- Huge Congratulations to Bibek Thing!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 17 Nov 2024
Huge Congratulations to Bibek Thing!
We’re thrilled to celebrate with Bibek Thing, who has become the first Nepali to achieve the FIDE Master title by surpassing the 2300 rating! Bibek has held the #1 FIDE ranking in Nepal for the past seven years, and this incredible milestone is a testament to his dedication and hard work.
Bibek expressed his gratitude to the Nepal Chess Federation for the opportunity to represent Nepal internationally, to Sydney Academy of Chess for helping him balance work with his chess aspirations, and to all the coaches who have guided him along the way. We’re honoured to have financially supported him in his journey here at Norths Chess Club.
Bibek, you inspire us all! Here’s to even greater achievements and contributions to the Nepalese chess community.
✨
- Congrats to Team Happy Cat - Champions of Our First-Ever Team Blitz Tournament!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 17 Nov 2024
🏆 Congrats to Team Happy Cat - Champions of Our First-Ever Team Blitz Tournament! 🏆
Team Happy Cat clinched victory with an impressive 13 match points, finishing well ahead of 2nd place Nikebears (9 match points). Our first-ever 7-round Team Blitz Tournament saw 8 teams and 46 players competing in a fast-paced, exciting event!
This ACF-rated, members-only tournament used a 3+2 time control, with teams carefully balanced based on player ratings to ensure fair competition. Mahesh and Rob put in extra effort (and some delays—thanks for your patience!) to even out the teams’ average strengths. Interestingly, the two winning teams ended up having the lowest average ratings, partly due to some no-shows and unrated players!
The winning team—Arthur Huynh, Marcel Lima, Jason Xu, David Stern, and Samuel Klisterner—was led by 8-year-old Joey Su, whose skill and enthusiasm inspired the team to victory! 🐱✨
Top Board Scores:
• Board 1: Biljana Dekic and Bruce Murray – 5.5 points
• Board 2: Joey Su – 6.5 points
• Board 3: Linda Qian and Marcel Lima – 4.5 points
• Board 4: Ashok Reddy – 5.5 points
• Board 5: Daniel Lowe – 6 points
• Board 6: Samuel Klisterner – 6 points
Thanks to all players who joined this exciting new event! Due to its success, we’re thrilled to announce we’ll be bringing it back next year for more epic team battles! 🎉♟️
For detailed results of the night click here
- Get ready for the second and final Big Board Match for 2024!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 17 Nov 2024
🏆 Get ready for the second and final Big Board Match for 2024! 🏆
Norths Chess Club is gearing up to face St George Chess Club in round two of the annual Big Board Match. The Bears are running behind The Dragons on points after the first match and will have to dig deep in round two! The two powerhouses compete in a two-round, home and away series each year for the John Kellner/Terrey Shaw Trophy.
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, 19th November 2024
🕢 Time: Players must be onsite by 7:15 PM. Clocks start at 7:30 PM.
📍 Location: Norths Chess Club, 12 Abbott Street, Cammeray NSW 2062
Time Control: Fischer time control of 75 minutes per player, plus 10 seconds increment per move. Forfeit time is 8:30pm.
Past Results: https://www.northsydneychess.org/big-board
This is more than just a match; it's a fierce rivalry between two of Australia's strongest chess clubs. No blood has been spilt yet, but expect a hard-fought grudge match as both clubs vie for victory and glory!
🔥 Participation:
• Open to all members of the Norths Chess Club*.
• Maximum of 40 players from each club.
• Players not paired within the 40 players can still play a rated game; however, these results will not count towards the competition score.
Let’s bring home the trophy this year! 🏆
*Members of Norths Chess Club are defined as financial members or players who have played in an event conducted by NCC, including Big Board, within the last two years.
- Mark your calendars for Round 2 of the 2024 Little Board Match!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 17 Nov 2024
🏆 Mark your calendars for Round 2 of the 2024 Little Board Match! 🏆
Join us for Round 2 of the annual two-round home and away series against Harbord Diggers Chess Club. This exciting multi-board match is a friendly local derby between the two clubs north of the harbour!
🗓️ Date: Monday, 25th November 2024
🕢 Time: Players must be onsite by 7:15 PM. Clocks start at 7:30 PM.
📍 Location: Harbord Diggers, 88 Evans Street, Freshwater NSW 2096
Come and cheer on your team as they battle it out for the Centenary Shield, generously donated in 2009 by former Norths Chess Club President, Paul Glissan.
🔥 Participation:
• Open to all members of the Norths Chess Club*.
• Players not paired can still play social games.
Don’t miss this exceptional evening of chess, community, and competition. See you there to support your players and enjoy a great night of chess!
*Members of Norths Chess Club are defined as financial members or players who have played in an event conducted by NCC, including Little Board, within the last two years.
- Congratulations to Our Purdy Champions!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 3 Nov 2024
Congratulations to Our Purdy Champions!
A big shoutout to our new Purdy Champion, Greg Canfell, who claimed the title on tie-break with Daniel Wang! An impressive performance from both players.
In the Minor, Clara Zhou took the win with a full point lead, with her father Joe finishing in second place after their round 3 draw—a true family showdown!
For full results, visit the tournament page: www.northsydneychess.org/Purdy-Memorial
Well done to all participants!
- Shoutout to Our Amazing Director of Play, Rob!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 3 Nov 2024
🌟 Shoutout to Our Amazing Director of Play, Rob! 🌟
Rob has been a cornerstone of Norths Chess Club since joining our committee in 2018, stepping into the Director of Play role at very short notice—and he hasn’t looked back since! His dedication to our club is immense. Rob oversees our club nights, manages tournament pairings, and is our go-to expert on chess rules and organisation. Thanks to his hard work, Norths has earned a reputation as the best-organised chess club in NSW, and we’re constantly seeing record-breaking membership numbers!
Rob’s contributions reach far beyond our club walls. As Secretary of both the NSW Chess Association and the Australian Chess Federation, he keeps Norths Chess Club prominently connected to the Australian chess community. He’s also a highly qualified chess arbiter who runs training seminars, sharing his knowledge with chess lovers across the country.
