A new year, a new Australian Champion

The Australian championships are over for another year, with top-seeded grandmaster Zong-Yuan Zhao winning by a full point with a record-equalling 10/11. But what a championship it was! Unfortunately, work commitments in Canberra relegating me to the role of online spectator, but the live games and even livelier online discussions on ChessChat kept us pundits glued to our screens for the fortnight.

Of course, the big story was George ‘Wendi’ Xie’s second grandmaster norm, reaching 9/10 in barnstorming fashion before going down to the Solo in the finale. George’s style is somewhat reformed coffeehouse: pit him against anyone under 2500 and his tactical trickery will simply blow them away. However, he’s yet to demonstrate his ability to hold and match it with the really good players that Australia generally lacks. Still, after this Olympiad-cementing performance, George will most likely have another chance to prove his skills against world-class opposition in Siberia later this year.

The other ‘story’ from the championships was the international master norm earned by Vladmir Smirnov, father of the incredibly talented seven year old, Anton Smirnov. Whether Vlad’s been focussing more on chess in his role as coach of his son, or whether he’s simply a Topalov-esque ‘late bloomer’, Vlad has demonstrated his worthiness of master strength through his engaging and somewhat eclectic style. His rock-solid grovelling draw against Zhao was at least as good as his spectacular tactical victory over Lane to seal the norm.

As a pseudo-Canberran, it was great to see the rise and rise of Junta Ikeda take a solid leap forward in the champs. Half a point from an IM norm at one stage, his play was very mature and incredibly gutsy at times, and he was very unlucky to lose to George in the later rounds. One weakness that hasn’t changed over the years, and which I remember well when coaching him in the world youth, is Junta’s preoccupation with getting into time trouble. It’s tempered somewhat by his proficiency at blitz, but regardless, he could easy gain another hundred points or so just by eliminating that trait.

One final mention has to go to the winner of the minor division, Mark Stokes. The cheery Queenslander swept aside the opposition in swashbuckling fashion – just desserts for a man who always has a nice word to say about anyone (especially if they follow the Maroons or the Broncos). I remember well the first time I beat Mark, when I was 10. As he very willingly analysed with me after the game, one of his mates cheekily kibitzed, “How does it feel getting beat by a 10 year old, Mark?” Quick as a flash, Mark replied, “Sure he’s good now, but just wait a few years when he meets girls and booze!”

Anyway, hearty congratulations to George, Vlad, and of course my main man Zong, who edges ever so close to the golden 2600 rating. After this year’s excitement, I think I’ll take a less spectative approach to 2011’s championships.