Aussies Overseas #12 – From the latest ACF Bulletin
International News
Aussies Overseas #12
Paul Summers reports on the activities of Australians overseas in classical games (i.e. generally excluding rapid and blitz events). All ratings are FIDE. Except where otherwise noted, Australian games from these events, usually with crosstables, can be found on the Australian Chess web page.
Excluding the Olympiad, which will be reported elsewhere, 15 Australians participated in other overseas tournaments in late August and September.
CM Ilija Ilic participated in the 2026 Republika Srpska First League, in the senior division in Bijeljina in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ilija was playing top board for Team Svetozar Gligorić not winning a game from his titled opponents. His team finished 8/8.
CM Gary Bekker was still travelling in Europe, this time in Greece playing in the 16th Papanastasiou Open-A, where he scored 4/7 finishing 16= in the 58-player event. No games available.
In Wiltshire in the south of England, Alan Tankel (NSW 1716) was one of 69 players competing in the 2026 Swindon Congress in the Major Division. Alan placed 2= with 5/6.
Competing in the 21st Dato Arthur Tan Merdeka Open Chess Championship were Sam Asaka (NSW 2241) & Ian Stalker (NSW 1936) with 109 others. Sam finished 19= on 5.5/9 with just the one loss, while Ian scored 4 in 65= place. No games available.
Parallelling the above event was Dato Tan Chin Nam Seniors Open Championship. Just 19 players competed (no games available), with:
1) IM Guy West (VIC 2278) finishing second on 6.5/9
2) Jean Watson (VIC 1658) 5 and 6=
3) Wallace Sheridan (WA 1526) 2.5 and 18=
After his success in the south, Alan Tankel headed north to bonny Scotland to compete in the Ayr Congress Major. Here he improved his performance placing outright second this time on 4/5.
A contingent of Australians participated in the 2026 Blue Chevaliers International Open #5 at Patong Beach in Thailand:
1) Getting warmed up for the Olympiad were:
a) FM Jack Rodgers (QLD 2150) on 6/9 in 8= place, winning the 10th prize of 7,000 Thai baht (around $AU295)
b) Also finishing on 6 and without loss was GM David Smerdon (QLD 2461) winning the 12th place prize of 5,000 Thai baht (around $AU210)
c) WIM Heather Richards (QLD 2096) finished on 5.5 and 20= and took home the second female prize of 15,000 Thai baht (around $AU632)
2) Others were:
a) Pano Skiotis (VIC 1957) on 5 and 28=
b) Jacob Bumbak (WA 1748) & Peter Clark (ACT 1520) both on 4 and 55=
c) Peter Frost (VIC 1772) on 3.5 and 72=
d) Wallace Sheridan (WA 1518) 2.5 and 90=
Ryan Zheng (VIC 1924) competed with 23 other players in the Medway Open in Chatham in England. Ryan finished 4= on 3/5.
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