Though many of us know Rob from Tuesday nights, his behind-the-scenes work is just as remarkable. He spends countless late nights ensuring our tournaments run to the highest standards, and we’re incredibly grateful for his commitment to the club.
Thank you, Rob, for everything you do for Norths Chess Club! 🙌♟️
- Norths Chess Club Team Blitz Tournament
-
Date Posted: Thu, 31 Oct 2024
Norths Chess Club Team Blitz Tournament – Tuesday, 12th November, 7:30 pm
Join us for our first-ever 7-round Team Blitz Tournament! Teams will be pre-selected based on player ratings, so no need to organise a team—just register and play. This is an ACF-rated, members-only event with a 3+2 time control.
Entry deadline: Monday, 11th November. Register here: northsydneychess@gmail.com
Location: Norths Chess Club, cnr Abbott & Palmer Streets, Cammeray
The winning team will take home Westfield Gift cards. Don’t miss this chance to be part of something new and exciting at the club!
- Round 7 Purdy Tournament Update!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 20 Oct 2024
♟️ Round 7 Purdy Tournament Update! ♟️
Round 7 brought plenty of excitement as Tony Zheng beat Jonathan Sua on the top board, regaining a half-point lead. There was an upset on Board 2, with Aiden Odenthal defeating Greg Canfell, while Lucas Ni and Daniel Wang secured wins over Ethan Chang and Will Wenderoth.
That leaves Tony Zheng on 6 points, closely followed by Aiden Odenthal, Lucas Ni, and Daniel Wang on 5.5, with 5 players sitting on 5 points. But here’s the twist—Tony Zheng is heading overseas and will miss the last 2 games! After playing a great tournament, he won’t be able to add to his tally, setting up a thrilling final two rounds.
In the Minor, it’s still a two-horse race. Joe Zhou won against Viachesla Korobitsin, and Clara Zhou beat Paul Ventura, leaving them both with a full point lead over Lucas Shi and Marcus Ni. Will either slip up, or are we heading for a tie?
- Round 5 Highlights from the Purdy Major!
-
Date Posted: Sat, 5 Oct 2024
♟️ Round 5 Highlights from the Purdy Major! ♟️
The top 5 boards of the Purdy Major brought plenty of action! On the top board, Greg Canfell’s two extra pawns were enough to dethrone Tony Zheng, who was leading into the round. Aiden Odenthal ended Justin Dingley’s great run with an exchange sacrifice followed by a pawn break, hunting down Justin’s king. Ethan Chang also claimed victory over Ian Stalker, while Ian Welch defeated Rob Watson. Lucas Ni and Daniel Wang’s game ended in a drawn bishop ending.
Now, Canfell, Odenthal, and Chang are tied for the lead with 4.5/5. It’s getting tense at the top!
In the Minor, Round 6 looks like it’ll be a family affair as Joe and Clara Zhou both won their Round 5 games (against Marcus Ni and Greg Money) to share the lead.
Commentary by our Club President, Peter Abbott.
- Round 4 Update from the Purdy!
-
Date Posted: Mon, 30 Sep 2024
♟️ Round 4 Update from the Purdy! ♟️
Round 4 saw sole leaders emerge in both tournaments! Tony Zheng claimed victory over Ian Stalker, while Ethan Chang and Aiden Odenthal drew earlier in the round. Out of the top 6 games, 3 featured Kings Indians, with Greg Canfell outplaying Joey Su, and Justin Dingley continuing his strong tournament with a win over Darryl Ross.
There were some big upsets on boards 5 and 6! Kurt Daley, a pawn up in an opposite-coloured bishop ending, overpressed, allowing Jonathan Sua’s pawns to race ahead. Meanwhile, Rob Watson converted a tough endgame against Kristine Quek.
In the Minor, Marcus Ni’s win against Leo Sandhu gives him a half-point lead, with Joe and Clara Zhou, along with Greg Money, just half a point back. It’s shaping up to be a thrilling competition!
Commentary by our Club President, Peter Abbott.
- Round 3 Update from the Purdy!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 22 Sep 2024
♟️ Round 3 Update from the Purdy! ♟️
It was an interesting round in the Purdy Major, with only four players sharing the lead with full points: Aiden Adenthal, Tony Zheng, Ethan Chang, and Ian Stalker, all victorious in their games. Henry Cronin, despite ‘surfing the increment’ for quite a while, managed to hold top seed Greg Canfell to a draw.
In the chasing pack, Emmet Murphy bravely declined a repetition against Justin Dingley but walked into a mate — a reminder that fortune doesn’t always favour the bold! We also saw some rating upsets on the top 10 boards with Joey Su defeating Dean Chen, and Darryl Ross winning against Kshrij Bhargava, while Harry Le held Peter Abbott to a draw.
In the Minor, Marcus Li and Leo Sandhu are leading with full points, but there’s a pack of six players just half a point behind, making it an exciting race!
Next round should be a thriller! 🔥
Commentary by our Club President, Peter Abbott.
- Exciting Action in the Purdy Major!
-
Date Posted: Fri, 13 Sep 2024
🔥 Exciting Action in the Purdy Major! 🔥
It was an intense night at the Purdy Major, with many top board players keeping their winning records intact! Some standout moments included Rob Watson’s passed pawn, which combined with Kurt Daley’s weak back rank for a decisive win, and Emmet Murphy defeating Ian Welch.
The final games to finish gave spectators a real treat:- Greg Canfell’s sharp endgame technique eventually wore down Jonathan Sua.
- Chelsea Huey’s bishop ran out of squares under Tony Zheng’s endgame pressure.
- Ethan Chang vs Gary Armstrong featured mind-boggling complications, with an early advantage to black. Both players navigated it brilliantly, but the higher-rated player eventually prevailed.
Commentary by our Club President, Peter Abbott.
- Big Congratulations to Nestor Chan!
