Hello peoples
I am writing this entry from the Pacific sun internet cafe. I wont be blogging often as the internet charges is 50cents per minute. although that is cheaper than at one backpackers i stayed at in Canberra!!!
On board the Pacific Sun there seems to be some chess players. And facilities to play chess. There is a large outdoor chess board alongside one of the pools and also provisions to play chess at the library although the pieces seem too small for my liking. Lucky i thought to take my own chess set on the cruise!
I will provide some photos when i get back from the cruise!!
Tomorrow we stop at Poum/ Emerald bay. The weather is currently beautiful with a thin layer of sun just blocking out the glaring light of the sun.
Cheers all. I'm off to have another cocktail
Friday, December 29, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
OMG I forgot to write a Merry Xmas peice
Hey Peoples I'll Say a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy new year to all.
Tomorrow My family and I set off on the Pacific sun on a 12 night holiday visiting 6 Ports: Poum in New Caledonia, Champagne Bay in Vanuatu, Wala in Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu's Capital, Mystery Island in Vanuatu and Isle of Pines in New Caledonia arriving back in Sydney on the 8th of January!
Although I'm not going to be around for the Australian Champs I will try to come up with a few blog entries assuming the internet on the ship is not too expensive.
Also Good luck to anyone who might be playing in the Aussie Millions Poker tournament starting in Melbourne on the 6th of January!
Now i'll leave with my favorite christmassy chessy webpages - namely those of David Evans at the Rooty Hill Chess Club.
06 Christmas story
05 Christmas story
o4 Christmas story
Tomorrow My family and I set off on the Pacific sun on a 12 night holiday visiting 6 Ports: Poum in New Caledonia, Champagne Bay in Vanuatu, Wala in Vanuatu, Port Vila, Vanuatu's Capital, Mystery Island in Vanuatu and Isle of Pines in New Caledonia arriving back in Sydney on the 8th of January!
Although I'm not going to be around for the Australian Champs I will try to come up with a few blog entries assuming the internet on the ship is not too expensive.
Also Good luck to anyone who might be playing in the Aussie Millions Poker tournament starting in Melbourne on the 6th of January!
Now i'll leave with my favorite christmassy chessy webpages - namely those of David Evans at the Rooty Hill Chess Club.
06 Christmas story
05 Christmas story
o4 Christmas story
Friday, December 22, 2006
The Battle Continues: Matt Sweeney v NSWCA/ Bill Gletsos
This soap story contined recently when the NSWCA sent Matthew Sweeney a letter stating that if, at the end of his 17 month suspension (which is due to end 31 December 06) then "an apology for your crude, foul and vulgar language and an assurance that there will be a cessation of such language in the future" should be received with the membership form. The "foul and vulgar language" refers to the now defunct Uber Chess Jihad forum that This Uber chess Jihad is now not much other than a shell of a forum with all the incriminating items deleted a long time ago.
Now, apparently the letter states that the "foul and vulgar language" is still evident on chess related websites. AFAIK the only website that Matt Sweeney now posts on is his Australian Chess Club Forum which is very civil and does not have foul or vulgar or crude language. I would like to know what "foul and Vulgar language" the NSWCA is Referring to.
This movement has Bill Gletsos written all over it. I do not believe that there had been a vote on this and if there was I would like to know what the result was. The councils last meeting was after the NSWCA AGM as it always is. If no reply is recieved i will be requesting to see the minutes for that meeting. Further evidence; When I was on council, Bill was suggesting to the Council that Matt's membership does not have to be accepted on many occasions. I just thought that Bill was having a bit of a joke. I did not think that Bill or the NSWCA would fall that low.
In my oppinion Matt done the supposed crime, he did the time.
When a prisoner comes out of doing his full term he is then does not have to serve another sentence.
Now, apparently the letter states that the "foul and vulgar language" is still evident on chess related websites. AFAIK the only website that Matt Sweeney now posts on is his Australian Chess Club Forum which is very civil and does not have foul or vulgar or crude language. I would like to know what "foul and Vulgar language" the NSWCA is Referring to.
