Oceania Zonal with live commentary
Being a World Cup qualifying event, it's is probably the most important chess tournament in Queensland, Australia for at least 10 years. Virtually all the top players are competing for that long trip to Khanty-Mansiysk later this year, and GM Ian Rogers provides live commentary during the rounds.
The tournament is held in the beautiful Outrigger Twin Towns Resort
Oceania Zonal 2009
June 20-26 in the Visions Conference Room at the Outrigger Twin Towns Resort, Tweed Heads, Gold Coast on the Queensland/NSW border
GM Zong Yuan Zhao
Soon a GM: David Smerdon
The new king of Australian Chess, GM Zong Yuan Zhao will be replacing the old king of Australian chess, GM Ian Rogers, who held that title for some 25 years (Rogers is be present to commentate and front the media). Zong Yuan will not have things all his own way however, as David Smerdon, holding four GM norms, who only finalised his GM title recently by passing the 2500 mark, will give him a hard fight.
Unfortunately, two big names of chess in the region are missing, GMs Murray Chandler of New Zealand, and Darryl Johansen of Australia. Otherwise, virtually all the top players are playing. It's an open field of around 80 and about 20 in the women.
Arianne Caoili
Whatever happened to WIM Arianne Caoili of 'Dancing with the Stars' fame? Well she's been getting on with her uni studies, continuing to date world number five Armenian star Levon Aronian, victim of the famous dance floor punch in Turin, and travelling the world... and is playing in the zonal. She will be trying very hard to defeat the top seed in the Women's event, IM Irina Berezina. Irina has done very well in Australia since recovering from the infamous 1997 Maccabiah Games bridge collapse.
Troubled nation Fiji is well represented. Papua New Guinea is present, as will smaller nations such as Palau and Solomon Islands who have never been represented at this event before. It will be interesting to talk with their players, and discuss chess in their countries.
FIDE Secretary-General Ignatius Leong will be making his first visit to the region, and is keen to talk with as many players, coaches, arbiters, parents and administrators as possible.
Thanks to Graeme Gardiner for providing the info
Links
Founder and editor-in-chief of ChessVibes.com, Peter is responsible for most of the chess news and tournament reports. Often visiting top events, he also provides photos and videos for the site. He's a 1.e4 player himself, likes Thai food and the Stones.
Comments
forest
2 years 7 months ago
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Smerdon playing on the edge again and converting it!
josh daniel
2 years 7 months ago
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live commentary...R U KIDDING ME ...Rogers commentary is so late it might as well ne by pny express...what joke///LIVE LOLOLOLOLOLO...please dont advertise what u cannot deliver
im_not_kidding
2 years 7 months ago
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u idiot! and ur point is? It's LIVE! just cos you can't watch it is not live.
Noddy
2 years 7 months ago
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The tournament is rigged. Some of the players threw individual games, the draw was changed to advantage certain players at several points, the tiebreak system was a complete failure, the women's division was a total joke with the top seeds giving draws, and the quality of play was very poor.
Why are Zonal titles offered anyhow? Money making procedures by FIDE?
Clifford
2 years 7 months ago
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another idiot! bogus accusations without any evidence. look at the games noddy it's easy to see they were playing hard. this bb is going downhill publishing such garbage.
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