For our foreign readers, I wish to get one thing straight. The state of Victoria (sometimes we call it Mexico) is definitely stronger than the state of New South Wales (where Sydney is and where I live). They also have a much richer "chess culture". Normally for a Northerner like myself this is very hard to accept. But one need only look at the line-up of any Victorian tournament.
Take the recent Victorian State Championships. It featured a GM, international masters and fide masters. New South Wales can barely put together a tournament at all. And now, once more in Victoria, is this little tournament: the Bendigo Bank Chess Championships.
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Of course, that fee/prize ratio is aided by the sponsorship. NSW is dying. Many strong players are shying away for many reasons but one reason is the increasing entry fees. When we cannot even attract the top players like we used to - we know there is a crisis. But the ancien regime simply ignores it all.
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