Choosing the fancy finish

 I was watching the following game in the final round of the 2025 NSW Open. White played a nice exchange sac in the middlegame and built up a crushing attack. After 33.Qf4 White had a number of mate threats, including some that started with 34.Rh8+ So when Black played the 'desperado' 33 ... Rxf3 it wasn't a shock. I assumed White would play Qxf3 and just organise the mate anyway. So when Lane played 34.Rh8+ anyway I was a little surprised. 34. ... Kxh8 35.Qh6 Kg8 36.Qh7+ Kf8 37.Qf7+?? doesn't work due to the rook on f3, but as Lane played these moves I realised that he had always intended 37. g7+ as the finisher, which did result in resignation.

Bur after the game he said that he noticed my expression after the rook sac, and for a fleeting moment wondered if he had missed something. It turns out he wasn't the one who did.

Lane,Gary W (2237) - Liu,Eric (1963) [B38]
2025 NSW Open Sydney, Australia (7.7), 10.06.2025

The pen conundrum

 One of the essential tools for any tournament player is a pen. Not hard, just put one on your pocket and head off to play chess. So it does irk me when players turn up to club or tournament without one. Especially if their goto move is to simply ask you to supply them with one.

For events like the Doeberl we provide 'loaners'  with a $1 deposit. In practice this means we are simply selling pens for $1, as pens are never 'borrowed'. For the Chess Olympiad, pens were supplied by the organisers, but to prevent massive loss, they had to be collected at the end of the game (by the arbiter). 

One other option is to supply a pen, but when the player returns it, they have to provide us with a 2nd pen, so we can then lend it to another player who has also forgotten their pen. The advantage of this system is twofold. Firstly, it will teach players the importance of bringing their own pen, and secondly, it will create a giant pen pyramid scheme, which can be converted into other goods and services at some later date.

On demand

 For most of this year I have been ignoring my own games. Previously I had analysed my club games, looking for possible improvements (especially in the opening, the middlegame, and the ending). For various (time related) reasons, I dropped this habit, although up until now, there seemed to be no downside (I won the most recent club event).

But my good run of results has come to end, when I was beaten by a resourceful Olamide Fasakin. In round the round report from the club, there was a request I share the game, which I am happy to do so. I did pass up a draw by repetition, as I felt that being up a piece should count for something. However I missed a good idea (f4!) and fell victim to a nice queen sac that decided the game.

Press,Shaun - Fasakin,Olamide [E68]
Belconnen Cup, 03.06.2025

2025 ACT Chess Championship - Willis Lo bags titles

 Willis Lo is the 2025 ACT Chess Champion, winning this years event with 6/7. In round 6 he defeated Masaki Horikawa before 3 move draw in round 7 secured outright 1st. The win is the 2nd title for Lo, after sharing the title in 2019. In 2nd place were CM Hui Li, CM Terrance Tang and FM Michael Kethro. on 5.5. 

The 7 round event attracted a field of 56 players and saw exciting chess across the long weekend. Although the top 4 seeds occupied the top 4 places, most games saw them face strong resistance from lower rated opponents. Apart from the top places, the Under 180 prize was shared between Tim Pearce, Matt Radisich and Leo Kuncoro, the Under 1650 prize was split between father and son duo of Lohit and Sanat Hegde, while Zhishuo Hunag won the prize for best FIDE unrated.

2025 ACT Championship - Day 1 & 2

 After he end of the 2nd day of the 2025 ACT Chess Championship, Willis Lo and Masaki Horikawa share the lead on 4.5/5. Lo has scored 4 wins (plus a half point bye) while Horikawa drew with Glenn Ingham (after Ingham missed a winning piece sacrifice) and has won his remaining games. Tied for 3rd on 4/5 are FM Michael Kethro, CM Terrance Tang, CM Hui Li and Olaoluwa Fasakin. Horikawa and Lo play on board 1 tomorrow, while Kethro and Tang are on board 2. 

The event has attracted a good field of 56 players, and once again has attracted number of interstate players to the nations capital. Apart from the top seeds aiming to win the ACT Championship, a number of younger players are looking for improved results (and improved ratings). Apart from Olaoluwa Fasakin on 4./5, good scores have also been achieved by  Owen MacMullin and Olamide Fasakin,

Results for the event can be found at https://www.vegaresult.com/vr/3857 while online games can be found at https://lichess.org/broadcast/2025-act-chess-championship/7eYJflpu

Nwosu,Nnaemeka - Lo,Willis (2064) [D04]
2025 ACT Chess Championship Canberra, Australia (2.2), 01.06.2025

How much cheating

 A recent study on the prevalence of cheating in chess has been published. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211266925000271 is the link to the study, if you wish to read it yourself (NB You may have to click past the warning page as well).

Although I only did a quick read of it, there were still a couple of things that jumped out at me. In terms of cheating in OTB events, the vast majority of self-reported cases involved receiving advice from a 3rd party. Well down on the list was using electronic devices to cheat (less than 10% of total cases). And while there may be an argument that the improvement in results of using electronic aids are greater than advice from other players, it still says to me that in terms of fair play, player to player assistance is what arbiters should be mainly dealing with.

The other item was the use of drugs to improve your chess (a subject I am familiar with!). The authors reported a blind study involving players either taking drugs or placebos, and then playing rapid games within the playing group. Somewhat confusingly they both found no improvement in results between the players in each group, but drew the conclusion that the players using the tested drugs still played better chess. This was because they noted that the players on drugs played more slowly, but if you excluded the games they lost on time, then they actually improved their results. So apparently drugs can make you play better chess, as long as your brain isn't affected by those drugs

I've been taking a break

 As you may (or may not) have noticed, I've been on a break from the blog. I decided to see what it was like not to try and post every day or two, but this turned into a 2 and a bit week holiday. I did use that time to focu on other things (mainly chess related), but will try and catch up with the things I have missed.