Venue: Hobsons Bay Chess Club, 108 Queen Street Altona Rating: FIDE Rapid / ACF Quick Rating Contact: NA Steven Hogan hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com  Chief Arbiter: FA Matthew Whitford Deputy Chief Arbiter: NA Truong Nguyen Entry: $Free (members only price) $25 (non-members) To register as member: https://portal.hobsonsbaychess.com/member/memberships Schedule: 7:30 PM - Tournament starts Format: 5 rounds, 13 minutes + 2 seconds per move Eligibility:    Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident OR FIDE ID (registered with home country chess federation) Non Citizen or PR holder are required to register your FIDE ID with your home country. No exception on this.   

♟️🌊 HBCC presents: Chess by the Beach! 🌊♟️ From the Board to the Boardwalk Street Chess Edition We’re taking chess outdoors for our very first Social Street Chess Afternoon! 🗓️ Date: 18th April ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Location: In front of 135 Esplanade, Altona VIC 3018, Australia. Do not go inside the house.  Think: ♟️ Fast blitz battles 🌅 Beach vibes 🍿 Snacks provided 😄 Plenty of laughs and fun 🕒 Format: Blitz 3+2 📊 Unrated – zero pressure, maximum fun 🎟️ FREE for HBCC members 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All levels welcome ⚠️ First in, best dressed! Due to venue space limitations, spots are limited — sign up early to secure your seat. We’ll be playing in a sheltered area, so light rain won’t stop us. If the weather gets wild 🌧️, we’ll relocate back to HBCC. No ratings. No stress. Just chess, community, and good vibes by the beach. From the Board to the Boardwalk — let’s make it iconic. ♟️🌊🔥

♟️ Western Juniors Rapid Championship 2026 Date: Saturday, 2 May 2026 Venue: Hobsons Bay Chess Club 108 Queen Street, Altona 📍 https://maps.app.goo.gl/yT8Qbgu9ZGP1KjcW9 Early Bird Deadline: 10 April 2026 Rating: FIDE Rapid & ACF Quick Rated 1. Entry Fees Early Bird (by 10 April 2026): HBCC Members: $50 HBCC Titled Members (CM/WCM/ FM/ WFM/ IM/ WIM/ GM/ WGM): Free if entry received before 10th April Non-Members: $60 Late Entry (after 10 April 2026): Members & Non-Members: $70 2. Tournament Format 9-Round Swiss System One combined playing pool Age categories apply for prizes only 3. Byes Players may request up to one (1) half-point bye No half-point byes permitted in the final two rounds (Rounds 8–9) Bye requests must be submitted to the Chief Arbiter at 📧 hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com before pairings are generated for the next round 4. Entry Eligibility & Age Divisions (for prizes only) Eligibility Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident, OR Holder of a valid FIDE ID registered with their home country federation Non-citizens or non-PR holders must register a FIDE ID with their home federation (No exceptions) Age Eligibility Maximum junior age: Under 18 Age Categories U8: Born 2018 or later U10: Born 2016 or later U12: Born 2014 or later U14: Born 2012 or later U16: Born 2010 or later U18: Born 2008 or later 5. Prizes Cash Prizes (regardless of age group) 1st Open: $500 2nd Open: $250 3rd Open: $100 Guaranteed Best Girl: $300 Best Girl prize is stackable (e.g. 3rd Open + Best Girl) Additional Prizes 30+ trophies & medals across age categories (subject to number of entries) 6. Ratings & Eligibility Tournament is FIDE Rapid Rated and ACF Quick Rated A valid FIDE ID is required for FIDE rating submission Non-citizen or non-PR players without a FIDE ID must apply through their national federation before the event Players without a valid FIDE ID may be excluded from FIDE rating submission 7. Indicative Schedule Time Control: 12 minutes + 3 seconds increment (12+3) Time Event 8:30 AM Arrival & Registration 9:00 AM Round 1 9:40 AM Round 2 10:20 AM Round 3 11:00 AM Round 4 11:40 AM Round 5 12:20 PM Lunch Break 1:00 PM Round 6 1:40 PM Round 7 2:20 PM Round 8 3:00 PM Round 9 ASAP after Round 9 Prize Giving Schedule may be adjusted slightly at the arbiter’s discretion. 8. Withdrawals Withdrawals notified to the organiser at 📧 hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com at least 72 hours before the event will be eligible for a full refund No refunds will be issued for withdrawals received after this deadline   Tournament Rules can be found here https://drive.google.com/file/d/13lTerNO3w6YsJq_4toZiucGdqqls-jUc/view?usp=sharing

Tournament is catered for beginners, juniors and rookies (including adults) below ACF 1500 or FIDE 1700.  Venue: Hobsons Bay Chess Club, 108 Queen Street Altona Rating: FIDE/ ACF Classical Rating Contact: NA Kuanysh Batyrbekov hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com  Chief Arbiter: FA Myiesha Maunders Deputy Chief Arbiter: Venkat Ganesan Entry: $45 (members only price) $65 (non-members) To register as member: https://portal.hobsonsbaychess.com/member/memberships Early Bird ends strictly 1 week in advance: 7th MAR 2026 (SATURDAY), Late Entry $75 with no exceptions.  Last Day to Register: 12th MAR 2026 (THURSDAY), preliminary R1 pairings to be distributed on 13th MAR (Friday) Schedule: 6:00 PM - Tournament starts Format: 5 rounds, 60 minutes + 30 seconds per move (1 round per week), with 3 weeks' break in April (holidays) Notation is mandatory One Half Point bye available per player between Rounds 1 to 3. Must be notified at least one day in advance of the round. Eligibility:  Unrated  (rating by Close of tournament registration) or ACF below 1500 (rating by Close of tournament registration) or  FIDE rating below 1700 (rating by Close of tournament registration) Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident OR FIDE ID (registered with home country chess federation) Non Citizen or PR holder are required to register your FIDE ID with your home country. No exception on this.  Trophies/ Medals + Cash Prizes Cash prizes are as below First Prize Rating Group 1: $200 Second Prize Group 1: $100 Third Prize Group 1: $50 Rating Group 2 Winner: $50 Rating Group 3 Winner: $50 (based on number of entries) Rating Group 4 Winner: $50 (based on number of entries) Tournament Rules - please view here

