The Long and the Short

A quick flight from Queenstown to Christchurch, a few hours sight-seeing, another flight bound for Sydney, then home. For me, it was too easy. Some fellow travellers, however, weren't so lucky. While in Christchurch I ran into a bunch of Canberrans who actually drove for 8 hours or so all the way from Queenstown. They slept in Christchurch for a night, got on the same plane as me for Sydney, only then to follow-up that trip with another 3.5 hours of driving back to the capital. But, of course, even that cannot be as bad as the experience of our European friends who must now countenance at least a day of travel back to their homes.

Anyway, I just happened to be reviewing some games from Queenstown when, and this being Australia Day and all, I just couldn't help notice a peculiar coincidence. Both the longest and shortest games currently included in the available PGN involve Aussies!

The longest game features GM Darryl Johansen, with the black pieces, up against the new NZ champion IM Anthony Ker. After 62 moves, the following position was reached.

Position after 62...Nxh5

Play continued: 63. Be3 Ng3 64. Bf2 Ne4 65. Bh4 Nd2 66. Be7 Nf3 67. Kc2 Ne1+ 68. Kb2 Nd3+ 69. Kc2 Nf2 70. Kb2 Ne4 71. Kc2 Kb5 72. Bb4 Kc6 73. Kd1 Nf2+ 74. Kd2 Nd3 75. Ba3 Kd7 76. Ke3 Ke8 77. Kf3 Kf7 78. Kg4 Kg6 79. Be7 Nf2+ 80. Kf4 Kh5 81. Bd8 Ne4 82. Ba5 Kh4 83. Bb4 Kh3 84. Ba5 Kh4 85. Bd8+ Kh5 86. Ba5 Nf2 87. Bd8 Nd3+ 88. Kf3 Nc1 89. Be7 Na2 90. Bb4 Kg5 91. Ba5 Kf5 92. Bb4 Nc1 93. Be7 Nb3 94. Bb4 Nd2+ 95. Ke2 Ne4 96. Kf3 Ng5+ 97. Ke3 Kg4 98. Be7 Ne4 99. Bb4 Ng3 100. Bc5 Nf5+ 101. Ke2 Kf4 102. Bb4 Ke4 103. Bc5 Ng3+ 104. Kf2 Kd3 105. Kxg3 Kxc3 106. Kg4 Kb3 107. Kh5 c3 108. Bf8 Kc4 109. Kg6 Kxd4 110. Kf6 c2 111. Bh6 Kc3 112. Kxe6 d4 113. Kf7 d3 114. e6 d2 115. Bxd2+ Kxd2 116. e7 c1=Q 117. e8=Q Qc2 1/2-1/2

The shortest game actually features two Aussies, indeed fellow Victorians. Here, Sarah decides she's had enough after just 11 moves against FM Eddy Levi.

2009 Queenstown Chess Classic
Anton, Sarah
Levi, Eddy
B01

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. Nf3 Qxd5 5. Be2 Nc6 6. c3 O-O-O 7. O-O Qh5 8. Bf4 e5 9. h3 exf4 10. hxg4 Nxg4 11. Qc2 Rd6 0-1

Of course not all games from the event have actually been entered yet which, we hope, will be corrected in no time at all. So it may be that we'll find another longer or shorter game in the collection.

Finally, before I really forget to say anything about it - congratulations must go to IM Anthony Ker for becoming once again New Zealand's national champion. It is his tenth! The only other man to have won it more times was none other than the late great Ortvin Sarapu.