-
Date Posted: Wed, 4 Sep 2024
🎉 Big Congratulations to Nestor Chan! 🎉
A huge shoutout to Nestor Chan for following up his joint first place in last week’s Allegro with a clear win in the Purdy Blitz! Nestor scored an impressive 8/9, finishing a full point ahead of the chasing pack, which included Ethan Chang, Reyaansh Chakrabarty, Harvey Zhu, and Henry Cronin. It was a tournament where junior players really shined! 🌟
With the Purdy Blitz behind us, we’re now gearing up for the John Purdy Memorial. Entries have officially closed, and we’re excited to announce that we’ve hit the 100 mark! Thanks to everyone who signed up—we’re looking forward to an incredible tournament ahead.
- Join Us for the 2024 John Purdy Memorial Open!
-
Date Posted: Wed, 4 Sep 2024 Join Us for the 2024 John Purdy Memorial Open!
Get ready for an exciting chess event at Norths Chess Club as we kick off the 2024 John Purdy Memorial Open! This prestigious tournament is ACF and FIDE rated and promises intense competition across nine rounds.
Dates: Tuesdays from 3 September to 5 November
(Note: 5 November is reserved as a spare session in case of venue availability issues.)
Before we dive into the main event, don’t miss the Purdy Blitz on 27 August, a perfect warm-up for the tournament!
Tournament Details:
– Purdy Major: For players rated over 1200. Time control: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move from move 1.
– Purdy Minor: For players rated under 1400. Time control: 60 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move from move 1.
– Players rated between 1200 and 1400 may choose either tournament. Under 1200 players who scored at least 66% in the 2024 Winter Classic Minor may enter the Major.
Prizes:
Major Division:
– 1st: $1000, 2nd: $500, 3rd: $250
– Rating Groups A & B: 1st $100, 2nd $50
– The highest placed Norths member will be awarded the title of John Purdy Memorial Champion.
Minor Division:
– 1st: $500, 2nd: $250, 3rd: $125
– Rating Group A: 1st $100, 2nd $50
– Unrated: 1st $50
Entry Fees:
– Norths Chess Club Members: $30
– Non-members: $40
– Late entries add $10
– Free for GM, WGM, IM, WIM
Eligibility:
– Non-Australian citizens or permanent residents must have a FIDE ID.
– Adult players must be members of or have paid a Registered Player Fee to the NSWCA.
– Juniors (under 18) must be members of the NSWJCL.
– Interstate players must be members of the equivalent State or Territory Association.
Important Notes:
– Entry Deadline: Entries must be received by Sunday, 1 September. Late entries are at the discretion of the arbiter and may not be included in the first round draw.
– Half-point Byes: Up to two half-point byes are permitted in rounds 1-7.
– Forfeits: Arriving more than one hour late will result in a forfeit. Repeated forfeits may lead to removal from the tournament.
– Electronic Devices: Must be completely switched off unless permission is granted by the arbiter.
Register Now: Don’t miss your chance to compete in this exciting event!
Let’s make this year’s John Purdy Memorial Open a tournament to remember! See you at the board!
- Winter Classic Tournament Update!
-
Date Posted: Wed, 26 Jun 2024
The top board games in the Winter Classic were decided by some dramatic one-move blunders this round.
🔥 Major Division:
• Ian Stalker, the sole leader at the start of the round, looked to be consolidating his exchange up position against Darryl Chan when he hung a rook.
• Callan Arav, rushing after a late arrival, dropped a piece early on against Andrew He.
• Darryl and Andrew are now joined in the lead by Dean Chen, who beat Aiden Malecki, forming a formidable chasing pack.
🔥 Minor Division:
• On Board 1, Nigel Burley left a bishop undefended and Nick Biscoe capitalised on it.
• Jonathan Sua beat Mason Tay on Board 2 to join Nick in the lead.
🔥 Seniors Division:
• Rob Watson found himself a piece down against Paul Glissan and ultimately lost, leaving Paul in the sole lead.
• Dennis Wan, with an accurate endgame conversion, beat Paul Pilowsky and is now a full point behind Paul Glissan.
It's an exciting tournament with plenty of twists and turns! Stay tuned for more updates as the competition heats up.
(Photo by Linden Fennamore)
- New Club Champion Bibek Thing
-
Date Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024
Congratulations to our 2024 Club Champion Bibek Thing tournament and division winners.
Candidates won by Ian Stalker by tie-break over Aiden Odenthal
Tournament 3 and Division A won by Chris Ball by tie-break over Darryl Chan
Division B - Paul Glissan
Tournament 4 and Division D winner Josh Liu
Division C - Linden Fennamore by tie-break over Peter Cai
Division E - Linda Qian by tie-break over Ian Lade
Tournament 5 won by Aiden MalekiFor full Vega results see
Tournament 1 | Tournament 2 | Tournament 3 | Tournament 4 | | Tournament 5
- Checkmate Chatswood festival
-
Date Posted: Mon, 25 Mar 2024
Willoughby City Council will make Chatswood CBD a vibrant chess board from 22 April to 19 May 2024 with its Checkmate Chatswood festival. Open to enthusiasts and novices alike, the festival boasts a packed schedule of interactive displays, educational workshops, and competitive tournaments designed to celebrate the strategic game of chess in all its glory.
A highlight of the festival is a Simultaneous Chess Display with Grandmaster Anton SmirnovYou can experience the thrill of playing against a chess grandmaster. Grandmaster Anton Smirnov will showcase his extraordinary talent by playing against 24 participants simultaneously. This event is a unique opportunity to observe and participate in a display of high-level chess strategy, reminiscent of scenes from "The Queen's Gambit."
Date: Saturday, 11 May 2024
Location: The Concourse, 409 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood. Chatswood Chess Club (which became Norths Chess Club) first met in 1908 at the School of the Arts in Chatswood - where the Concourse now stands. It is very special for our club to return to its roots for this festival.
Time: 11 AM
Registration: Places are now full.Other Festival Highlights Include:
- Chess Sculptures Exploration: Throughout the festival, 22 April - 19 May, Chatswood CBD. Venture out to discover supersized inflatable chess pieces scattered across Chatswood. This visual feast offers a unique backdrop for memorable photos with family and friends.
- School Holiday Chess Workshops: Scheduled for 22 April - 24 April at the Creator Space, Chatswood Library. Designed for children aged 5 to 12, these workshops are a fantastic opportunity for young minds to learn the basics of chess or sharpen their skills with advanced strategies. Registration is essential.
