Report: 27th March 2014 Welcome to the 2014 Grand Prix. We are very pleased to announce that this year's sponsor is Poison Pawn Ltd. Tournament organisers please note - the logo above must appear on your entry forms. You can download the rules (and the logo) from the web page www.newzealandchess.co.nz/grandprix.html, where you will find current standings and a link to the spreadsheet with full details of points awarded. Check out the Results and Calendar pages too! There are few changes to the rules this year: the main difference is that Senior now means anyone born in or before 1964 (this is the new FIDE definition) and there is an additional category, Veteran, for those born in or before 1949. There have been two events since the last report: the Latvian Rapid, and the ACC March Weekender (a standard-play event, albeit with a fairly brisk time control). Howick-Pakuranga Annual Latvian Rapidplay A-Grade 1st= FM Mike Steadman, FM Ben Hague, & Gino Thornton 4½/6 B-Grade 1st Simon Lyall 5/6; 2nd= Richard Jiang & Joy Shu Yan Qin 4½ C-Grade 1st Tony Wang 5/6; 2nd Ajit Pendharkar 4½; 3rd= Nicholas Huang,Olivia Dong & Aaron Wang 4 D-Grade 1st Jessie Dizon (Philippines) 6/6; 2nd= Brijesh Sivabalan, Toby Zhang, Sarah Yan & Arul Gaundar 4½ Auckland Chess Centre March Weekender 1st= FM Ben Hague & IM Paul Garbett 3rd= John Duneas, FM Bob Smith & Gino Thornton under-2100: 1st= Alphaeus Ang, Bob Gibbons & Helen Milligan under-1800: 1st Allen Fan; 2nd= Wei Kai Chen & Nicholas Huang under-1500: 1st Bojan Matejevic (Serbia); 2nd= Aaron Wang, Rodney Li, Nicole Qin & Leo Li Current scores in the Grand Prix: Open - Ben Hague 52.74, Bob Smith 46.07, Pu Chen Wang 40, Mike Steadman 34.84, Gino Thornton 32.17, Anthony Ker 25.5, Paul Garbett 21, Russell Dive 20.4, Mark Noble 17.5, John Duneas 12.5. Under 2100 - Alphaeus Ang 71.67, Jack James 37.75, Edward Rains 36, Helen Milligan 28.17, Daniel Runcan 27, Paul Spiller 24.25, Vinod Kumar, Paul Macdonald & Sean Martin-Buss 22.5, Daniel Gong 21.5. Under 1800 - Allen Fan 61.5, Joy Qin 53.7, Asheesh Gautam 45.5, Nigel Cooper 25, Richard Jiang & Qi Le Kong-Lim 17.5, Colin Albert & Neil Cruden 15, Nicole Qin 12.31, Dion Charles 12. Under 1500 - Aaron Wang 45.67, Nicole Qin 39, Dion Charles, Ryan Lee, Tony Wang & Sarah Yan 20, Daniel Davis 19.42, Darrick Pan 17.42, Paraone LuitenApirana & John McRae 15.67. Junior - Alphaeus Ang 80, William Li 62.5, Jack James 38.83, Daniel Gong 29.5, Allen Fan 28.8, Paraone Luiten-Apirana & Joy Qin 26, Hans Gao 25.5, Edward Rains 22, Sean Martin-Buss 20. Under 12 & Under 1200 - Nicole Qin 52.67, Leo Li 39.67, Rodney Li 33.17, Danny Su 21.83, Darrick Pan 21, Hewa Weerasiri & Toby Zhang 20, Beatrice Ang 16.67, Ethan Every & Yon Van Raders 15.67. Female - Helen Milligan 100, Joy Qin 68.7, Layla Timergazi 51, Nicole Qin 48.35, Vivian Smith 42.2, Jasmine Zhang 29.35, Sarah Yan 23.2, Marany Meyer 22.5, Olivia Dong 12, Beatrice Ang & Caroline Yan 9. Senior - Bob Smith 83.5, Mike Steadman 65, Benjamin Lim 40.25, Paul Garbett 40, Don Eade 29.6, Ross Jackson 24.5, Neil Cruden 22.13, Vivian Smith 19.6, Nigel Cooper, Ian McNally & John McRae 18. Veteran - John McRae 31.2, Richard Taylor 31, Neil Cruden 28.53, Peter Stuart 25, Gary Judkins 24.53, Nigel Cooper & Robert Gibbons 20, Brian Reeder 16, Bernard Carpinter 15, Paul Postma 13.8. “A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open” – Frank Zappa Forthcoming Events: Please check the website for more up-to-date information, and entry forms to download. April 4th - 7th 2014 - NZ Seniors, Howick, Auckland. FIDE regulations have re-defined Senior: anyone who reaches his or her 50th birthday in 2014, or is older, is a Senior and can play in this event (ie anyone born in or before 1964 is eligible). There will be a Veterans prize for those reaching the age of 65 or more in 2014. This event is a Poison Pawn Grand Prix class 1 event (points in Seniors and Veterans categories only). April 18th - 20th 2014 - Wellington Open, Wellington. Organised by Wellington Chess Club. Venue: CQ Hotels, 213-223 Cuba Street, Wellington. This event is a Poison Pawn Grand Prix class 3 event. May 10th 2014 - 3rd Feilding Rapid, Palmerston North. Venue: Kingsgate Hotel, 110 Fitzherbert Ave, Palmerston North. Six-round swisssystem events with a time control of 25 minutes for the game plus an increment of 5 seconds per move from move 1. Entry fee: $30. Contact: Mark Noble, email [email protected]. This event is a Poison Pawn Grand Prix class 3 event. May 31st - June 2nd 2014 - 37th Trusts Chess Open, Auckland. Anticipated prizefund: $6000. A Poison Pawn Grand Prix Super Class event and a Yulgilbar Think Big Oceania Grand Prix event. Four six round swisses over 3 days (over 1800, 1500 to 1799, under 1500, junior – under 12). No evening rounds. Time control 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment from move one. The A Tournament will be FIDE rated. Venue: Te Pai Centre, corner of Lincoln Rd and Te Pai Place, Henderson (the 2012 venue). Canteen on site. Organised by Waitakere Chess Club Inc. Contact: IO Bob Smith [email protected]. June 14th - 15th 2014 - IM Sims Memorial, Palmerston North. Venue: Kingsgate Hotel, 110 Fitzherbert Ave, Palmerston North. Six-round swisssystem events (open and junior) with a time control of 60 minutes for the game plus an increment of 30 seconds per move from move 1. Entry fee: Open $50; Junior $30. Contact: Mark Noble, email [email protected]. This event is a Poison Pawn Grand Prix class 1 event. September 6th -7th 2014 - North Shore Open, Auckland. Hosted by the North Shore Chess Club. Venue: St Paul's Church, Devonport, North Shore, Auckland (www.devonportstpauls.co.nz). This event is a Poison Pawn Grand Prix class 1 event.