Round 2 of the 2020 Club Champs.  Geoffrey employs 1…c6 to White’s Réti (1. Nf6), and follows it with accurate play to hold Gordon to a draw. The game was pretty much even from start to finish. But a commendable effort given Geoffrey, still technically a junior, was rated some 350 points below 2019 Club Champion Gordon.

A marathon 92 move game played in Round 2 game of the 2020 Club Championships. Two constants with Guy v David – 1.  being evenly matched players, the games always tend to be close battles – and 2. it will be a Slav. In this match, a largely even endgame is reached after move 26, before the two engage in some tense rook and endgame practice for a further 65 moves!

First round game from the 2020 Club Championships, played 28 October 2020. Geoffrey Gunawan is White, Guy Burns is Black.

Dual Kāpiti and Wellington member, Ross Jackson travelled down to Dunedin to compete in the 2020 South Island Champs, held 3-9 October. Here is his report, plus one of his  games from Round 6.

“The South Island Chess Championship was a wonderful occasion. Dunedin is a beautiful city and we had rented a house at Warrington beach about 20 mins drive north of the city. There was only one round a day so plenty of time to explore. The Otago Chess Club building is owned by the club and both outside and inside is decorated in chess-theme style. Can you identify all the champions in the mural on their clubrooms wall? On left is club President Bob Clarkson who painted the paler portraits to update the mural. 

These days I play for fun without any particular expectation of success. I have done no chess preparation for years and predictably made countless mistakes in all my games, including in this, my solitary win against a higher rated opponent, my friend Quentin Johnson. We both missed countless opportunities. The message from this is that 2000 rated players are very beatable to lower rated opponents. Particularly if you prepare.”

Round 4 of the 2020 KCC Leo Eichholtz Board played under a 25m + 5s time control.

This game was played as part of the regular online Kapiti CC Level 2 Blitz Arenas that were replacing over-the -board Club meetings during COVID-19 Level 2. It was played on 1st September under a 5 + 5 time format, with annotations from David. 

I enjoyed this game, even though I lost. I had been improving a little bit, and was starting to compete a bit better in games against Lars (who I think may be rated in the 1700’s). This game followed what was becoming a typical pattern, where I was competing ok in the openings, sometimes getting an advantage, and where the game then progressed to exciting finishes, and where I typically get low on time and lose my way. 

Round 4 of the Winter Cup played between Mike O’Rorke (white) and Geoffrey Gunawan (black). Time control was 90 + 30.

Round 4 of the Winter Cup played between Brandon Holman (white) and David Paul (black). Time control was 90 + 30.

Round 2 of the Winter Cup played under a 90 + 30 time format. Annotations by White.

Round 11 of the Club Champs played 3 December 2019. Mark Summers wraps up the C Grade and the Gufeld Trophy for 2019 with this stylish attacking win in 17 moves.