Thursday, May 28, 2009

NSWCA Snob Strong Players?

So this evening I'm heading for home, sitting quietly on the train and reading about Nicolas Sarkozy's fleet of planes in Monocle, when suddenly the cell rings. I answer. Before I could utter my final syllable I am hit with a barrage of expletives.

"If you're rated 1875, where the f**k can you play chess in [the state of] New South Wales these days?" said my caller. Not in the f**king state championships, not in the f**king grade matches and not in the f**king City of Sydney, he bellowed.

I'm shocked. I'm confused. I had no idea what this guy was on about. Slow down, I pleaded.

First, I don't remember the City of Sydney being held this year and second, the 2009 State Championships hasn't been announced. Still my caller insisted, this time using a different rating. If you're 1900, he said, you can't play in the State Champs because your rating is too low and you can't play in the Grade matches because your rating is too high.

Intrigued about all this I decided to check online as soon as I arrived back home.

The NSWCA website has no info, that I can see, about this year's State Championships but there is a whole section on the currently ongoing Grade Match competition. Here are the rating divisions:

Under 1800
Under 1600
Under 1400

Yep, that's right: no 1900 plus. What the f**k is going on?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

NSWCA is hopeless organisation and should take example from Mexicans.

Anonymous said...

May I suggest to your 1875 rated caller that he stop being a sulking sandbagger and show some spine by mixing it with the big boys in the open division.

Anonymous said...

He isnt looking to hard for events.

No doubt he can play chess at a number of Sydney clubs.

He could have played in the Australian Open in January.

He could have played in the Australia Day weekender.

He could have played in the Newcastle Open in February.

He could have played in the Sydney International Open in April.

He could have played in last weekends City of Sydney Rapid.

He can play in the NSW Open this coming June long weekend.

The NSWCA incorporated the City of Sydney Championship into the Ryde Eastwood Open last year. No doubt they will do the same thing this year. He can play in that.

Anonymous said...

CV (the Mexicans) do not actually run any weekenders themselves.

They get Box Hill to run events for them.

Anonymous said...

What open division? there is no open division in the grade matches! and the 1875 player does not qualify for the state championships even if he wanted to play!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous have a good look at palyers in Victorian Open 2009 and you can spot the difference with NSW Open 2009

The chess nut said...

1/ It was not the NSWCA's fault that there were no teams for the higher divisions..... there were no teams entered!

2/Tell your 1875 rated caller to hold the phone there may or may not be a tournament for you yet.....! (Can't say too much yet)