Category: Uncategorized

Posted on

Koshnitsky Medal & Ballarat Chess Club

Ballarat Chess Club has not one but two holders of the Koshnitsky Medal for chess administration. This says a lot for our club: Many club organisers from around Australia are always keen to hear how Ballarat Chess Club has managed to create the environment for a flourishing chess club. Well, much of the answer lies in the people supporting the playing of Chess in our community, with participants from as young as 4 years old to veterans in their eighties enjoying and learning the game at the club. Both Kevin Perrin and Patrick Cook have devoted a significant portion of their lives to helping Ballarat Chess to grow to what it has become today, in 2025.

Report by Bas van Riel
The prestigious Koshnitsky Medal 2002, was awarded to Life Member of the Ballarat Chess Club Inc, Kevin Perrin, in recognition of his life-long services and contributions to chess administration on local, regional and international levels. The medal was given to him by Robert Jamieson, the ACF Vice President, at the concluding ceremony of the Australian Chess Championships in Melbourne on January 9th, 2002.
The citation expressed in the ACF Bulletin  by Mr. Graeme Gardiner, President of the Australian Chess Association, was:
 
“The Koshnitsky Medal for chess administration will be awarded to Kevin Perrin. Kevin has been involved on the administration side of both the Ballarat Chess Club and the
Ballarat Begonia Open for some 35 years. His involvement in chess organisation extends to the Victorian Country Championships for many years. The citations were compelling.”
 
A summary of Kevin’s long list of chess achievements and involvements reads as follows:
 
1966: Kevin Perrin joined the Ballarat Chess Club for the first time when he was 18 years old and played his first Ballarat Club Championship. Since then, he played in every Club
Championship, culminating in 2025 with the celebration of his 50th consecutive Club Championship.
1967: Kevin became an office bearer of the Ballarat Chess Club for the first time (as deputy secretary) and remained an office-bearer ever since, with the exception of one year.        
1967: Kevin became the assistant-DOP of the Ballarat Begonia Tournament.
1973: Kevin became the main arbiter and manager of the Ballarat Begonia tournament, and remained so until 2007 with the exception of 1987 (G Males officiated).                        
1981: Kevin initiated the School Chess competition for the Ballarat Region, and he remained the driving force of the organisation for well over 15 years.
1985: He was one of the main organisers and DOP of the Australian Open held in Ballarat in December 1984 going into January 1985.
1985: Kevin was awarded the title (possibly the first Australian t.b.c ) of International Arbiter by FIDE.
1986: Kevin was the arbiter of the Australian Open in Adelaide.
1987: Kevin was the arbiter of the Junior World Championships held in Adelaide.
1989: Kevin became a Life Member of the Ballarat Chess Club.
Kevin was the Club champion of Ballarat seven times between 1973 and 1989.
Kevin won the Country Victorian Chess Championships six times, the last time (jointly) in
Bendigo, 2001.
Kevin was one of the co-founders of the rejuvenated Ballarat Chess Club in 1965.
His achievements in chess administration are too numerous to mention.
One of the most lasting involvements undoubtedly was, and still is, the organisation and
direction of the traditional Ballarat Begonia Tournament now (2025) going into its 59th year. Over the years, this tournament has attracted all of Australia’s top players, in addition to a varying group of strong overseas (grand) masters. Kevin has also tried to make this tournament attractive for everyday chess enthusiasts of all ages, thus providing a strong stimulus for chess in general.
This aspect of his work is accentuated every year by his organising and participation as DOP of the Country Victorian Chess Championships over many years. Under his guidance and supervision, this tournament has developed into a well-enjoyed chess ‘get together’ for players from all over country Victoria.

Patrick Cook

At the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Begonia Open Chess Tournament, ACF President Gary Wastell announced the award of the very prestigious Koshnitsky Medal to our then President, Patrick Cook. Chess Victoria President, IM Leonard Sandler, had the honour of presenting the medallion.
Patrick has been a member of the club for many years and was first made President of the club decades ago. Patrick has been involved in the running of every aspect of the club over many years. He literally holds the key to the club and opens up every week, first in to set up for the junior chess coaching, and often last to leave, although not so much in these last few years as he has stepped back from some duties due to health issues.

Posted on

The 16th Begonia Open Tournament, 1982

Source: CIA198204 (Edited Paul Summers)
1982 BEGONIA OPEN #16 – BALLARAT VICTORIA – 06-08 MARCH – 7-ROUND SWISS – 100 PLAYERS

DoP Kevin Perrin: Ballarat Chess Club’s 1982 Begonia Open held over the Victorian Labour Day Weekend was played at the Old Ballarat Travel Inn Conference Centre. It attracted 100 entries from three states. Nineteen players, including nine juniors competed from the Ballarat Club which is a local record. Special mention should also be made of the strong and large contingent of players who travelled from South Australia. The tournament was jointly won by Victorians FM Ian Rogers and Darryl Johansen who each scored six points from their seven games. Both players were undefeated, after drawing their individual match and both conceded a draw to Guy West.

