Hamilton Chess Club

“Adequate compensation for a sacrifice is having a sound combination leading to a winning position: adequate compensation for a blunder is having your opponent snatch defeat from the jaws of victory”

Remember that our premier event, the club champs, will kick off on Tuesday 04 March.

Time control will be the same as last year at 60 minutes + 10 seconds per move from move 1.

One game per night over 6 weeks.

The format will be start time 7.15pm, 1 game per night. We will permit non members/prospective members to play in the first few rounds in the hope of invigorating membership. After that games will be  limited to financial members (or financial members temporarily in arrears) and HBHS pupils. You can check when your sub is due by going to the website – About > Who We Are. Online payments preferred, see the website for details. If you are not currently a member but want to take part then you can join on the first night.

(Adult and Juniors both only $20 per year, — of which $15 is a levy to the national body, so in reality only $5 per year!!!)

A single division Swiss Style Tournament. The overall winner will be awarded the title Club Champion 2025 and receive all the accolades that are associated with the title. The highest rated junior  will be awarded the title Club Junior Champion 2025.

The draw will be based on Current club ratings. New players without a club rating will be assigned 1500 points for the purposes of the  draw.

Entry permitted in round one two and three, but round one preferred!.  If you can’t make it on the first night let me know and you will be awarded a half point bye. If you enter in round two without prior notification you will retrospectively receive a zero point bye for round 1. Also if you want to play but might be a little late on the first night let me know and I will include you in the draw. Please don’t turn up after 7:15. Entries will not be accepted after week three.

Games start at 7.15pm – a 30 minute late time applies (your game is lost if you are 30 minutes late). Clocks will be started at 7:15 even if neither player is present.

Usual FIDE laws apply with  the exception of the Hamilton Chess Club Special Rules found on the website. Disputes committee will be club executive (Graham Ian and Richard). If one or two of the disputes committee is/are party to a dispute, the remaining member(s) will constitute the disputes committee.

Please bring a pen if you wish to record your games. Recording is not mandatory, but if you don’t record your game you will not be allowed to claim a draw for the 50 move rule or 3 fold repetition unless agreed by your opponent.

One 1/2 point bye allowed per player, if notified to Ian before the round that it applies.

No half point byes allowed in rounds 5 or 6.

Tie breaks will be according to the NZ  standard  1. Direct Encounter. 2. Cumulative (Sum of Progressive Scores). 3. Total Buchholz. 4. Sonneborn-Berger. 5. Buchholz Cut1.   If still tied the award will be shared.

Club ratings have been updated to include the first four nights of the year so far. Several new members feature in the rating list for the first time. Graphs have been updated so you can see trends. Check out where you stand. 

With one week to fill in before the commencement of the club champs on March 4 it was once again a night for rapid play, six rounds of five + three this time. The night was notable for Jacob Haughey, a new club junior who is clearly going places with an impressive clean sweep score of +6. We look forward to Jacobs participation in the forthcoming club championship. Crosstable below.

The night also notable for the improved turnout so far this year with double digit attendances every night so far. Lets hope that keeps up.

This was going to be the first half of Summer (2) but again the computer shenanigans meant a revised plan called for. Seven rounds of five and oh proved memorable for Richard with an impressive first place score of 6, only dropping one game to Erwin in the final round. Crosstable below.

This week was supposed to be the second half of Summer(1) but computer problems put pay to that. Instead we had a five round tournament at 10 + 0. William top-scored on 4.5.  Crosstable below

We kicked off the year without the traditional icebreaker blitz. Instead straight into a six round 20 + 0 over 2 nights. The first 3 rounds were on February 4. Unfortunately due to a computer malfunction on the intended second night, Feb 11, only the first 2 rounds managed to survive. Crosstable (for 2 rounds) is below

The club welcomes Cooper as its newest member

The club welcomes Dundun as its newest member.

We had a healthy twelve players last night. Games 4 5 and 6 next week, new recruits (and old recruits) welcome to join, see you next week.

In a break from tradition we will dive in with the first three games of a two-parter next week, 20 + 0. The calendar for the first half of the year is posted here. Guests and new members welcome. See you next week, February 4.

Club ratings have been updated to close out for 2024. Check where you ended up for the year.

Richard takes out the final tournament for the year.

Cross table for spring (3) at the half way below. Final night of the year next week.

The club welcomes Erwin Pacua as its newest member

A couple of quick tournaments for the previous two weeks, crosstables below

Blitz 19/11/24

Eight + Oh 26/11/24

We have had a couple of six round rapids over the last two weeks. For the upcoming final two club nights of the year we will have 20 + 0, 3 games per night, over two nights. See you there

Club ratings have been updated incorporating all recent games. Check out where you are at. 

The club welcomes Carlos