he mentioned he was running a FA course, and invited me to attend. He also encouraged me to put myself forward for the FIDE Rules Commission and we had a very productive working partnership from 2008 to 2014. 

He was also a generous host to many chess players visiting London. A number of players were a guest at his flat in London, including myself and my son in 2016. He was also a very successful Poker player writing books on the topic, including his own speciality of Omaha.

He passed away while on a cruise to the Caribbean, something he did regularly in later years. His contribution to the chess world as an arbiter, organiser and author is enormous, and he will be sadly missed.