Author: Ian Rogers

The Australian team of six players at the World Youth Championships in Montevideo, Uruguay, returned home having gained gained 70 rating points overall. Top scorer for the Australians was Christopher Lim  in the U/14 Open event who scores 6/11. Full results available at http://chess-results.com/tnr297054.aspx?lan=1&art=25&fedb=AUS&flag=30&wi=821

16-year-old Anton Smirnov from Sydney has become Australia’s seventh and youngest Grandmaster with victory in the first Capablanca Memorial tournament in Anogia, Crete. Smirnov, a former Australian Junior Champion, smashed the record for the youngest Australian Grandmaster, held by Australian number one Zhao Zong Yuan, by five years.  

2017 Johns-Putra Australian Junior Elite Training Squad (JETS) The Australian Junior Chess League is pleased to invite applications from talented Australian juniors (U/18) for the national junior training squad. The JETS Squad is Australia’s premier development squad, aimed at encouraging and challenging the next generation of Australian champions. (Past JETS members have gone on to…

Australian Under 8 Champion Sayum Rapusinghe is co-leader of the Commonwealth U/8 Championship after four rounds. (Rapusinghe is seeded 24th from 26 players.) Lilian Lu is running =3rd in the U/14 Girls division, while Sebastian Bracks is currently th in the U/10 open division. Follow Sayum, Lilian and Sebastian’s progress at http://www.chess-results.com/tnr232121.aspx?lan=1&art=0&wi=821.

Any players intending to represent Australia at any of the international junior events in the second half of 2016 (see the AJCL calendar) should submit their application online or directly the the AJCL Selection Coordinator Tristan Stevens, tristan.stevens87@gmail.com, before June 1. Please note that the World Youth Championships have been split into two, with the U/12,…

Australia is planning to send a team to the World Youth Olympiad (U/16) in Poprad-Tatry, Slovakia from July 21-30. For details of the tournament, follow the link on the AJCL calendar. This is a final call for applications for eligible players. If you are a junior who was under 16 on January 1, 2016, rated above…

The details for the 2016 Commonwealth Championships have recently been announced. The event will be held in Sri Lanka from July 30 until August 7. Australia is entitled to free accommodation for one girl and one boy in every division from U/20 to U/8. Any players interested in representing Australia at this event should contact…

Juniors interested in representing Australia at the ASEAN+ Age Group Championships in Pattaya, Thailand from May 29 – June 7 should contact the AJCL Selection Coordinator, Tristan Stevens, tristan.stevens87@gmail.com , before April 20. Details about the tournament, which will be played at the luxurious Dusit Thani Hotel, can be found at http://aseanagegroupchess.com/17th-asean-age-group-open-chess-championships-2016/

International Master Alex Davidovic is starting a new chess club in the centre of Adelaide, meeting on Thursdays and Saturdays and featuring regular lectures as well as playing facilities. Box Factory Chess Club 59 Regent St South, Adelaide SA 5000 Thursday 6-8pm and Saturday 4-6pm Enquiries:  Alex Davidovic 0405 433 708 or Alex@ChessMates.TV

2016 Johns-Putra Australian Junior Elite Training Squad (JETS) Application form for the Australia Junior Chess League’s 2016 JETS Training Squad sponsored by Geraldine Johns-Putra. The Australian Junior Chess League is pleased to invite applications from talented Australian juniors (U/18) for the national junior training squad. The JETS Squad is Australia’s premier development squad, aimed at…