- Interactive Giant Chess Set: Available on select dates from 22 April - 19 May at The Concourse - The Green Space. Challenge your friends and family to a friendly game on a life-sized chess board. It's a perfect blend of physical activity and mental challenge suitable for all.
- Junior Chess League Tournament: Sunday, 28 April at The Concourse Foyer. A competitive event for players aged 5 to 17, offering them a chance to engage in a rated tournament, win prizes, and connect with fellow chess enthusiasts.
- Challenge a Chess Master: Saturday, 04 May at The Concourse. An open invitation to test your skills against International Master Cameron McGowan. This casual yet competitive setting requires no registration, making it easy for all to join.
- NSW Chess Association Allegro Tournament: Sunday, 19 May, at The Concourse Foyer. This ACF and FIDE rated ‘allegro’ tournament invites players of all ages to compete in seven 30-minute rounds of intense chess action. www.nswca.org.au
Be Part of the Chess Community
Checkmate Chatswood is not just a celebration of chess; it's a communal event bringing together individuals through the shared love of the game. Whether you're looking to compete, learn, or simply enjoy the atmosphere, the festival offers something for everyone.
Mark your calendars and be ready to join in the festivities.
For further information:
Email: info@checkmatechatswood.org
Website: www.visitchatswood.com.au/Experience/Checkmate-Chatswood
- Reyaansh in the record books
-
Date Posted: Thu, 14 Mar 2024
With his wiin over over GM Darryl Johansen at the Ballarat Begonia, Reyaansh Chakrabarty is the youngest Australian to have ever beaten a GM and sits at number 8 worldwide.
For an interesting article about young elite players see The Pandemic Effect: How Young Will Grandmasters Become?
Reyaansh has already entered our achievers page three times this year and looks certain to become a regular addition.
- New Club Blitz Champion Francisco Plaza-Quinteros
-
Date Posted: Sat, 3 Feb 2024
Congratulations Francisco taking the title with a near perfect score, only dropping a half point to the second place taker.
1st: Francisco Plaza-Quinteros 2nd: Reyaansh Chakrabarty; 3rd: Cameron McGowan
Rating Group A: =1st Anton Wijaya and Ian Stalker; Rating Group B 1st: Clara Zhou
Click here for detailed results
- 2024 Norths Chess Club Championships
-
Date Posted: Fri, 29 Dec 2023
Exciting News for Chess Enthusiasts: The 2024 Norths Chess Club Championships
The Norths Chess Club is thrilled to announce the 2024 Club Championships, an event that promises to bring together the best of strategy, skill, and sportsmanship. This tournament is both FIDE and ACF rated, offering a unique opportunity for players to showcase their talents and improve their rankings.
Tournament Schedule:- Duration: 6th February to 9th April 2023
- Time: Matches commence at 7:30pm every Tuesday
- Structure: The championship will be conducted over nine rounds, ensuring a comprehensive and competitive experience for all participants. Please note that the schedule includes spare weeks to accommodate any unforeseen venue unavailability.
- Rating: Results will be submitted for FIDE Standard and ACF Classic rating.
- Prizes:: A trophy will be awarded to the winner of each division.
Special Event - Club Championship Blitz:- Date: 30th January
- Highlight: Kicking off the Club Championship is a fast-paced and exciting Blitz tournament. This event is perfect for those looking to test their quick-thinking skills and enjoy the thrill of rapid games.
Join the Chess Community:
This championship is more than just a competition; it's a celebration of the chess community's spirit. Whether you're a seasoned player or a budding enthusiast, the Norths Chess Club Championships offer an excellent platform to learn, compete, and connect with fellow chess lovers.
Registrations Open Now:
Ready to make your move? Registrations for the tournament are now open so please click here.
Contact Us:
Please visit our website for more details on the tournament or any other queries.
Don’t miss this chance to be part of the 2024 Norths Chess Club Championships. We look forward to seeing you at the board.
- Norm Greenwood resigns (from the committee)
-
Date Posted: Mon, 11 Dec 2023
Many members know that Norm Greenwood rarely resigns a game, and rue losing or drawing what they thought was a safe win.
After long service to our club Norm has stepped down from his role on the committee. We thank Norm for his hard work over many years.
He has written the following letter to members.
===
Dear Members
It is now time to call it a day as a committee member of Norths Chess Club. I want to avoid hearing the old saying ‘there’s no fool like an old fool’ applied to me.
It was my mother who taught me to play chess. She had played with her invalid father during the First World War and I still have the over 100-year-old set that they used.
I joined Chatswood Chess Club (now our Norths Chess Club) in the late 1980s. It was at a low ebb compared to St George; a win in the Big Board was a rarity. However it was on a sound financial footing through fees from juniors, generated by activities run by Steve Garner. Only a few members acted on the committee.
It was not long after I joined that I was asked to take over as Treasurer from Ian Trott. Computers were primitive compared to today’s. In fact I was operating a ‘twin floppy’ in those days (younger members can Google that) and am grateful to the late Dennis Day’s assistance in upgrading my computer and skills.
We were all surprised that Dennis did not appear at the AGM in 1999 when he was Vice President, particularly his close friend Peter Lay. It was only later we learnt that Dennis had died suddenly when playing tennis at the young age of 62. His name has been commemorated in the perpetual trophy issued to the winner of the Club Candidates tournament.
Over the years we have lost members who were survivors of the Holocaust including George Kepper, Bob Maas and Les Kovacs as well as Horst Bleicher who emigrated to Australia shortly after World War Two. I have it on good authority that Horst and Paul Glissan shared many a bottle of red after a good night’s chess.
During the 1990s I was also took over as Treasurer of the Manly Leagues Chess Club (now Harbord Diggers) as well as the New South Wales Chess Association from Jeremy Hirchhorn (then a Chatswood member and now number two in the ATO administration). Later I took over as Treasurer of the Australian Chess Federation; records arrived from Melbourne in a shoebox containing one year's unbanked cheques! It was necessary to reconstruct the records for two years to get things back in order.
