Author: Timothy Ha

We’re on our usual schedule these days, Monday Swiss rapid, 10+5, and Friday blitz arena, 3+2.

Please join the Monday Swiss closer to the tournament start time, as if you’re late, you’re going to forfeit the first game, lose rating points and make your opponent unhappy (or happy, depending on their attitude towards “free” rating points).

Monday, Nov 1, 7:30 pm, https://lichess.org/swiss/DSklDchD – join about 10-15 mins in advance.

Friday, Nov 5, is an arena, you can join in advance, then come play, pause or leave any time between 7:30 and 9:30 pm, https://lichess.org/tournament/3DSwbuuI

The Howick Chess Club is also planning to organise a rapid OTB tournament called “Auckland Christmas Friendship Tournament” on December 21 (Tuesday), please see details on https://newzealandchess.nz/auckland-christmas-friendship-tournament-2021/

Maybe the new traffic light system will allow us to get back to OTB chess sooner? In the meantime, let’s have another team battle on Friday, October 29, https://lichess.org/tournament/qYcnSpvZ — you can join now, then come and play on Friday, any time between 7:30 and 9:30 pm.

The Monday rapid 10+5, six-round Swiss, will happen as usual, too, https://lichess.org/swiss/nHCe0VnF

Next week’s online events are:

Monday, Oct 18, 7:30 pm – Rapid 10+5, Swiss, 6 rounds
lichess.org/swiss/ehT4ReOV

Friday, Oct 22, 7:30 pm – Blitz 3+2 Arena (we’re returning to this time control after three rather wild 5+0 events)
lichess.org/tournament/rVtkhtxn

Please don’t join the Monday event too early, better do it 10-15 mins before the start, so you don’t forfeit the first game and don’t make anybody wait in frustration.

As for the Friday arena, join now and come play any time between 7:30 and 9:30 pm.

Next week’s schedule:

Monday, Oct 11, 7:30 pm – a six-round Swiss of 10+5 rapid, as usual – lichess.org/swiss/a4VazmDW

Thursday, Oct 14, 7:30 – 9:30 pm – an All-Auckland team battle organised by the Waitakere CC – lichess.org/tournament/fByfgUU4 (time control is 5+5, so it’s Lichess rapid)

Friday, Oct 15, 7:30 – 9:30 pm – a 5+0 blitz team battle, “Three Clusters”, between Wellington, Auckland and the NZCF team (for all other cities) – lichess.org/tournament/IDdTkGep

The usual note: you can join team battles and arenas in advance, and are encouraged to do so, to build interest. As for the Swiss events, it’s recommended to join only right before the start, to not forfeit the first game on time and not disappoint people who are paired with you. Thanks!

This week’s online events:

Monday, Oct 4, 10+5 Swiss, https://lichess.org/swiss/RlZW8PCW

Friday, Oct 8, 5+0 Arena, https://lichess.org/tournament/0M3E4n1I

The Waitakere CC is also running two Auckland-specific events:

Thursday, Oct 7, Riff-raff Auckland clubs, arena/battle (ACC can’t play here) https://lichess.org/tournament/P1fjjw3H

Thursday, Oct 14, All Auckland clubs, arena/battle https://lichess.org/tournament/fByfgUU4

The start time for all events is 7:30 pm.

The usual note: please don’t join Swiss tournaments in advance unless you’re sure you’ll be there in time. Your opponent might have to wait in frustration, and you might forfeit a game unnecessarily. As for arena events and team battles, feel free to join them in advance to show interest.

On Monday, Sep 27, 7:30 pm we will do a Swiss rapid 10+5 again – https://lichess.org/swiss/CF5EfoAC – don’t join in advance if you are not sure you’ll make it in time, to not forfeit the first game.

On Friday, Oct 1, 7:30 pm we will have another NZCF team battle between 10 or more teams (if your team is not listed and you want to be added, please contact @TimothyHa on Lichess. Thanks).

Team battles are Lichess arenas, so you can join in advance to show interest, then come play any time between 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm on Friday. The link is https://lichess.org/tournament/iObqxXug

On Monday, Sep 20, 7:30 pm we will do a Swiss rapid 10+5 again – https://lichess.org/swiss/7fhbrL68

And, to celebrate FM Mark Noble becoming a Joint World Champion in correspondence Chess960 on the ICCF, next Friday we’ll play Chess960

Friday, Sep 24 – https://lichess.org/tournament/4FMwCcdX – arena from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, when you join, pause or quite any time in between.

Note: in Swiss tournaments please join 5-15 mins before the start if you’re unsure you can make it in time, to not forfeit the first-round game when you joined too early in advance. In arenas you can join in advance, then come and play, join or quit any time.

The Wellington Chess Club won another team battle with 13 teams and 123 players on Friday, Sep 10 – lichess.org/tournament/Tb18loph. Several NZ champions and co-champions participated, including IM Anthony Ker, FM Nic Croad, FM Ewen Green, FM Alexei Kulashko, Gino Thornton and Gordon Morrell.

The lottery for a random participant (a Chessable course, “The Best Chess Moves of All Time”) was won by Noah Oseki from Otago.

Next Friday we’ll try an 11-round blitz Swiss tournament when strong players from different clubs would be able to compete with Wellington stars even if their teams could not do the same during the recent team battles – lichess.org/swiss/O0P29h6q

And on Monday we’ll have another 6-round Swiss of rapid 10+5 chess – lichess.org/swiss/gLMtKpGN – please come and play!

Online NZCF chess for the week:

Monday, Sep 6, 7:30 pm, six-round Swiss of 10+5 rapid – https://lichess.org/swiss/ckqScfu6 – this is a Swiss tournament, so please join 5-15 mins before the start if you’re unsure you can make it in time, to not forfeit the first-round game when you joined too early in advance. If you’re not in the NZCF team yet, please make sure you meet all the requirements on the team page for joining.

Friday, Sep 10, 7:30 pm, Team Battle of 3+2 blitz, more than 10 teams – https://lichess.org/tournament/Tb18loph – please join this team battle in advance to show interest. Play for your club or the NZCF team. If you want to add your local NZ club, please contact @TimothyHa. Thanks.

Last Monday night was a success when players played 15+10 chess until midnight. However, that schedule was quite tough for many, so this coming Monday we’ll be playing 10+5 rapid chess only, not 15+10.

Please join us (the tournament is open to all NZCF team members) – https://lichess.org/swiss/gxo9iBct on Monday, Aug 30, 7:30 pm.

This is a Swiss tournament, so please join 5-15 mins before the start if you’re unsure you can make it in time, to not forfeit the first-round game when you join too early in advance. If you’re not in the NZCF team yet, please make sure you meet all the requirements on the team page for joining.