Entry: $30 (members) $50 (non-members). Add $15 late fee for entries after Tuesday 14 April. Free entry for titled players (includes GM/WGM/IM/WIM/FM/WFM/CM/WCM). Must enter by Tuesday 14 April. Format: 3 separate 6 player round robins (Western Masters, Western Major, Western Minor). Remaining players play 5 round swiss. Players allocated based on ACF rating (FIDE rating if not ACF rated) as at the March rating list. Rating: FIDE / ACF Classical Rating Eligibility: Australian Citizens or Permanent Resident OR FIDE ID for players registered with a non-Australian Federation. Contact: NA Steven Hogan hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com Chief Arbiter: FA Myiesha Maunders hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com Schedule: Tuesdays 7:30 PM. Round schedule provided below. Format: 5 rounds. 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move (1 round per week). See above for allocation of players to events. Notation is mandatory for all moves. No byes available in the round robin events.  One half point bye is available in the swiss event between rounds 1 to 3. Must be notified to the Chief Arbiter by 5pm Wednesday following the previous round. Trophies & Cash Prizes Cash Prizes below $1,000 Prize Pool Western Masters - $250 Western Major - $250 Western Minor - $250 Western Swiss - $250 Tropies for winners of each event.   Tournament Rules: Click Here

We’re excited to announce that registrations for HBCC Junior Chess Coaching is now open for 2026 Term 2! Over last few months, we have re-designed our coaching framework and introduced a new coaching team, with five top-performing players from the HBCC Open section (more details here). These experienced competitors bring strong playing credentials, modern training methods and firsthand tournament experience, ensuring students receive high-quality instruction that connects theory with practical play. Reminder: our venue for Chess coaching is now Hobson’s Bay Chess Club @Altona (not Laverton). As you'd have seen in Term 1, this helps coaching students participate in ongoing Rookies and Junior tournaments. We welcome existing Term 1 students and new students to come join our chess coaching in Term 2 2026!   PS: Timings mentioned are indicative only. Class timings will differ based on the group timing or coach availability for one-on-one.   See our Coaching Terms and Conditions here.  

♟️ Technical Arbiter Training Program – Full Syllabus Chess Victoria is launching a Technical Arbiter Training Program to develop practical, hands-on skills required to run modern ACF and FIDE-rated tournaments.   🎯 Program Overview With increasing tournament size and complexity, arbiters and organisers are expected to be proficient in: Vega pairing software DGT board operations Rating file management Live results and broadcasting This program is designed to build technical capability, improve tournament standards, and reduce reliance on a small pool of experts.   📚 Training Syllabus 🔹 Vega & Tournament Management I & II (Instructor: IA Dr Peter Tsai)- select only 1 Tournament Setup Creating tournaments in Vega Managing players with multiple ratings (ACF Classical / Quick / Blitz / FIDE) Importing rating files and handling provisional ratings Pairings & Control Automatic and manual pairings Handling late entries and latecomers Managing byes and withdrawals Special pairing scenarios Tournament Operations Prize configuration (rating groups, age prizes, upset prizes) Printing pairings and results Managing changes after registration closure Efficiency & Best Practice Time-saving workflows Common errors and how to avoid them Real tournament case scenarios   🔹 Advanced Vega & DGT Training (IA Walter Wolffs) Module 1 – DGT Boards & Troubleshooting (1.5 hours) Physical setup and cabling Board configuration Common issues and troubleshooting Real-time problem solving Module 2 – DGT Integration & Broadcasting (1 hour) Live game broadcasting setup Broadcast delay and fair-play considerations Integration with online platforms Module 3 – Online Results & Publishing (1 hour) Uploading pairings and results FTP and Vega online tools QR-code pairing systems Publishing to ChessChat and other platforms   🧪 Practical Assessment Participants will complete a 1-hour practical assessment, covering: Tournament setup in Vega Importing ratings Managing pairings, byes, and entries Publishing results ✅ Successful participants will receive a Chess Victoria Technical Arbiter Certificate   📅 Training Sessions Vega & Tournament Management II 📍 Ballarat (Anglers Hall, 114C Wendouree Parade, Ballarat on the corner of Devon Street) 📅 Saturday, 9 May 2026 ⏰ 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Vega & Tournament Management I 📍 Glen Waverley Secondary College 📅 Saturday, 30 May 2026 ⏰ 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Advanced Vega + DGT Training 📍 Melbourne Chess Club 📅 Sunday, 16 August 2026 ⏰ 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM   💰 Fee $25 per participant   👥 Who Should Attend? Arbiters (NA, FA, IA) Aspiring arbiters Tournament organisers Club officials and volunteers   📌 Key Notes Hands-on practical training (bring your laptop recommended) Limited to ~10–15 participants per session Strong demand — early registration encouraged   👥 Questions? Email: IA Casey Goh hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com