My efforts in acting for these four entities were recognised in the early 2000s when I received Honorary Life Membership of each of them followed shortly afterwards being awarded the ACF Koshnitsky Medal for chess administration. This was followed few years later by receiving the Norths President’s Shield as the chess club nominee. (Nick Cooper and David Stern have also won this award; no other intra-club nominee has received this award three times which is evidence of our good standing with our host club.)
With the accession of Paul Glissan in 2008 as President and with a fully effective committee of members dedicated to specific tasks there was a substantial improvement of the chess club’s position. So much so that in a short time we successfully hosted three Australian Championships as well as a number of FIDE Zonal events. This improvement during Paul’s term as President has carried on under his successor Peter Abbott with active members now exceeding 150.
Chesswise I have had some success catching higher rated opponents off-guard including, in the one tournament, Lloyd Fell, Johnny Bolens and Laura Moylan. One year in the Ford/Greenwood Seniors Tournament I also beat Gareth Charles in andthe winner Paul Glissan. I have also managed to beat our budding GMs Max Illingworth and Anton Smirnov, although at a time when their feet did not touch the ground and a kick in the shins was added hazard in the games. After Max and Anton attained the status of Grandmaster the club recognised their achievements with the granting of Emeritus Membership, together with WIM Biljana Dekic who has represented Australia at the Women’s Olympiad a record number of times.
Highlights of my years with the Club include Paul Glissan organising an 80th birthday party for me at Norths followed 10 years later with a surprise 90th birthday celebration at my home organised by my son Geoff and daughter Angela with many of my chess friends in attendance at both events. Truly memorable occasions that I cherish.
2023 has been a difficult year for me healthwise with my medical team keeping me going but at the expense of my mobility. I no longer drive after 52 years and am grateful for receiving lifts from various people including Bruce Murray, Peter Abbott, Ian Wechsler and Geoff, with Angela attending to my needs. This enables me to play in club tournaments where hopefully I will remain competitive.
I have introduced my granddaughter Jewel to chess and we play one game each week. If she continues to show an improvement in her chess skills and maintains an interest she may start looking for a chess club to join.
I am confident Norths Chess Club will continue to maintain its prominent position as the premier chess club in Sydney in the forthcoming years and I am proud to have made a contribution.
- Boards stay home
-
Date Posted: Fri, 24 Nov 2023
.png)
Norths have retained the Little Board, by a five point margin, and in the Big Board unexpectedly won away to overtake St George's' first round lead, winning overall by three points .
For detailed results of the Little Board CLICK HERE
For detailed results of the Big Board CLICK HERE
- New Purdy Champion
-
Date Posted: Thu, 23 Nov 2023Congratulations to Bibek and Jacob and other prizewinners.
Major
John Purdy Memorial Trophy: Open: 1st: Bibek Thing; 2nd: Sterling Bayaca. =3rd: Van Vo & Aiden Odenthal
Rating Group A =1st Benjamin Tee & Ethan Chang
Rating Group B 1st: Ayush Yajaman, =2nd: Nathan He, Marcel Lima, Maxwell Ponza
Minor
Open: 1st Jacob Mcgruddy; 2nd: Scott Zhou; 3rd: Leo Gong
Rating group A =1st Vicky Qian and Emma Zhang
Unrated 1st Rahul Gandharva
- Allegro results
-
Date Posted: Wed, 22 Nov 2023
Congratulations to 2023 Allegro Champion Sterling, and other prizewinners
1st: Sterling Bayaca
2nd: Cameron McGowan
3rd: Changhao Yu
Rating group A (1401 - 1730): Leo Gong
=Rating group B (1400 and under):
Clara Zhou, Marcus Ni, Deves Manoji, Craig Duker, Jason Gemenis, Michael Tonon
Unrated: Winston Bai
- Seniors results
-
Date Posted: Mon, 20 Nov 2023
Congratulations Ford-Greenwood Seniors Champion Ton Luchtmeijer and other prize winners:
1st: Ton Luchtmeijer, 2nd: Bruce Murray, =3rd: Peter Abbott & Rob Waton
75 or over: Paul Glissan
Rating group A: David Cook
Rating group B: Paul Pilowsky
- Winter Classic results
-
Date Posted: Sun, 27 Aug 2023
Congratulations to Arthur and Peter, and other prizewinners
Major
1st: Arthur Huynh
=2nd/3rd: Terrence Tang & Van Vo
Rating group A: Daniel Wang
Rating group B: Benjamin Tee
Minor
1st: Peter Cai
2nd: Nathan Arav
=3rd: Mason Tay and Jacob McGruddy
Rating group A: Michael Zhang
=Rating group B: Albert Xiong, Nick Harrigan, Lindsay Chegwidden
- Allegro picket fence
-
Date Posted: Sun, 27 Aug 2023
Congratulations to 2023 Allegro Champion Sterling, with a perfect score, and other prizewinners
1st: Sterling Bayaca
2nd: Cameron McGowan
3rd: Changhao Yu
Rating group A (1401 - 1730): Leo Gong
=Rating group B (1400 and under):
Clara Zhou, Marcus Ni, Deves Manoji, Craig Duker, Jason Gemenis, Michael Tonon
Unrated: Winston Bai
- Special General Meeting 25 July
-
Date Posted: Tue, 11 Jul 2023
A Special General Meeting of Norths Chess Club for will be held on 25 July 2023 at 7.30pm, at Norths Leagues Club, Cammeray
The meeting is called to vote on adopting a constitution for Norths Chess Club.
The constitution put forward by the Committee for adoption may be found at: www.northsydneychess.org/Constitution
There are no other items of business.
Notes. This meeting is called purely to vote on the constitution, not to debate it so commencement of play should not be unduly delayed.
