Croydon Chess Club ready for championship
29 Jun 12 @ 05:00am by Angus Livingston
IT IS intense strategy played at breakneck speed.
Each competitor has less than a minute to think several moves ahead, guessing and second-guessing their opponent.
For the audience, the tension is palpable.
Yes, it’s chess.
The Croydon Chess Club is hosting the Croydon Weekender on July 14 and 15, with national Grand Prix points and cash prizes up for grabs.
Club president Richard Goldsmith said people with a working knowledge of chess could become absorbed watching some of the high stakes games between expert players.
“When you’re actually aware of it, you do get sucked into the body language,” Mr Goldsmith said.
Mr Goldsmith said the tournament would attract players from Queensland, Tasmania and New Zealand.
He expected most of the competitors to be young.
Mr Goldsmith said he knew some 12 and 13-year-olds who earned $1700 a year playing in tournaments.
The games start at 10am, 3pm and 7pm each day at the Croydon RSL.
Me ready too