Monday 4th January 2021.

The Club Schedule for 2021 has been posted at the foot of this home page. We open for the year on Wednesday 27th January 2021. Please note that this is the day of our Annual General Meeting and Prize giving. We start the evening with a Pot Luck dinner at 6 p.m. so please bring a plate. The formal part of the evening will be the AGM, starting at the earlier time of 6.30 p.m. The ceremony for Prize giving will commence soon after the AGM, and the Agenda will be emailed to members in the next few days.

Monday 22nd February 2021.

ALERT LEVEL 1

The government has announced that Auckland will move down into Alert Level 1 from midnight tonight 22/02/2021. This means that the Club will reopen this Wednesday.

Stan Yee

President

Papatoetoe Chess Club

Sunday 14th February 2021.

ALERT LEVEL 3 LOCKDOWN

The government has announced that Auckland will move into Alert Level 3 Lockdown from midnight tonight 14/02/2021, for three days. This means that the Club will be closed this Wednesday. We are chess players who play in close proximity to each other, whereas the recommended distance should be two metres apart. So we will need to wait until we return to Alert Level 1 before reopening the Club. I will post another message once the government gives the all clear.

Stan Yee

President

Papatoetoe Chess Club

POT LUCK DINNER

On Wednesday 10th February 2021 we celebrate the 50th year of our longest standing Club member, John McRae.

John started at the Club in 1971 and has held most positions for the Club, including Secretary, Treasurer, President and Juniors Club Captain. He has worked tirelessly and without recognition for all these years for a game he loves, and for the community he loves. So much that he is widely known as “Mister Papatoetoe Chess Club”. His reputation is recognised and acknowledged in all the other chess clubs in Auckland, and in the Papatoetoe Council and Manukau Council as well as most schools in Papatoetoe. He is well known for his relationship with the Auckland Racing Club, and securing playing venues at Alexander Park for the ACA Interclub for many decades.

Can everyone please bring a plate. I will also send out a group email. Let’s celebrate and honour our greatest Club member on Wednesday.

I also take this opportunity to remind you all that the annual membership fees are now due to be paid. Seniors/adults $100 and Juniors $50. Payment is online to ASB 12-3028-0428483-00 and Particulars: LastName, Code: Sen Sub or Jun Sub. Also email Treasurer Harry Bong harry_bong@hotmail.com to let him know. Thank you.

Congratulations to all those who were elected or reelected at the AGM, who choose to give up their time freely for the game and for the club they love. Special congratulations to our new Juniors Club Captain Philip Mukkattu, who brings new and fresh enthusiasm to our fantastic leadership team.

Monday 15th March 2021.

We are back at the Club this Wednesday 17th March, and will continue round 4 of the Joe Tyson Summer Cup. This tournament has been reduced to 5 rounds, and the interclub match versus Waitakere has been cancelled.

We have missed through Lockdown 17th Feb, 3rd Mar and 10th Mar. I am hopeful of asking the Bowling Club to make up these three days at the end of the year. A revised Club Schedule is attached, and also on the home page of the Club website www.papatoetoechessclub.org.nz (this will of course change if there are future Lockdowns).

In the meantime the online Club has finished the Stan Yee Invitational President’s Cup and will tomorrow finish the final round of the John McRae Invitational Gold Cup.

Friday 5th March 2021.

ALERT LEVEL 2

The government has announced that Auckland will move down into Alert Level 2 from 6am Sunday 7/03/2021. This means that the Club will remain closed this Wednesday 10/03/21.

We will continue playing online. There has been a demand from more players of the Club to join our online tournaments, but 12 players are as much as I can handle. Last year’s three cases of online cheating, the recent player dispute and server restart has firmly convinced me of that. That will be the limit for these tournaments, as I was hard pressed to sort out all the problems and still play my own games. These are tournaments by invitation only, and the players from last year’s six online tournaments have preference over any newcomers. Newcomers must be longstanding over the board Club members, able to play every day, and have played regularly over the board in recent years at the Club.

Stan Yee

President

Papatoetoe Chess Club

16th April 2021.

Payment of Annual Membership Fee: No cheques or cash. Only online payments to Papatoetoe Chess Club at ASB 12-3028-0428483-00 using Particulars: Surname Initials; Payee Code: Senior or Junior; Reference: your NZCF ID if known. Senior fee is $100 and Junior fee is $50.

Also email Treasurer Harry Bong harry_bong@hotmail.com : Surname and First Name; Senior or Junior;  your NZCF ID if known.