- Daniel Gong Rapid Champion
-
Date Posted: Sat, 13 May 2023
Congratulations 2023 Rapid Champion DAniel Gong and all prizewinners
1st Daniel Gong
2nd Samuel Asaka
3rd Ryan Can
Rating group A. Joy Liu
Rating group B. =1st Marcel Lima, Nathan Arav and Maxwell Ponza
Rating Group C. =1st Jonathan Kuba, Mason Tay, Marcus Ni, and Jason Gemenis
Unrated. Paul Ventura
- Cameron retains Club Championship
-
Date Posted: Wed, 26 Apr 2023
Congratulations 2023 Club Champion Cameron McGowan and all division winners 
Champinship won by Cameron McGowan
Championship: 1st Cameron McGowan; 2nd Samuel Asaks; =3rd Sterling Bayaca and Vladimir Feldman
Candidates: 1st Harry Ruan=2nd Kurt Daley and Ton Luchtmeijer
Tournament 3 won by Harvey Zhu
A: 1st Harvey Shu; =2nd Robert Cregan and Benjamin Jiang
B: 1st Ian Welch; 2nd Nikola Vujasin; =3rd ReyaanshChakrabarty; David James, Lucas Ni, Kristine Quek
Tournament 4 won by Ashok Reddy
C: 1st Ashok Reddy, 2nd Bosko Aleksovky; =3rd Gary Armstrong and Chelsea Huey
D: =1st Bosko Aleksovky and Dean Chen; 3rd Vedantik Bhattacharyya
Tournament 5 won by Matthew Turek
E: Matthew Turek; 2nd Adrian Deccico; =3rd Andrew He, Jonathan Si Seng Ong, and Michael Zhang
For full results www.northsydneychess.org/club-championship
- Vale Warren Morris
-
Date Posted: Sat, 31 Dec 2022
Warren Morris, who died on Christmas Day, was a great supporter of Norths Chess. He was a director of Norths Leagues Club for 30 years, and served as secretary its Sports Council for much of that time.
Our Treasurer Steve Garner worked alongside Warren inthe 1990s; at the time the chess club met at the hall of Willoughby Uniting Church. The church often complained about our members smoking on the premises. Overnight the rent they charged for using the hall doubled and we were losing money fast. Warren suggested to Steve that we move to Norths Leagues. It took a lot of convincing but eventually we agreed to move.
What Warren kept relatively quiet at the time because he couldn’t guarantee it, was that Norths gave grants to its sporting clubs. So, we went from paying rent we couldn’t afford to a much better hall that was rent free. And we were given a monetary grant each year. Initially it was around $400; last year we got $3,000.
Warren was more than a supporter of our Club - he helped transform it into the strongest chess club in Sydney,
- Clive's picket fence
-
Date Posted: Fri, 16 Dec 2022
Clive Ng won the Summer Blitz with a perfect 9 from 9.
1st Clive Ng, =2nd Robert Sunaryo, Bruce Murray, Benjamin Wise Jiang
Here Clive plays Benjamin in the 8th round, prevailing in a King's Indian game. He commented later that Benjamin played well but blundered an exchange in an equal position in the middle game.
- Purdy Champion Cameron McGowan
-
Date Posted: Sat, 26 Nov 2022
Congratulations to our 2022 Purdy Champion Cameron McGowan and other prizewinners
John Purdy Memorial Trophy: Cameron McGowan on tiebreak
Open: =1st Cameron McGowan, Marco Zheng; 3rd Sterling Bayaca
Rating group A: 1st Ian Parsonage; =2nd Chris Ball, Mark Baterowicz, Stephen Garner, Jongmin Lim, Henning Muller, Kristine Quek
Rating group B: 1st Reyaansh Chakrabarty;=2nd Tom Beeh, Craig Duker
Rating group C: =1st Joy Liu Vedantik Bhattacharyya
Rating group D: 1st Nathan Arav; 2nd Jonathan Kuba
Unrated: =1st Jonathan Sua, Layla Nafari
Upset prize winners: Daniel Ding, Chelsea Huey, Nathan Arav, Jonathan Kuba, Ethan Chang, Darryl Ross, James Gough, Reyaansh Chakrabarty, Owen Yang
CLICK HERE for the full results.
- Worthy winner from our chess club!
-
Date Posted: Sun, 4 Sep 2022
Each year, Norths Leagues Club asks each of their affiliated sports and activities clubs to nominate someone special for their President’s Shield - based on their contribution to Norths, their intraclub, their sporting achievements, service to sport or special interest group over the preceding year.
Our club committee nominated David Stern who does so much for us.
David was adjudged the stand-out nominee by our hosts, Norths, and awarded the Shield at the President’s Shield dinner last Friday.
Wonderful recognition for David’s hard work and dedication.
- Allegro Champion Anthony Fikh
-
Date Posted: Fri, 12 Aug 2022
Congratulations to our 2022 Allegro Champion Anthony Fikh and other prizewinners
1st: Anthony Fikh
=2nd: Arthur Huynh, Bahman Kargosha, Robert Sunaryo
Rating Group A: =1st: Ethan Chang, David Stern
Rating Group B: =1st: Ryan Liu, James Gough
Unrated: =1st: Frederick Kruger, Anthony KarnaoutCLICK HERE for the detailed results.
- Winter Classic Champion Alaina Vincent
-
Date Posted: Mon, 1 Aug 2022
Congratulations to our 2022 Classic Champion Alaina Vincent and other prizewinners:
=1st: Alaina Vincent (Champion on tiebreak), Ridley Scott
=3rd: Nick Kordahi, Paul Russell
= Rating Group A: Arihant Yadav, Dean Chen, Ashok Reddy, Benjamin Tee
= Rating Group B: Marcel Lima, Deves Manoji
Unrated: Jongmin LimCLICK HERE for the full results.
- Seniors Champion Dennis Wan
-
Date Posted: Mon, 1 Aug 2022
Congratulations to our 2022 Seniors Champion Denis Wan and other prizewinners
1st: Dennis Wan
2nd: Bruce Murray
=3rd: Stephen Garner, Gary Armstrong
Over 75: =1st Marek Baterowicz, Paul Glissan
Rating Group A: Bob Quek
= Rating Group B: Vince Chiara, David Cook
CLICK HERE for the detailed results..
- Big wins in the Boards
-
Date Posted: Tue, 24 May 2022
Norths leads in both of our interclub games.
After overwhelming Harbord at home 15 - 2, we travelled to St George expecting a difficult match. However we siurprised the Dragons by taking the night 25 - 13. The 12 point buffer should secure the 2022 title but no doubt St George will come to Norths hungry for revenge in November.
