Geelong Chess Club, will host the Australian Chess Championship 2012, starting on Tuesday the 27th December and going through to Sunday the 8th of January. more...

Those members and their families and friends still in Ballarat for Xmas are invited to a friendly gathering at Rob Loveband's house, starting around 7pm. (Map to be posted soon.) What to bring: BYO food, drinks, family and friends! 
BBQ facilities available.

Nigel Barrow and Joel Beggs share 1st place with 4.5 out of 6, while Rob Loveband takes 3rd place with 4 points. For photos, games, crosstable and results see the Eureka page. more...

Put this fun weekend of competitive chess into your diary: December 10th and 11th come to win your hamper and more at this Xmas Swiss. If you would like to enter and are reasonably sure you can come, please notify one of the organisers. This will help with preparations! See details here. more...

For results and pairings see the tournament page. Send in your games. more...

For results and pairings see the tournament page. more...

Read Patrick's write-up of the inaugural tournament and background information about Arthur Teters. more...

Free coaching sessions will be held on the first Wednesday of every month (except January) in the library club room at 7p.m. Experienced coaches will help you improve your game. All ages, all abilities welcome!! See the Courier promotion and our information brochure. more...

The inaugural Arthur Koelle Tournament is about to begin this week. Be there to register for this 7 round swiss, hopefully divided into an A and B grade, so you can play players of around your own level!

Nigel Barrow and Stewart Booth share the honours for the 2011 Championship! The first time the event has been held at Swan Hill, it drew 18 players from across the state to compete. Write-up and photos by Nigel Barrow.more...

Jamie Brotheridge takes no prisoners. 7 out of 7, AGAIN! more...

Second last chance to boost your averages! BYO Red Bull. Coffee provided.

Next week will be your chance to get a pawn handicap for every 100 points you are below the rating of your adversary! Come along for a fun night of something different!

The first spring tournament has concluded with Rob Loveband winning the inaugural event. Send your games in pgn or txt to Rob for inclusion in the games database. more...

The 2011 event will be held at Swan Hill over the second weekend 8 & 9 October. This is the weekend after the AFL grand final. The venue is a retirement centre provided by Stewart Booth and some free accommodation will be available, details here. more...
A tournament brochure is available for download here. more...

Free coaching sessions will be held on the first Wednesday of every month (except January) in the library club room at 7p.m. Experienced coaches will help you improve your game. All ages, all abilities welcome!!
An information brochure is available for download here. more...

Two rounds to go. For the pair-ups for the next round and for results please see the tournament page. Please note the tournament has been extended to 7 weeks. Send your games in pgn or txt to Rob Loveband for inclusion in the games database. more...

ACF September ratings are now available.more...

'A fantastic afternoon (Sunday 18th September) with ten boards manned by both clubs. A close run result for the top four boards (which count for the Victorian interclub competition) with Geelong narrowly taking the points with one win and three draws. On the other six boards Geelong achieved an unprecedented five wins to one loss. Members of both clubs expressed an interest in running such an event in future, format and other details still to be decided.' (write-up from Geelong Chess Club website.)
El Presidente, Patrick Cook, received a bound 'History of the Geelong Chess Club' on behalf of the Ballarat Chess Club from a Geelong Chess Club player.

Geelong Chess Club, will host the Australian Chess Championship 2012, starting on Tuesday the 27th and going through to Sunday the 8th of April. more...

The 2011 event will be held at Swan Hill over the second weekend 8 & 9 October. This is the weekend after the AFL grand final. The venue is a retirement centre provided by Stewart Booth and some free accommodation will be available, details here. more...
A tournament brochure is available for download here. more...

Free coaching sessions will be held on the first Wednesday of every month (except January) in the library club room at 7p.m. Experienced coaches will help you improve your game. All ages, all abilities welcome!!
An information brochure is available for download here. more...

Traditional rivals, Geelong Chess Club, will field up to 11 players in the interclub match this weekend. Everyone will be meeting at the library club room for a 2pm start on Sunday. So far we have the following players listed to participate: Rob B, Joel, Pat, Kevin, Jamie, Rob L, James, Tom, Thumula and Jonathon. The history of our clubs' rivalry can be traced back to the early 1900s..

The inaugural Winter Tourney is underway, albeit unnamed as yet. For the pair-ups for the next round and for results please see the tournament page. Please note the tournament has been extended to 7 weeks. Send your games in pgn to Rob Loveband for inclusion in the games database. more...

ACF September ratings are now available.more...

Have your say about a range of issues, from naming new tournanments to timing, prizes to funding. Elections are on again... be there, be heard! Casual chess follows the meeting.

