60 years shows Begonia chess tourney’s no gambit

NOT many community events survived the worldwide disruption that was the COVID-19 pandemic, but a premier chess tournament in Ballarat was one of them.

From noon on Saturday 7 March, the 60th Begonia Open will be hosted at Ballarat Tech School, drawing the elite of Australian chess for more than $17,000 in prizemoney.

“We now have a unique record in that we’ve run 60 consecutively,” Ballarat Chess Club captain Patrick Cook said. “We hadn’t even missed for COVID.

“It was just purely because of timing.”

However, the establishment of online games and a capacity to cater to all types of people speaks to chess’s adaptability and inclusivity.

Most Thursdays the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute where the club is based is abuzz with children and stalwarts matching their skills across black and white chequered boards.

“The great thing about chess is that it’s incredibly inclusive,” Mr Cook said. “You get lots of young kids. You get people in their 20s, 30s, right through into their 70s and 80s.”

The event, which has attracted grandmasters like Nigel Short throughout the years, is expected to draw a large field from across the nation.

Mr Cook said the tournament over the decades has built a reputation with patrons and competitors for its quality service.

“People who come along to the Begonia tournament for the first time are so impressed with its organisation, with the atmosphere, they keep coming back,” Mr Cook said.

He attributed the years of consistent organisation to tournament director Kevin Perrin.

“He’s been involved in every single one of them, either as an organiser, player, he was director of play for many years, he now titles himself as the tournament manager,” he said.

When asked what he loved about chess, Mr Cook’s answer was concise and eloquent.

“For me, chess is the perfect marriage of logic and imagination,” he said.

The club meets every Thursday at the BMI and is open to residents of all ages.

More information about the Begonia Open and the club is available at ballaratchess.com