For details of the matches see
www.northsydneychess.org/little-board
and
www.northsydneychess.org/big-board
- Rapid Champion Cameron McGowan
-
Date Posted: Mon, 23 May 2022
Congratulations 2022 Rapid Champion Cameron McGowan and all winners
Open: 1st Cameron McGowan, =2nd Arthur Huynhand Clive Ng
Rating Division A Jared Cheung
Rating Division B Jason Xu
Rating Division C Lucas Ni
Unrated Division Lachlan Kavanagh
For full tournament details see http://www.northsydneychess.org/rapid
- Club Champion Cameron McGowan
-
Date Posted: Wed, 6 Apr 2022
Congratulations 2022 Club Champion Cameron McGowan and all division winners Tournament 1 won by Cameron McGowan
Championship: =1st Cameron McGowan and Dmitry Miscenko; 3rd Gareth Charles
Candidates: =1st Joshua Brown and Chris Taffard; 3rd Allan Richards
Tournament 2 won by Van Vo
A: 1st Dennis Wan; =2nd Jose Escribano and Kurt Daley
B: 1st Van Vo; 2nd Gary Armstrong; 3rd Lucas Ni
Tournament 3 won by Benjamin Jiang
C: =1st Dominic Earle and Arihant Yadav; 3rd Yuze (Ethan) Li
D: 1st Benjamin Jiang; =2nd Robert Fenton-Lee and Leon Munk
Tournament 4
E: 1st Annan Yadav; =2nd Haowei Wang and Robert CarolloFor full results www.northsydneychess.org/club-championship
- ACF awards Paul Glissan the Koshnitsky Medal
-
Date Posted: Tue, 1 Feb 2022
The federation’s 2022 annual lifetime achievement medal for services to chess as an administrator has been awarded to its former Secretary, Paul Glissan. Paul was Norths Chess Club President during 2008-2018 and guided organisation at the club of numerous major chess events, including two Australian Championships, two Australian Open Championships and Oceania Zonal and Seniors championships.
Under Paul’s presidency at Norths, several club members represented Australia in a variety of international events, won Australian championship titles and achieved two grandmaster and several other FIDE titles.
Paul served as Secretary of the ACF when the Council was based in Sydney in 1998.
Paul is an active member of Norths Chess and the current Senioirs Champion.
- Club Championship blitz results
-
Date Posted: Thu, 27 Jan 2022
The new Club Blitz Champion is Robert Sunaryo, taking the title on tiebreak with Clive Ng.
Prizewinners were=1st Robert Sunaryo and Clive Ng; 3rd Arthur Huynh; Rating group A =1st Daniel Seaton, David Stern, and Joy Liu; Rating group B =1st David Miller and Robert Fenton-Lee Click here for detailed results
.
- Club Championship and Blitz
-
Date Posted: Wed, 19 Jan 2022
25 January our tournament calendar starts with the Club Championship Blitz. No registration is needed ... come play!
The following week 1 February is the first round of the Club Championship on 1 February. Details and entry for the Club Championship are @ www.northsydneychess.org/club-championship. Registration is in the membership form @ www.cognitoforms.com/ NorthSydneyChessClub/ membership.
- Message from the President
-
Date Posted: Thu, 30 Dec 2021
2021
It was another unusual year with a number of highs interspersed with some Covid-induced lows.
Fortunately, the negatives were few. We had to close the club for a significant part of the year and as a result had to truncate and declare results for our two winter tournaments – Ford-Greenwood Seniors and Winter Classic just after the half way mark. We were also unable to run the 2021 Purdy Memorial which was a pity as the 2021 edition was to incorporate State Championship and State Women’s Championship.
The positives were many though. Winning back both the Big Board and Little Board trophies from St George and Harbord was a highlight. Winning both legs of each so emphatically was special. Many thanks to all who supported those fixtures – wonderful results for our club.
We have a new club champion in Matthew Bennett. This year we trialled a new format of small swisses across the various sections of our club championship. I personally feel that this was a good innovation that deserves repeating. The sections all proved well contested and the elimination of postponements was welcomed by many.
We have also been able to run Rapids and Blitzes and our online club continues twice a week. Congratulations to all of our prize winners in our tournaments this year.
The growth in our membership this year was extraordinary and we gained a number of very strong new recruits. All this bodes well for the club but our sheer size makes it tricky when government imposes venue capacity restrictions.
In term of our committee, Rob Watson very ably slotted into the Director of Play role. David Stern delivered a new website which gives us a good base for future development. In addition, there was a huge amount of work by some unsung heroes behind the scenes. During the year Tristan Weijermars left our committee due to a move interstate and Pertti Sirkka was unable to stand again as secretary. Thanks to my fellow committee members for their hard work in keeping our club running and developing. We all also appreciate the longstanding support from our hosts at Norths Leagues Club.
The running of our large club falls on a small number of people and that creates a risk. Broadening our resources will be a clear focus as we move into, hopefully, a covid-unaffected 2022.
Peter Abbott, President Norths Chess Club
- Summer Blitz
-
Date Posted: Sat, 25 Dec 2021
Congratulations to Jack Rodgers, who took the event over 2nd Robert Sunaryo and =3ed Gareth Charles and Dmitry Miscenko Click here for detailed results
The next at the club will be the 2022 Club Championship Blitz on 25 January.
- Trophies come home!
-
Date Posted: Thu, 25 Nov 2021
Norths have taken the Little Board, with thirteen point win on 13 Decemer and an overall 2021 result of 27.5 - 11.5. For detailed results of the match CLICK HERE
A team of 44 Norths players travelled to St George in November and scored a fantastic 9 point win on the night, and an 18 points overall in 2021 to bring home the John Kellner/Terrey Shaw Trophy. For detailed results of the match CLICK HERE
We look forward to retaining the trophies in 2022.
Thanks Natalie Chen for thebgroup photo taken at St George.
- Opening ... again at last
-
Date Posted: Fri, 5 Nov 2021
We are pleased to be reopening and have the following events to take us to the end of the year.
