2019 Oceania Zonal Location

[RiverHollow]

When will there be confirmation for the location of the 2019 Oceania Zonal?

[Alana]

When will there be confirmation for the location of the 2019 Oceania Zonal?

The Oceania Confederation is inviting Guam to put in a formal bit (Guam has sent emails saying they are willing to host it). It sounds like the OCC are happy to let them host as long as they find a suitable budget. The dates are unknown as of yet.

[RiverHollow]

noooooo.... would've like Norths to host again T.T

[Kevin Bonham]

It's good to share it around different places in the Zone.

[RiverHollow]

Yea, its good for the little countries to get a chance, I'm speaking mainly from a financial perspective and ease of access.

[Thebes]

Yea, its good for the little countries to get a chance, I'm speaking mainly from a financial perspective and ease of access.

We'll see but with the new stricter rules coming into place, I think that the participants from Australia at the lower level will be a lot less, especially if it's not held in Australia.

[Kevin Bonham]

Yea, its good for the little countries to get a chance, I'm speaking mainly from a financial perspective and ease of access.

For you.

We'll see but with the new stricter rules coming into place, I think that the participants from Australia at the lower level will be a lot less, especially if it's not held in Australia.

It will be interesting to see what it does (if it happens; we're still waiting for this mythical PB meeting to confirm it as the Development Commission chair is opposed to the CM recommendation). Looking at the results of the current Zonal, under the new system 7 of the new 11 FMs would have got their title immediately, 2 others would have got CM immediately. However most of the new CMs would have been conditional on rating and quite a few of those people will probably never make FIDE 2000. So if the mid-range club players drop out and there are smaller fields then it might be harder for 2100s to get FM and over time they might not play so much either.

[RiverHollow]

Yea but most of the players are Aus anyway :p I do understand the need for equality tho.

[Vlad]

Sounds just crazy... 5300 kms from Sydney (5700 kms from Melbourne), at least 16 hour flight time with prices starting from 1200 AU. If the organizers end up getting 20 people travelling from countries other than Guam, they would be lucky.

[junior]

It could be a round robin !

[MichaelBaron]

So why not just sell the titles? Fide does it already via its online chess platform.

[Kerry Stead]

Sounds just crazy... 5300 kms from Sydney (5700 kms from Melbourne), at least 16 hour flight time with prices starting from 1200 AU. If the organizers end up getting 20 people travelling from countries other than Guam, they would be lucky.

One thing that Guam has over the bigger countries in the Oceania zone is the hospitality offered by the locals - they are very appreciative of players who are willing to travel to Guam for chess, so do their best to accommodate them. Scenery is also fantastic for those not playing chess or before/after chess.
There used to be one or two flights per week direct from Cairns, but seems that this is no longer the case, so it would require multiple flights & a bit more expense, as Vlad suggests.

[junior]

I usually attend Zonals but this is to far 16 hours is crazy for Oceania Tournements

3 hours 4 hours no problem but 16 hours is the same as going to the Usa ,

i dont think many people will go its to expensive to far prices start around 1500 and go up from there

[SquishyDoggy]

One thing that Guam has over the bigger countries in the Oceania zone is the hospitality offered by the locals - they are very appreciative of players who are willing to travel to Guam for chess, so do their best to accommodate them. Scenery is also fantastic for those not playing chess or before/after chess.
There used to be one or two flights per week direct from Cairns, but seems that this is no longer the case, so it would require multiple flights & a bit more expense, as Vlad suggests.

I'm not sure this is something Guam has over "bigger countries". From what I know, the New Zealand was extremely hospitable not to mention have beautiful scenery... I have no doubt, this will be the same for Norths in Sydney.

It's nice that the OCC is trying this to promote diversity and chess in off shore regions but with the title restrictions, the increase travel expense, I predict a much smaller field than the last two zonals.

[junior]

well i dont think the tournement will have enought to financially support itself