Monday 20th September 2021

ALERT LEVEL 3

Auckland has been at Alert Level 4 for five weeks, since 17th August 2021. The government has today announced that Auckland will drop to Alert Level 3 at 11.59pm tomorrow Tuesday 21/09/2021, for two weeks ending Tuesday 5/10/2021. Please follow the Government announcements. In the meantime the Club will be closed until Auckland is back at Alert Level 1.

Stan Yee

President

Papatoetoe Chess Club

Sunday 24th October 2021

We still cannot meet under Alert Level 3 lockdown, and last Friday 22nd October the government announced that when we have the country 90% vaccinated we will move to the Traffic Light system. We will need to be “Orange Vaccinated Events indoor/outdoor” before we can open the club again. That may be sometime in December. This will also mean we will miss the Papatoetoe Rapid, due 4th and 5th December.

Stan Yee

President

Papatoetoe Chess Club

President’s Newsletter

5th November 2021

1. Update on Chess under Covid Restrictions

NZCF Council met by Zoom last Sunday 31st October. There has been extensive and ongoing email discussion including input from external sources. After thorough discussion, the following decision was agreed by majority:

NZCF Council advises Clubs that each Club, as an independent entity, must decide for themselves, and bear responsibility for their decision, if over-the-board Club play is safe for their members at current Government defined ‘Level 2’. Such Club games will be eligible for NZCF and FIDE rating. Obviously, all Government mandates must be followed regarding registration, sanitation, social distancing, mask wearing etc.

Of those Councillors that did not support this decision, two have requested their names be public:

Ross Jackson and Stan Yee.

NZCF Council is not collectively qualified to judge safety risk of Covid infection during Club play. We do however urge a strongly precautionary approach and made the following decision unanimously:

NZCF Council recommends to Clubs that all persons present on Club premises wear masks, be fully vaccinated and do not consume food and drink.

Note that there is no change to Council advice that no NZCF official tournaments will be conducted (nor should Open tournaments be conducted) until the Covid-19 Protection Framework (‘traffic light system’) is formally in place and the legal definitions of ‘Red’, ‘Orange’ and ‘Green’ are available.

The Government is due to make an announcement on implementation of Covid-19 Protection Framework on 29th November. Council will meet 30th November and will advise chess community how this system affects official tournaments, Congress in particular.

2. FIDE Grant for Junior Coaching, Trainer Development, Arbiter Training

Paul Spiller and I attended by Zoom a meeting of FIDE’s Planning & Development Commission (PDC). Following encouragement from the Chair, we put together a proposal for online development activities in December which we are delighted to advise was approved for funding. Hilton Bennett is our delegated Organiser and will announce details soon.

3. Asian Chess Federation Online Tournaments and Trainers Seminar

There has been a remarkable number of online tournaments this year, mostly for Juniors, organised by Asian Chess Federation. These have been well attended by our Juniors in various age groups despite the quite high entry fees. Since my last newsletter in August, our Juniors have performed creditably in Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship (host Thailand Chess Association) and Asian Youth Championship (host All India Chess Federation). Daqi Mao scored a notable 7/9 in the Asian Youth sharing 5 th place in field of 250. The Asian Amateur Championship (host: Oman Chess Committee) will be played this month. These tournaments create a lot of work for the Secretary of NZCF and for me, but I particularly want to thank Timothy Ha who has indefatigably convened, supervised and problem-solved all these events. Thanks Timothy! Evguenia Charomova (and I as guest) participated in a FIDE Trainers Online Seminar. This was a set of Zoom lectures over three nights lasting past midnight! We hope to get the recorded lectures available for use by NZCF.

4. NZ Seniors and Veterans Online Championship

In view of Covid restrictions the formal over-the-board Championship is replaced with our first NZCF online event. Although played at standard time control there is an element of fun in this tournament played on a trust basis and open to international players. Thanks to Paul Spiller (Organiser), Bruce Pollard (Arbiter) and Timothy Ha (Convenor) who made this happen!

Nigel Metge

NZCF President

I also wish to advise you that our usual Papatoetoe Rapid Sat 4th and Sun 5th December will not go ahead this year, due to the Covid restrictions, and the fact that the Club must give one month’s notice to FIDE before holding a FIDE event. I will keep you informed as to the direction of the Club after the NZCF Council meets on Tue 30th November. I will call a vote from my Committee by email immediately after.

