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Wellington Easter Open 2026 – Big Prize Fund!
With a major prize fund, sure to attract top national players, and excellent playing conditions, this promises to be a standout event on the 2026 NZ chess calendar.
♟️ $9,775 Prize Fund
6-Round FIDE & NZCF Rated Swiss (90+30)📅 Easter Weekend: April 3, 4 & 6 (No play Sunday)
⏰ Rounds at 9:30am & 2:30pm
📍 Wellington Bridge Club, Thorndon• Single Open Tournament
• Entry $60 | Juniors $40
• Free entry for titled players (GM, IM, FM, WGM, WIM, WFM)
• Open to all playersEnter using the online Entry Form.
Kapiti Chess Club members receive 50% discounted on the entry fee.
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Coaching Camp – 29 March 2026
Coaching Camp – 29 March 2026 (1:30–5:00pm, Zoom, 3.5 hours)
Cost: $30 per player
Designed especially for NZ players preparing for Oceania, this intensive 3.5-hour online training camp (via Zoom) is tailored for 1500–2000 rated competitors seeking to elevate their calculation strength and visualization accuracy.
Participants will work through targeted drills to:
- recognise tactical triggers
- apply the CCTP method effectively
- visualise complex lines with precision
- accurately assess resulting positions
The camp builds disciplined calculation habits, reduces common analytical errors, and strengthens overall competitive decision-making — with a strong emphasis on efficient time management under pressure.
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T1 Rapid Results
In the Champions Division, Isaiah won his final four games to secure first place with 7/9. Stanley edged out Millar on tie-break to claim second, with both finishing on 6/9.
In the Challengers Division, Ronan remained unbeaten across nine rounds to take first place with 7.5/9, ahead of Ryder in second on 6 points. It required a tie-break to decide third place, which went to Orlando ahead of Ryan, with both scoring 5.5.
Congratulations to all players in what was a highly competitive event.
Final standings:
Champions
Challengers -
Stanley takes Series 1 of the Blitz Cup
Stanley was unbeaten after 8 rounds to claim Series 1 of the Blitz Cup! With 6 wins and 2 draws, he finished on 7/8.
Gordon was just half a point behind on 6.5/8, with Brendan close behind on 6/8.
Congratulations to all the players for some fantastic games!
Full results are available here.
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King’s Knight Tournament
Organized by Ronan, one of our Junior members, this new tournament is a fantastic initiative, and the Club is proud to support it!
The 5-round event is open to juniors aged 5–15 years, with two categories: Beginners and Advanced. It’s a great opportunity for kids to enjoy competitive chess at their own level.
Join us for a fun morning of chess!
📅 Date: Saturday, 14th March 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm
📍 Location: LevinLife Church Hall, 131 Bledisloe St, Levin
✉ Contact: jaz.windsor@gmail.comRefreshments will be provided.
You can register for the event here.
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Wellington Freestyle Chess Championship
The Wellington Freestyle Chess Championship is a new event on the Wellington chess calendar, and the only freestyle chess event outside of Auckland.
Freestyle Chess, also known as Fischer Random Chess and Chess960, is a variant of chess created by former World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer. The starting position of the pieces on the back rank is randomized, with a few restrictions to ensure a balanced and interesting game. The idea of Chess960 is to reduce the advantage of memorized opening theory and encourage creative and strategic play.
The event is 6 rounds of unrated Freestyle chess (25+5), and will be held at the Wellington Bridge Club on Saturday 21st March 2026. There will be a $960 Prize Fund!
Entry Fees:
Adult – $30
Junior (Born in 2006 or later) – $20Kapiti Chess Club members receive a 50% discount.
Enter using the online Entry Form.
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Kingston Memorial – Round 2 Update
There was an excellent turnout of 17 players for Round 2 of the Kingston Memorial — an outstanding result, especially with two regular members unavailable. Numbers were boosted by junior players Isaiah, Millar and George, who have stepped up to take part.
The most intriguing matchup of the evening was Andy versus Isaiah. It proved to be a tense and closely fought contest, with the players eventually sharing the point.
After two rounds, only David P and Stanley remain on full points.
You can follow the results and view the provisional Round 3 draw here.
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Junior Rapid Underway
The first Junior Club competition of the year, the T1 Rapid, is now underway. The event is an 8-round Swiss tournament with a 10-minute time control.
This year’s competition features two divisions:
- Champions Division – 14 players
- Challengers Division – 17 players
Round 1 went largely to form, with no major upsets.
The game of the evening featured a fine counter-attacking performance from Alex C, who finished his game with a well-executed checkmate.
We look forward to some exciting battles in the rounds ahead as the tournament progresses.
Follow the results at the links below:
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Kingston Memorial
The first tournament of the new year, the Kingston Memorial is now underway.
Follow the results here.
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Online Coaching – Middlegame Matters
A new free online course for Club members starts Friday February 13th. The course is based on one of the most influential strategy books, “How to Reassess Your Chess” by Jeremy Silman.
The course will focus on the concept of imbalances and practical decision-making in middlegames, and is suited for players 1200 elo and above. i.e. all Juniors in the Champions grade and all senior players.