9 November - Social chess
16 November - Social chess
23 November - Big Board at St George Leagues Club
30 November - Rapid
7 December - Rapid
Monday 13 December - Little Board at Harbord Diggers Club
14 December - Rapid
20 December - Blitz (includes prizegivings & AGM)
Our return to Norths is under Covid-safe conditions which are set out in the attached Safety Plan which has been approved by Norths, and Safety Guidelines that must be complied with by vistors to the chess club.
Note that Norths requires all guests over 16 entering the club to show proof of double-vaccination and check in with the NSW government QR code. For detailed requirements see https://norths.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/SignInRequirements.pdf
- Reopening delay
-
Date Posted: Tue, 12 Oct 2021
Although we hoped we could return on 19 October, Notths now plan to open their hospitality services first and allow the return of their sporting and social groups a little later.
We will stay in regular contact with them and let everyone know as soon as chess can resume.
By the time we return they will have completed the finishing touches to their auditorium renovation.
- Reopening 19 October
-
Date Posted: Tue, 5 Oct 2021
We will be open on Tuesdays from 19 October. At first this will be social chess; we hope to have an event later in the year.
Norths has set the following conditions for entry to the club:
---
We will be adhering to the guidelines from the NSW Government which states that all those entering venues over the age of 16 must be fully vaccinated.
Upon entry you will need to show proof of double vaccination and to find out how you can download this to your device, please follow this link https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-vaccination-nsw/proof.
---
There may be more detail on protocols as government and the club prepare for opening. Watch here for updates.
- Seniors and Classic results
-
Date Posted: Mon, 30 Aug 2021
Unfortunately we weren't able to complete all rounds of the tournaments. In that case results are based on the scores after round 5. And we congratulate
=====
Ford Greenwood Seniors.
Seniors Champion Paul Glissan, on tiebreak for 1st with Bruce Murray and George Morgan.
Rating Group A. David Stern
Rating Group B. Rex Simmonds and Robert Laurie.
There were insufficient unrated players to award an unrated prize.
For tournament details see www.northsydneychess.org/seniors
Winter Classic1st and Classic Champion. Sterling Bayaca.
Rating Group A. Joshua Li.
Rating Group B. Dean Nguyen-Jariv.
Unrated group. Kurt Daley
For tournament details see www.northsydneychess.org/winter-classic
- Allegro results
-
Date Posted: Sat, 28 Aug 2021
Congratulations to prizewinners:
1st: Jack Rodgers
=2nd: Vladimir Chugunov, Henry Cronin
U1800: Ethan (Yuze) Li
U1510: Peter Creek
Unrated: =1st Michael Kyaw, Kurt Daley
For full details see www.northsydneychess.org/allegro
- Club Championship results
-
Date Posted: Wed, 7 Apr 2021
2021 Club Champion: As winner of Tournament 1, Matthew Bennett
Tournament 1
Championship: 1st Stirling Bayaca; 2nd Gareth Charles; 3rd Jack Rodgers
Candidates: 1st Matthew Bennett (7/9); 2nd James Spencer; 3rd Vladimir ChugunovTournament 2
A: 1st Chris Taffard; 2nd Pertti Sirkka; 3rd. Toby Huey
B: 1st John McFarlane; 2nd Linden Fennamore; 3rd. James ZaverdinosTournament 3
C: 1st Thomas Ban; 2nd Ian Case; 3rd Yuze (Ethan) Li
D: 1st. Lucas Ni; 2nd Tom Beeh; 3rd Dominic EarleTournament 4
E: 1st Sean McDonald; 2nd Ethan Chang; 3rd James Ford (6.5/9)
For full results, see: www.northsydneychess.org/club-championship
- Josh Brown victorious
-
Date Posted: Fri, 26 Mar 2021
Well done Josh winning our first on-line long-play tournament on chess.com.
Silver and bronze went to Jack Rodgers and Dmitry Miscenko
Click here for detailed results of the knock-out event go to www.chess.com/tournament/norths-long-play-1
- COVID-19 at Norths
-
Date Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2021
Norths Chess is open!! The situation remains fluid though and your committee will keep monitoring Government regulations and our host's instructions. Plus take note of our protocols regarding safe practices, personal hygiene and social distancing to help keep yourself and others COVID-19 safe.
We are still running our chess.com tournaments. Access is for members of Norths Chess so first go to www.northsydneychess.org/membership to join and contact northsydneychess@gmail.com for instructions on how to find it.
==========
Chess is a game that requires touching shared objects and surfaces, and physical proximity. Attendees of Norths Chess Club meetings must therefore take care for their own and others' wellbeing.
Visitors to Norths Leagues Club are required to register on entry, and we encourage you to have the CovidSafe app on your mobile phone. Visitors must comply with the COVID-19 safety plans and instructions of of Norths Leagues Club.
At the club the following rules will apply
1. Do not attend if you
* have been overseas or in a COVID-19 hotspot in the last two weeks
* have a fever, cough, cold or other signs of illness
* have been in contact with a COVID-19 positive person until you have had a negative test
* are awaiting the result of a COVID-19 test for yourself or a close contact.
2. Wash/cleanse your hands before and after a game, and as needed during a game. If possible bring your own hand sanitiser and use it before touching your face and after touching your face. The chess club will have hand sanitiser only at the entrance of the playing area.
If coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with flexed elbow or a paper tissue. Dispose of tissues hygienically, eg in closed bins. Wash/cleanse your hands before touching shared objects and surfaces.
3. Maintain physical distancing of 1.5 metres from another person. Do not shake hands or have any physical contact with another person other than those in your own household.
4. During play:
- At the commencement of the session players’ chairs will be set 1.5 metres apart. Players should try to maintain as much distance from their opponent as practically possible during the game. Respect the personal space of your opponent.
- If observing a game, stay at least 1.5 metres from the players and their equipment, and from other observers
- More than one game may be required to be played during the session. Should that lead to any item of equipment being handled by more than two players, the Director of Play will determine any additional equipment sanitation protocols required
5. Parents must supervise their children at all times and ensure they are following these measures.
6. You are welcome to use your own standards above these, such as wearing a face mask or gloves.
