Chess lovers rush to 60th Begonia Open

MORE than 200 chess competitors battled it out at the 60th Begonia Open at the weekend, and local stalwart Kevin Perrin was honoured for his own diamond jubilee as part of the tournament.

Mr Perrin was recognised for his involvement in every year of the Begonia Open, as a player, arbiter or organiser.

The tournament director said the turnout of competitors from across Australia was pleasing and important for Ballarat.

Western Australian Temur Kuybokarov won the Begonia Open.

“We’ve got over 200 entries and that’s become sort of a judging point from our point of view to see whether or not we’ve got good support,” Mr Perrin said.

“It’s only about the fourth time that we’ve had over 200 entries.”

Peter Ebbutt and Ross Finlay from Melbourne group Chess in the Park said they made the road trip to compete and socialise.

“There’s plenty of people here that we know because they’ve all come from Melbourne anyway,” Mr Finlay said. “I’ve seen it grow over the years more and more popular.”

“It is like a nice little weekend away,” Mr Ebbutt said. “And like I said, the fact that people would go over the games with you upstairs, that’s a good part of it as well.”

Mr Perrin said the tournament had originally been opened to country players only, but within a few years grew into a competition that attracted challengers from across the country.

Over time he said the Begonia Open had changed with technology and rules.

Venue, equipment and a dedicated group, Mr Perrin said, were key ingredients to running a tournament.

“I mean this isn’t just me,” he said. “We’ve got a good committee of about six people and in future I’ll be stepping back a little bit from my tournament manager role.”

He said he was proud of the tournament’s longevity and the joy competitors received from taking part.

“I love to see the outcome and the smiles on people’s faces when they come and they keep turning up,” he said.

Mr Perrin hopes to step back in the next few years to actually play a game himself.

“I do like to sort of put everything else aside, sit down and play a game,” he said. “Then you’re in the land of calculations and possibilities and what ifs and all those types of variations.

“That gives me quite a lot of pleasure.”