Stan Yee

President Papatoetoe CC

Papatoetoe Chess Club AGM & Prizegiving Wednesday 2nd February 2022

The Bowling Club had a meeting with the owners, the Kolmar Trust, on Wednesday 8th December, and of course the country had the government announcement for the new Traffic Light System dates set on Monday 13th December, stating that Auckland will be in the Orange light from Friday 31st December until Monday 17th January. Thank you to the 23 members who completed the Survey, from the membership of 83. But there is not a lot to discuss, as the Chess Club must go with whatever rules the Bowling Club has set down for us as guests in their premises. The guide is to fall in line with their Bridge Club, which is also not back yet, but will be allowed under the Orange light. The Bowling Club requires all Bridge Club and Chess Club members and visitors and parents dropping off children to be:

Double Vaccinated with NZ Pass Verifier – I will scan everyone in and the Bowling Club will check this, as they are required to evidence this for the Kolmar Trust (Stan to scan everyone in)

Wear face mask under Orange light

Be socially distanced where possible

Use Hand Sanitiser (Stan will provide)

Scan in on the Covid app at the double doors – we are not to use the side door to avoid scanning in

Have a secondary hard copy record for those who do not have a smartphone (Stan will organise)

No food or drinks at the table or inside – if you must, do this outside, then put your mask back on before coming back inside

Visitors and parents will not be allowed on the premises for dropping off or picking up children. All children must be vaccinated. The Bowling Club will not allow any children on the premises without being vaccinated, regardless of age. These are all not negotiable rules. So, the only issue the Chess Club Committee voted on was whether we go back under the Orange light or the Green light. We had this vote, and the results from Friday 17th December were:

Orange 8

Green 2

No vote 2

Therefore, the majority decision of the Committee is that we return if still under the Orange light on Wednesday 2nd February 2022, starting on that day with the AGM at 7pm sharp, followed by our Annual Prize Giving. I will soon update the prize winners on the tournament page of this website, and liaise with Club Captain Alex Postma for the engraving of trophies and miniatures. Remember, do not bring any food. There will be no drinks.

I will stay in touch with the Bowling Club and see what the Monday 17th January announcement will bring, and which Traffic Light setting we will be in at that time.

Cheers & Happy New Year

Stan Yee

President

Papatoetoe Chess Club AGM & Prize Giving 6.30pm Wednesday 2nd February 2022

AGENDA

Call to Order

Present and Apologies

Minutes of last meeting 27/01/2021

President’s Report

Treasurer’s Report

Election of Officers

Patron: Vacant

President: Stan Yee

Treasurer: Harry Bong

Assistant Treasurer: Alex Postma

Secretary: Stefan Brzozowski

Club Captain: Alex Postma

Vice Club Captain: Stan Yee

Coach: Philip Mukkattu

Webmaster: Stan Yee

Sponsorship Managers: Mike Buis and Roy Uta’i

Librarian: Scott Smith

Management Committee: Paul Postma, John McRae, Barry Hooton, Ar John Guan

Fundraising Items

Papatoetoe Rapid 2022

Membership Fees

Web Hosting

Junior Club and development of our juniors

Library – input from Scott Smith and Roy Utai

Online Club

General Business

Close and short break, followed by Prize giving.

Wednesday 13th April 2022.

The government has today announced that the whole country will be moving from the Red light to the Orange light at 11.59pm tonight. So we are finally back at the chess club next Wednesday 20th April, after the longest wait ever. We have not been at the club since lockdown on 17th August 2021, apart from our AGM on 2nd February 2022. There are rules for indoors, with face masks. But you do not require a Vaccine Pass or need to wear a mask outdoors. We at the club will require the wearing of face masks indoors, and of course during your game. But if you wish to go outside for some fresh air you may do so during your game. Mobile phones are of course not allowed to be switched on. This also applies to parents, as a phone ringing is annoying and distracting, so will parents please be mindful of others.

The schedule will look like this:

To celebrate our return, we have a voluntary POT LUCK DINNER. This will be held OUTSIDE on two tables at 6pm, followed by the juniors session lead by Philip at 6.15pm and the Seniors at 7.15pm

For juniors, under 20 years of age, you should email the Coach Philip Mukkattu philipmphilip@yahoo.com for entry into the junior tournament BY 5PM TUESDAY 19TH APRIL.

You are required to email Vice Club Captain Scott Smith scottrs88827@yahoo.com with your entry into this Seniors tournament BY 5PM TUESDAY 19TH APRIL.

The online Bruce Marsick Rapid will continue as follows:

Round 4 Wed 13th April

Round 5 Sat 16th April

Round 6 Tue 19th April

NOTE THE LAST ROUND HAS BEEN CHANGED TO TUESDAY.

Katrine Metge Autumn Cup (Seniors)

Swiss single group, A & B Grades, 60 + 10

20 Apr 2022 Round 1

27 Apr 2022 Round 2

4 May 2022 Round 3

11 May 2022 Round 4

18 May 2022 Round 5

25 May 2022 Round 6

Stan Yee

President

Monday 11th July 2022.