Round 1

An accelerated Swiss draw was employed and a few upsets resulted. The principal one, however, was Australian Womens’ Champion Anne Slavotinek’s win over Chris Depasquale and two brevities, 7- and 11-move wins respectively by Richard Farleigh and Eddy Levi.

Round 2

No major upsets, however, good play by local players, George Maksacheff and Mark Bruere produced draws against Doug Hamilton and Hadyn Barber respectively.

Round 3

Rogers defeated Levi, Johansen defeated Jordan, West and Arvids Prods also won, to be tournament leader. Bruce Burns and Ricardo Fiusco had each also scored three points from the bottom half of the field. They found the going tougher from this point and could manage only one point from the remaining four rounds.

Round 4

Johansen, the 1980 Begonia Open winner became the clear leader with his fourth straight win, this time over Prods. West and Rogers played a draw. Hamilton and Charlie Walton moved into contention with good wins. Progress scores: Johansen 4.0 Rogers & Hamilton 3.5 West & Walton 3.0

Round 5

Johansen and Rogers drew their encounter as did Hamilton and Walton. Prods, Stephen Lewinsky and Arthurs Teters move up to within half-a-point of the leader. Progress scores: Johansen 4.5 Rogers, Hamilton, Prods, Lewinsky, Walton & Teters 4.0

Round 6

Hamilton met Johansen, his first opportunity against the top players, but was unable to obtain the win he needed to take the lead. Rogers defeated Lewinsky, Prods defeated Walton, whilst a win by West over Teters gave the latter a chance of sharing in the prizemoney if he defeated Johansen in the final round. Progress scores: Johansen 5.5 Rogers & Prods 5.0

Round 7

Johansen played West and was unable to secure outright first and was forced to share $700 first and second prizes with Rogers, who proved too strong for Prods. Rogers’ equal first was his best effort at Ballarat. Barber and Bill Jordan each won their last round games to ensure a share of $100 third prize. Hamilton played Anne Slavotinek in a clash of the champions and conceded a draw to the lady.

View other games from this tournament by downloading this pgn file…

Posted on

The Ballarat Handicap Chess Tournament 1866-‘67

As far as I know, this is one of the first chess tournament held in Australia, albeit restricted to players from Ballarat. It probably was the longest ever played, lasting over a period of no less than 8 months (i.e. September 1866-April 1867), and ending in a beautifully reported controversy.    

Amongst the players was the winner Charles M. Fisher, one of the strongest players in the ‘colony’ of Victoria. A database of 47 of his games can be found on the internet: https://www.chessgames.com/player/charles_marshall_fisher.html. They are amongst the oldest recorded games of Australia.

The old newspaper reports include beautiful and flowery descriptions of the chess-scene in Ballarat, more than 150 years ago.

Bas van Riel

“The Ballarat Star”  dated 17 Sept 1866

The chess tournament has at length been finally arranged, under the most favorable auspices, and it has been decided by the committee that play shall commence on the evening of Tuesday, 11th September, at the Mechanics’ Institute. Fourteen days will be allowed for the first set of matches to be played off, and it is hoped members will not exceed that time, as by doing so the tournament will be protracted and the other competitors will be delayed from commencing the second series of matches. It has been arranged for the winners in the first set to play for the first, second and third prizes.
The committee, with the view of equalizing the play, has taken great pains to discover the relative strength of the respective players, so that neither should have any undue advantage, and has accordingly divided them into four classes- the first class giving the second a pawn and move, the third a pawn and two moves, and the fourth class a knight.

The following is the list of entries, together with their classification:-

First Class – Messrs J.M.Connell, C.Fisher, and A.G.M’Combe.

Second Class – Messrs W.H.Batten, R.Bristow, H.Deveril, T.W.Gaggin, J.A.Harvey, W.Hogarth, R.S.Mitchell, A.Mongredien, D.O’Connor, J.B.Partridge, F.W.Tatham, and C.M.Watson

Third Class – Messrs Davey, Kennedy, H.M.Pascoe and J.Taylor

Fourth Class – Messrs J.Campbell, J.P.Fennings, G.Fisher, J.Holdes, and J.A.Wilson.

The players have been paired as follows by lot:-

Batten – Holdes 0-1
Bristow-Gaggin
Campbell-M’Combe
Connell-Taylor 1-0
Davey-Partridge 1-0
Deveril-O’Connor 1-0

Fennings-Hogarth
C.Fisher-Pascoe
G.Fisher-Harvey 0-1
Kennedy-Mitchell
Mongredien-Tatham 0.5-0.5
Watson-Wilson 0.5-0.5

“The Ballarat Star” dated 25th September 1866.

The chess tournament, since its commencement has progressed favorably, and the chess-room is almost every evening crowded with players. Already no less than nine games have been played off, and more would probably have been concluded were it not that many of the competitors refrain from playing to the last moment, in order to make themselves proficient in the openings. The following is the list of the games already finished:-  (see Part 1, BvR).

We give in detail the game played by Messrs O’Connor (white) and Deveril (black):-
(The comments in the game about some moves were actually made by the original reporter in 1866! BvR)

The Star offices on Sturt St. Ballarat