Friday, September 30, 2005

Crikey!

Former prez of Doncaster CC, Stephen Mayne, takes aim at the government:

Why the hell do we pump more than $100 million into the Australian Institute of Sport yet chess gets diddly squat from government?

Chess is the second most popular junior participant sport in Sydney after soccer with an estimated 150,000 players, yet only two of the 500 global grandmasters are Australian; Rogers, who achieved the rank in 1985 and Darryl Johansen, who got there in 1995.

What Mr Mayne is really on about is the recent decision by the White Horse City Council to evict Box Hill Chess Club from Carrington Rd, Box Hill. A truly disgraceful decision.

In this piece for Crikey, we learn a tidbit or two. For example, I never realised that Rogers has twice beaten the indefatigable Victor Korchnoi. Although, the last time I checked, Junta Ikeda is a "he".

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