This movement has Bill Gletsos written all over it. I do not believe that there had been a vote on this and if there was I would like to know what the result was. The councils last meeting was after the NSWCA AGM as it always is. If no reply is recieved i will be requesting to see the minutes for that meeting. Further evidence; When I was on council, Bill was suggesting to the Council that Matt's membership does not have to be accepted on many occasions. I just thought that Bill was having a bit of a joke. I did not think that Bill or the NSWCA would fall that low.
In my oppinion Matt done the supposed crime, he did the time.
When a prisoner comes out of doing his full term he is then does not have to serve another sentence.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
NSW Championship idea
I have had an idea for a little while for a better NSW Champs. This idea would need to have some sponsorship.
My idea came about when i was thinking about the schedule for 2007 for my home club, Campbelltown, I was thinking whether a South Western Sydney League would be worth investigating. I was thinking about inviting Liverpool chess club, and perhaps Mounties chess club. The format would be, say, 10 player round robins with participants split into divisions according to rating. As this thought was later in the year i decided to abandon this idea.
When thinking of the low turn out at the NSW State Champs I thought that the league system might work for a state champs.
Say the state is broken up into regions:
South West Sydney Region: Campbelltown, Liverpool, Mounties
Western Sydney Region: Rooty Hill, Parramatta.
Eastern Sydney Region: Manly, Nth Sydney and Hakoah
Southern Sydney Region: St George, Canterbury, Wollongong.
Central Sydney Region: Wests, Ryde Eastwood, Asquith.
Central Coast reigion: Gosford, Mingara, Toukley, Ettalong.
Newcastle Region: Newcastle, Cardiff, Maitland.
NSW Country region: all other chess clubs in country NSW.
Each region runs their own league except for the NSW Country Region. The top division of each region is the qualifying division for the state championship finals. The number of entries into the state championships depend on the percentage of players accross all the divisions in that league compared to that of other leagues.
Games are played on their club night.
The NSW Country Region representative(s) will be selected by a GP of Country weekenders comprising of Dubbo, Coffs Harbour, Laurieton and any other NSW Country region tournament that pops up.
Now there is the problem of when to play these Leagues. In sydney there is always some club based competition going on whether it be the Grade Matches or the Western Sydney Chess Premiership or Club champs etc etc. So in my opinion it would happen over an 18 week period starting in February thus allowing two weeks per league game. This would hopefully gel with the players playing in the WSCP and Grade matches. Now dont get me wrong, I support the WSCP but if it was not possible to play the games over the 18 weeks then perhaps Sydney could convert to only having one teams event in the Grade Matches and forgoing the WSCP to have some variety in the sydney chess scene!?
The State Champs Final
The state champs final will have at least 16 competitors, 9 round Swiss over 5 days. GM's, IM's, WGM's, WIM's recieve entry without having to qualify in the Regional leagues. If more than 8 positions are taken up by the titled players then every division will get one position in the State Champs final (thus potentially increasing the field). A couple of oversease IM's / GM's may be invited to play to make the event a possible norm producing tournament. These players would not be elligible for the title of State Champ.
Here is where the sponsorship needs to come in. I think for making it this far all divisional players must be rewarded with a cash prize. But with titled players now in the mix there is the chance that the qualifiers would miss out. So a cash prize for everyone in the Finals would be Ideal. Perhaps someone like Star City could be approached to hold the premium tournament there with some sponsorship and possibly some TV coverage. Maybe a weekly show covering the game of the round or something like that.
I'd like to know what others think of my Idea. Its a pipe dream, i know, but it is an idea!
My idea came about when i was thinking about the schedule for 2007 for my home club, Campbelltown, I was thinking whether a South Western Sydney League would be worth investigating. I was thinking about inviting Liverpool chess club, and perhaps Mounties chess club. The format would be, say, 10 player round robins with participants split into divisions according to rating. As this thought was later in the year i decided to abandon this idea.
When thinking of the low turn out at the NSW State Champs I thought that the league system might work for a state champs.
Say the state is broken up into regions:
South West Sydney Region: Campbelltown, Liverpool, Mounties
Western Sydney Region: Rooty Hill, Parramatta.
Eastern Sydney Region: Manly, Nth Sydney and Hakoah
Southern Sydney Region: St George, Canterbury, Wollongong.
Central Sydney Region: Wests, Ryde Eastwood, Asquith.
Central Coast reigion: Gosford, Mingara, Toukley, Ettalong.