The Ernie Greenhalgh Lightning Championship is a Grand Prix cycle of five, 7 round tournaments through the year, with a player's best 3 scores deciding the title. There is a $75 book prize for the king/queen/s of the clock!
Come to the third tourney this Wednesday. more...

Although some games are not completed, results for both the Reserves and A grade show James Watson and Rob Loveband as being the winners for 2011. Congratulations! (Send in your game for posting?) See cross table for running totals. more...

All pairings up for A grade and Reserve's, with photos, results and games being posted as they come in. (Why not send in your game for posting?) See cross table for running totals. more...

An enjoyable evening of 15 0 chess, with 21 people attending, all hoping for a game with Arthur! Unfortunately, only 6 people got to play him due to time constraints. Perhaps next time we will go back to 5 0 time control to share the fun among all club members!

You may remember Arthur's last visit at the end of 2009, we had a swiss tourney with wine as prizes (I think Arthur took one and we shared the other on site!)
Well, Ballarat's prodigal son of chess is back and ready for some more sharp competition from the locals! We will slot his visit into week nine of the Club Championship, and push everything back a week. All welcome!

Now local chess player, Vineetha Wijesuriya was interviewed in the Courier last week. Take a look in the news page. more...

Always a popular event, the IM Simul went very well, with Erik Teichmann playing 20 games, winning 17, drawing 2, and losing just 1. Patrick's write up will follow! See the Courier article here more...

Provisional pairing for Round One are up! They will change as more people enter. Entries are welcome, so please come down to the club on Wednesday and register your interest! more...

Erik Teichmann is coming up from the big smoke for a simultaneous exhibition. Last year the club gave him a run for his money, with Kevin Perrin scoring a splendid win, and Peter Miitel, Joel Beggs and Rob Loveband holding the master to a draw. "Just a reminder to let club members know that I'm happy for them to choose White or Black, and if they choose Black I'm happy to let them decide whether I play 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.Nf3 or 1.b4." said Eric, so come prepared! All welcome.

Jamie and Patrick shared top spot with 5.5 of 7. See the results here... more...

It's time to try and catch up to Jamie Brotheridge! Second lightning for the year, with the best three scores out of five tourneys counting. more...

Jamie Brotheridge won the Thematic Tournament with only one loss to Vineetha Wijisuriya. See the results here

The annual thematic tournament will be held on the 13th and 20th of April, encouraging players to explore new openings they may seldom otherwise play.
13th April
Round 1. Vienna Opening  1.e4 e5 2.Nc3
Round 2. King's Indian Defence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
Round 3. Modern Defence 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7
Round 4. Sicilian Scheveningen 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6
Round 5. Budapest Defence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5
Round 6. Slav Defence 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4

Patrick won the first allegro of the year with 5 out of 6 points, undefeated. Congratulations, Pat! more...

From the 23rd for three weeks, we will be holding a Swiss Allegro tournament, with 2 games per night, and a 45 minute time control. All welcome! more...

Follow the tournament LIVE via Tornelo and see some games and rating information at Begonia Live via Tornelo

The Begonia will be held on the Labour Day weekend, from Saturday 12 to Monday 14 March. For more information check out the Begonia Open. more...

Rob Loveband takes the book prize for 2011 Spielvogel. more...

The Ernie Greenhalgh Lightning Championship is a Grand Prix cycle of five, 7 round tournaments through the year, with a players' best 3 scores deciding the title. There is a $75 book prize for the king/s of the clock!
Jamie Brotheridge stirs up a perfect storm... more...

13 players entered the first major event for the year, the Nathan Spielvogel Memorial, named in honour of a key player and  administrator of the late 19h and early 20th Centuries. A $75 book prize awaits the winner. more...

The Begonia will be held on the Labour Day weekend, from Saturday 12 to Monday 14 March. For more information check out the Begonia Open page. Entry forms will be available from mid- January on this site. more info...

Ballarat Chess Club, in conjuction with the City of Ballarat CBD Activation Program, will be holding an outdoor chess activity in and around the Queen Alexandra Bandstand, Sturt St, 400 block. We will have one or two giant chess sets, as well as tables and players ready to play lightning exhibitions and field any enquiries about chess in Ballarat from the general public. The COB aims to promote Ballarat as "a vibrant, exciting and friendly place that attracts visitors, residents, shoppers, students, artists and business." It will be held on Friday January the 14th from around 10:30am. If you're free, come on down and participate! All welcome! Download or view the Summer in the City programme guide here. guide...

First night of club chess for the year 2011; come and warm up for the Spielvogel Championship which will start on the 19th of January. Discussions will probably be held about what's to go in the 2011 Club Programme. Bring your ideas!