If you look closely , several familiar onlookers have been labelled on the Courier photo; do you recognise any of the others?
Here is the game between Stephen Solomon and Eddy Levi, pictured above.
West snatches chess title
Australian Open 84 / 85, Round 6 results
You can see that Guy West is leading by half a point after Round 6. S Neerava, M Fuller, Chris Despasquale and C Laird follow on 5 points. you can see half of David Hacche on 4 points, on the left.
Here is a blistering Round 3 game between West and Hacche where White sacs a knight then offers a queen, with his bishop rook knight and pawn sufficient to complete the job, if the queen sac was taken.
Getting ready for the Australian Open 84/85
Although it is difficult to see their faces in this Courier article, the standard bearers were Kevin Perrin, Rod Jacobs, Andy Miitel, and Gordon Males, in their youth! Kevin and Rod are still active in the Ballarat Chess Club in 2025.
Chess and the Arts in Ballarat, 1993
Courier sponsors the Australian Open Ballarat 1984
Australian Open in Ballarat, 1984/85
Over the New Year of 1984 to 1985 the Ballarat Chess Club successfully hosted the 16-day Australian Open Chess Tournament. For a small country club that was quite an achievement and we have gathered some of the newspaper articles, games, photos and commentary from that time to commemorate the event.
In this photo The Courier manager Doug Cowies, the tournament’s main sponsor, shakes hands with Rod Jacobs, the then Treasurer, as Secretary Kevin Perrin looks on with fellow club official Frank Anderson.
The total prize fund of $5000 was a lot of money back in the day!
A young Kevin Perrin observes play between Stephen Soloman and Eddy Levi. Steven Solomon won the Begonia Open earlier in that year, and 6 more times to the date of writing in 2024.
Guy West went on to win the tournament with a score of 10.5 out of 13 points.
Courier: Males takes out Ballarat Chess Championship, 15/9/92
Courier; Chess Club elects officers, 30/4/91