Newcastle Region: Newcastle, Cardiff, Maitland.
NSW Country region: all other chess clubs in country NSW.
Each region runs their own league except for the NSW Country Region. The top division of each region is the qualifying division for the state championship finals. The number of entries into the state championships depend on the percentage of players accross all the divisions in that league compared to that of other leagues.
Games are played on their club night.
The NSW Country Region representative(s) will be selected by a GP of Country weekenders comprising of Dubbo, Coffs Harbour, Laurieton and any other NSW Country region tournament that pops up.
Now there is the problem of when to play these Leagues. In sydney there is always some club based competition going on whether it be the Grade Matches or the Western Sydney Chess Premiership or Club champs etc etc. So in my opinion it would happen over an 18 week period starting in February thus allowing two weeks per league game. This would hopefully gel with the players playing in the WSCP and Grade matches. Now dont get me wrong, I support the WSCP but if it was not possible to play the games over the 18 weeks then perhaps Sydney could convert to only having one teams event in the Grade Matches and forgoing the WSCP to have some variety in the sydney chess scene!?
The State Champs Final
The state champs final will have at least 16 competitors, 9 round Swiss over 5 days. GM's, IM's, WGM's, WIM's recieve entry without having to qualify in the Regional leagues. If more than 8 positions are taken up by the titled players then every division will get one position in the State Champs final (thus potentially increasing the field). A couple of oversease IM's / GM's may be invited to play to make the event a possible norm producing tournament. These players would not be elligible for the title of State Champ.
Here is where the sponsorship needs to come in. I think for making it this far all divisional players must be rewarded with a cash prize. But with titled players now in the mix there is the chance that the qualifiers would miss out. So a cash prize for everyone in the Finals would be Ideal. Perhaps someone like Star City could be approached to hold the premium tournament there with some sponsorship and possibly some TV coverage. Maybe a weekly show covering the game of the round or something like that.
I'd like to know what others think of my Idea. Its a pipe dream, i know, but it is an idea!
Chess Nuts Unite.....or should that be untie?
I came accross this site couple of weeks ago. Seems to be a pretty good site. Pity it appears to be not updated for a while. The Email address I used to send them an email bounced. Apparently one of the sites organisers plays on FICS. Maybe i might be able to speak to them on that medium......
Anyhow this site has different types of articles on chess. Also a database of the editors games (and others) as well as a database of openings and games of that opening.
Ever heard of the Chameleon Variation in the Sicilian?
Anyhow this site has different types of articles on chess. Also a database of the editors games (and others) as well as a database of openings and games of that opening.
Ever heard of the Chameleon Variation in the Sicilian?
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
New Beginnings
I've had some waning interst in chess of late and an increased interest in Poker. However i find that i spend more money at poker overall consiering i go to poker tournaments more than one or two times a week. I wan to cut back on my poker playing and increase my chess strength. So next year i think i'll only play poker once a week and study chess the other nights a week. Hey perhaps i'll go over the 1600 mark next year........??
I also want to blog often. More often than the inconsistent blog that i have at the moment.
2006 was a bit of a tragic year for me. With the death of my brother in april. I've had massive downs and little highs. On the 27th of December my extended family and I will be cruising to New Caledonia and Vanuatu for 13 nights. Leaving 2006 on a high note and keeping spirits high into what will be a happy 2007 a new year...... a new beginning.
One major issue with me is that i dont time manage very well. I am all over the place and i cannot seem to find a routine. My new years resolution is to manage my time more effectively. I think this will help me in many facets of life: finding work, improving my chess, losing weight, consistent blogging etc etc.........
Lets see if it works this time. C y'all soon!
I also want to blog often. More often than the inconsistent blog that i have at the moment.
2006 was a bit of a tragic year for me. With the death of my brother in april. I've had massive downs and little highs. On the 27th of December my extended family and I will be cruising to New Caledonia and Vanuatu for 13 nights. Leaving 2006 on a high note and keeping spirits high into what will be a happy 2007 a new year...... a new beginning.
One major issue with me is that i dont time manage very well. I am all over the place and i cannot seem to find a routine. My new years resolution is to manage my time more effectively. I think this will help me in many facets of life: finding work, improving my chess, losing weight, consistent blogging etc etc.........
Lets see if it works this time. C y'all soon!
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