Local Chess While I'm Away

 I'm writing a lot about travelling around Tasmania at the moment, because, funnily enough, I'm travelling around Tasmania. But while I'm away, I'll miss the Tasmanian Rapid Championship where I'm the defending Champion. The tournament is being held in Burnie in the north of the state, while I'll be over on the east coast at that time. To be honest, I didn't have much choice with timing because of my house renovation, it's just a little sad that the two things coincided. Ah well, never mind.

And I'm still following the Victorian State Championship with interest. Top seed, IM Stephen Solomon took 2 half point byes in the first two rounds, but then has since been held to two draws leaving him well off the pace after 4/9 rounds. He'll probably need a clean sweep of 5/5 in the second half if he wants a chance at first place. It will be interesting, as he is definitely capable of that sort of run. There are still two players on 4/4 and surprisingly neither of them are hot favourites for the event. Both are untitled with Cheng Dai being the 8th seed and Tejas Datar 11th. But they are just two of a bunch of talented young players who are really taking it to the established elite.

Standings: Datar, Dai 4/4; FM Wallis 3.5; Rozuwiecka, FM Ilic 3; Ilic, FM Soo, CM Bassig, Gibson, FM Nemeth, IM Rujevic, Annapureddy, Zafirakos, J. Li, Raine 2.5...36 players.

It seems I'll also miss the next Australian Championships which is being held in Adelaide from 2-14 January 2024. I have apparently qualified as Tasmanian State Champion. but won't be able to play. I can't see a website for it, but it is another event to look forward to. the last time I played in the Australian Championship was 2016, when I scored a creditable 5/11 including Draws with FM Nakauchi, IM Tan, Choong, Puccini, Nemeth and a win against IM Andrew Brown. I also scored a draw with my dear friend Malcolm Pyke who I remember fondly...

I had some fortune along the way, including the draw against Jack Puccini who wasn't an FM then, but is now a strong FM.

As Black I'd been fighting a losing battle for some time, until Jack just took one pawn too many with this swindle that I'd set. 1.Rxc6? Rd2 with a miracle draw 4 pawns down. Black will play Nh2-f3-h2-f3 and White can do little to stop it. The game finished 2.Ne2 Nxh2+ 3.Kf1 Nf3+ and Jack accepted the draw by moving his king back to e1.