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

The flagship chess weekend in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs returns! The Hobsons Bay Best in the West is back for 2026 — a premier classical weekend tournament attracting strong players from across Victoria and beyond. 📅 Dates Saturday 29 August – Sunday 30 August 2026 📍 Venue Finnish Hall, 119 Pier St, Altona   🏆 Tournament Details Format: 5-Round Swiss (no tiebreaks) Time Control: 60 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move (Scoresheet required) Rating: FIDE & ACF Rated Maximum Entries: 120 players Recommended Rating: ≥ 1000 ACF or FIDE  Schedule Saturday – 29 August 2026 Registration & Player Briefing: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Round 1: 9:30 AM Lunch Break: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Round 2: 1:30 PM Round 3: 5:30 PM Sunday – 30 August 2026 Round 4: 9:30 AM Lunch Break: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Round 5: 1:30 PM 💰 Entry Fees Early Bird: $80 (Entries must be received by 14th August 2026) Early Bird Concession (Pensioners & Juniors): $60 (Entries must be received by 14th August 2026) Free Entry for GM / WGM / IM / WIM / FM / WFM / CM / WCM (Entries must be received by 14th August 2026) Late Entry Fee: +$15 for entries received after Friday 14th August 2026   🏅 Prize Pool –Guaranteed 1st Place: $1,200 (Guaranteed) 2nd Place: $600 3rd Place: $300 Best Juniors (Guaranteed): $1,000 -Proudly sponsored by Bendigo Bank Best Ladies: $300 Rating Group 1 Winner: $200 Rating Group 2 Winner: $200 Best Unrated Player: $200 Biggest Upset: $100 📜 Prize Rules No tiebreaks — prizes are shared equally between players on the same score. Players may win one prize only (highest value prize applies). Players with an ACF Classical rating will be divided into three equal rating groups: Top group: not eligible for rating prizes Middle group: Rating Group 1 Bottom group: Rating Group 2 Players without an ACF rating but with a FIDE Classical rating will be placed at the Chief Arbiter’s discretion. Best Unrated prize is only for players without ACF or FIDE ratings. Biggest Upset is awarded for the largest upward rating differential win. Rating groups will be published by Round 2. ➕ Byes One ½-point bye available in Rounds 1–3 Round 1 bye must be requested in advance of tournament commencement 📩 Enquiries FA/ CM Tony Davis – Tournament Director 📞 0408 306 063 IA Casey Goh- Chief Organiser ✉️ hobsonbaychessclub@gmail.com

♟️ Victorian Women’s Championship 2026 Hobsons Bay Chess Club, in partnership with Geelong Chess Club, is proud to host the Victorian Women’s Championship 2026 — a premier classical event celebrating female chess talent across Victoria. Under the Patronage of Chess Victoria (FIDE & ACF Rated Classical Event) 📅 Dates: Saturday 12 September 2026 Saturday 19 September 2026 📍 Venue: Hobsons Bay Chess Club, 108 Queen St, Altona VIC 🏆 Event Details Format: 5 Round Swiss Time Control: 60 minutes + 30 seconds increment (from move 1) Rated: FIDE Classical & ACF Standard Rated Tie-breaks: Buchholz Cut 1 (BH-C1), Buchholz (BH), Sonneborn-Berger (SB) 👩 Sections Open Women’s Championship Junior Girls Section (subject to sufficient entries) Additional sections may be introduced subject to entries and Chess Victoria approval 🗓️ Schedule Week 1 – Saturday 12 September 2026 8:45 – 9:30 Registration 9:30 – 9:45 Opening Ceremony 9:45 – 12:45 Round 1 12:45 – 1:30 Lunch Break 1:30 – 4:30 Round 2 Week 2 – Saturday 19 September 2026 9:00 – 12:00 Round 3 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch Break 12:45 – 3:45 Round 4 4:00 – 7:00 Round 5 7:15 – 7:45 Prize Presentation 💰 Prizes Total Cash Prize Pool: $1500 Trophies for Top 3 Overall (official title) Best Age Group (number of age groups depends on players registered) Best Unrated (Unofficial title) Best Upset (both players must be rated) Best Geelong Chess Club/ Hobsons Bay Chess Club player 🚆 Getting There Ample street parking available Walking distance to Altona Train Station and local bus routes ⏰ Registration Early Bird closes: 1st September Final Registration: 11 September 2026 Final Date for Withdrawal Request (eligible for refund): 4th September 2026 Early Bird (Seniors) $97.85 Early Bird (Juniors) $87.55 Early Bird FM/ WFM $66.95 Early Bird WIM/IM/GM/WGM $0.00 Late Entry (All categories) $113.30 Tournament Rules https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rloaKWMKFEQ1rtShkFxQ27I2nQ5lVK2u&usp=drive_fs Spots are limited — secure your place early for this flagship women’s event! 🌟 Why Play? Official Victorian Women’s Championship title Dual rated (FIDE & ACF) Plenty of prizes including total cash prizes $2100 High-quality playing conditions Welcoming and supportive competitive environment DGT Boards Live Twitch coverage