I really admire organisers of country chess tournaments in Australia.
With the large distances between large towns, most country events only attract a small to medium sized entry. And yet every year they still put the effort in to run a great tournament. A classic example of this is the Dubbo Open.
For those that missed geography class at school, Dubbo is about 4 to 4 1/2 hours drive from Sydney, Newcastle or Canberra. Each year the Dubbo Chess Club organises a small, but very enjoyable weekender. There aren't huge prizes on offer ($350 for first) but if you are looking for a weekend away, and some enjoyable chess, then I highly reccomend this event.
This years tournament is on the weekend of the 24th and 25th of March. It will be a 6 round open, leaving the evening free to enjoy the dining delights of this growing regional centre.
While previous winners have included IM's John-Paul Wallace and Gary Lane, last years event was won by Bill Egan, who was rated Under 1600 at the time. He described his victory as a "real marketing boost for next years event".
And if you didn't already know, the real tourist attraction in Dubbo is the Western Plains Zoo. So you can even bring the family, knowing that they have plenty to do while you are occupied over the chess board.
Full details of the event are available here.
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