News

Philli won the Autumn Blitz; Baraa beat an NZ champion

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Autumn Blitz at the Auckland Chess Centre, May 2, 2022

Philli Park-Tamati finished first in the 9-round Autumn Blitz at ACC. FM Daniel Gong came second, and Gino Thornton shared third with Jordan Lewis.

Final standings: https://www.aucklandchess.nz/vega/2022/wwwACCAutumnBlitz/standing.html

An honorary mention goes to Baraa Zara who beat FM Daniel Gong, the only player to upset the 2022 NZ Champ tonight 🙂

A short video: https://www.facebook.com/AKLChess/posts/7637513042955808
Some photos: https://www.facebook.com/AKLChess/posts/7637510329622746

ACC registration for 2022 is open

Please use the following form to sign up for ACC membership in 2022 (payment information will be provided later at the club)

https://forms.gle/85L3dn1NwyJsra2h6

Previous form, now closed – https://forms.gle/kvSFPXwwDkW5Rg2g7

We start on May 2 with a FIDE-rated blitz (3’+2″) tournament of 9 rounds.

From May 9 to June 20 (with the exception of Queen’s birthday) we will hold the Autumn Cup, a classical chess tournament with a time control of 75’+30″. There will be two grades, most probably the cut-off rating will be 1400 FIDE.

In the form for sign-up, you can specify if you will play the blitz or both, or will join a later tournament instead. The full list of tournaments is on the Calendar page.

If you’re new to the club, make sure you fill out all details very carefully, as we’ll use that information to register you with NZCF and FIDE for rating purposes. If you’re a regular member, you can trust that the captain remembers you well 🙂 However, please make sure you enter the most up-to-date email and mobile phone numbers.

Thanks!

ANZAC Weekender won by CM Felix Xie

Auckland Chess Centre reopened on April 23-25, 2022 for the traditional ANZAC Weekender. A tournament of more than 30 players was won by CM Felix Xie on 5.5/6. Three players finishing a point behind on 4.5 were Hao Tang, Hunter Po’e-Tofaeono and Philli Park-Tamati. Especially, look at how Hunter survived against Isabelle Ning and CM David Cilia-Vincenti (use the Lichess link below).

Full standings are on Vega. The full list of prize winners is on the Results page.

Facebook photos: album 1 by NZChessNews, album 2 by AKLChess.

There was also a Lichess broadcast of top 5 boards each round.

COVID-19 policies for ACC reopening

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With the exception of tenants who reside in Auckland Chess Centre, the following COVID-19 policies would apply to everyone entering the property:

1. Operating only in NZ Covid Protection Framework (Traffic Lights) Orange or Green. Closed in Red.

2. Masks that cover the nose and mouth must be worn by everyone at all times when indoors within the property of Auckland Chess Centre.

These COVID-19 policies are to meet or exceed NZ government recommendations in order to keep everybody at Auckland Chess Centre as safe as reasonably possible.

Additionally, current New Zealand government COVID-19 regulations or policies will also apply.

P.S.: Vaccine passes are not required.

Ewen Green on RNZ; online events as usual

Sports venues from large to small suffering under Covid limits – from RNZ Checkpoint on 18 February 2022

“Eden Park says its financial viability is at risk as it stares down the barrel of a third straight year of disruptions due to Covid-19 settings. Meanwhile, uncertainty over just how long the country will remain at red is causing major headaches for school and club sport around the country. And as Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nick Monro report, it’s not just our biggest sports and venues bracing for more Covid chaos.”

The RNZ team also visited Auckland Chess Centre in Mt Eden (capacity 80-100 compared to Eden Park 50000-60000) and interviewed FM Ewen Green.

Don’t forget to like and subscribe to the NZCF YouTube channel for more videos.

This week’s online events: (you can find them on the NZCF team page every week)

These are Lichess arenas so you can join in advance to show interest and come play, pause or quit any time in the given intervals.

ACC is closed in Covid-19 Red; online team battle this week

Our club venue is closed in Covid-19 Red, so there’ll be no resuming of the Monday/Friday/Saturday club nights yet.

Auckland Anniversary and Waitangi Day weekenders are also cancelled, unfortunately.

Please join us in the regular online events:

Monday, 7:30-9:30 pm, rapid 10+5, https://lichess.org/tournament/63Y3M0ih

Friday team battle, 3+2 blitz, “New Zealand in Red”, between several teams. A random participant will win a Chessable course at the end.

Friday, 7:30-9:30 pm, https://lichess.org/tournament/dhZ0r2xa

Friday, 9:30-10:30 pm, bullet arena, 1+1, https://lichess.org/tournament/kIF41ErG

All events are Lichess arenas, which means you can join, pause or leave any time in the given intervals.

Vaccination will be required in 2022

In light of the evolving Covid-19 situation, we have not yet decided when the Auckland Chess Centre will re-open in 2022 or what measures will be in place.

However, at minimum, access to the Centre (grounds and building) for those aged 12+ will be restricted to those with vaccine passports. This applies to all people visiting the Centre, not just players.

Those aged 5-11 will also be required to be double-vaccinated as soon as possible. Details are still being worked out on how they can visit ACC.

Those aged +12 who are not double-vaccinated should do so as soon as possible if they wish to visit the Auckland Chess Centre in 2022. Thanks!

Merry Christmas to all and happy new year 2022!

P.S.: Online chess games are available in the Lichess teams https://lichess.org/team/new-zealand-chess-federation and https://lichess.org/team/auckland-chess, so please consider joining them. We’ve been running regular Monday night arenas of rapid chess 10+5 for several months now.