The Ministry of Health has today announced 8,675 new Covid-19 cases. This is a spike in cases since the peak spike in April this year. This is of serious concern to health experts and Covid-19 modelers, and is also a concern to me. To date there have been several club members who have reported in to say they are isolating from Covid-19 and will not be at the club this Wednesday, and our current relaxation of mask wearing and allowing food at the club may be encouraging the spread of the virus or putting club members at risk.

Therefore, we are forced to close the club this Wednesday 13^th July until further notice.

Stan Yee

President

Tuesday 30th August 2022.

Those who have not paid their Club Fee of $50 for Seniors or $25 for Juniors for the first six months of the year are not eligible to play in this tournament, and should make an arrangement with the Treasurer Harry Bong by emailing him at harry_bong@hotmail.com , and the Club Fee for the last six months of $50/$25 WAS due before the end of the Ewen Green Rapid tournament on 17th August. Anyone who has not paid BOTH six-monthly payments will not be entered into the Club Championship starting on Wednesday 31st August. Thank you to those who have paid.

Stan Yee

President

Monday 15th August 2022.

Monday 8th August 2022.

Monday 1^st August 2022.

The 7-day rolling average is down at 6,990 but deaths are up at 28. The trend is down, so we will meet this Wednesday 3rd August, but with NO FOOD AND WE ALL WEAR MASKS, NO EXCEPTIONS. THAT MEANS EVERYONE INCLUDING CHILDREN, SO PARENTS MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER TO BRING MASKS. Remember, NO MASK NO ENTRY. It is just far too risky to sit in front of each other so close in the middle of a pandemic. If that goes well, then we can have food the following Wednesday 10 August.

FEES

The Annual Fee for Seniors is $100 and for Juniors (under 20) is $50 for the full year, but due to the past disruption of Covid and potential for further disruption it was decided at our AGM in February that Seniors will pay $50 for the first half year and Juniors $25, then $50 or $25 respectively for the second half year. Please pay your fee now by Direct Credit. Those who have not paid the first $50/$25 yet will not be entered into the next tournament, the Ewen Green Spring Rapid. Those who have already paid the first payment will be able to enter the tournament, and will have until the end of the tournament to pay the second payment, i.e. by 17 August.

Payment: No cheques or cash. Only online payments to Papatoetoe Chess Club at ASB 12-3028-0428483-00 using

Particulars: Senior or Junior Fee;

Payee Code: NZCF ID if known;

Reference: Surname and First name;

and email advice of payment to the Treasurer Harry Bong harry_bong@hotmail.com  

TOURNAMENT

Ewen Green Spring Rapid

Swiss single group, A & B Grades, 25 + 5

3 Aug 2022 Rounds 1 & 2

10 Aug 2022 Rounds 3 & 4

17 Aug 2022 Rounds 5 & 6

Entries for this Seniors tournament must be either by email to Scott Smith scottrs88827@yahoo.com or turn up on the night by 7.15 p.m. As this is the start of a new tournament the organisers do not want late entries to delay the start of the first round. Thank you in advance.

Stan Yee

President

Annual General Meeting Wednesday 8th February 2023 Bring a plate for 6pm (Delayed due to State of Emergency)

Dear Club Members/Parents/Guardians A reminder that the Annual General Meeting of the Papatoetoe Chess Club is to be held at the Club rooms at the Papatoetoe Hunters Corner Bowling Club, 247 Great South Road, Papatoetoe at 6pm for a shared dinner and the AGM will start at 6.30pm sharp followed by our Prize Giving.

Sunday 19th February 2023.

Please note that we will finally meet this Wednesday 22nd February at 6.15pm for Juniors and 7.15pm for Seniors. It will be the 1st Round of the Joe Tyson Memorial, 60 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. The new revised Club Schedule is downloadable on this page.

Annual Membership Fees

The Annual Membership Fee for Seniors is $100 and for Juniors (under 20) is $60 for the full year, to be paid in full by 31st March 2023, as decided by the AGM on 8th February 2023. Please pay your fee now by Direct Credit. 

Payment: No cheques or cash. Only online payments to Papatoetoe Chess Club at ASB 12-3028-0428483-00 using

Particulars: Senior or Junior Fee;

Payee Code: NZCF ID if known;

Reference: Surname and First name;

and email screenshot of payment to the Treasurer Harry Bong harry_bong@hotmail.com

Stan Yee

President

Tuesday 14th February 2023.

It is with reluctance that I must advise you all that the Club will be closed tomorrow, as Auckland is in a State of Emergency from 14/02/23. We will watch how the flood recovery plays out, and hope that we will be okay by next Wednesday. It has not been a good start to our year, with a State of Emergency on 1/02/23 and now tomorrow.

Stan Yee

President

Papatoetoe Chess Club