MINGARA CHESS CLUB

White Knight Chess Club: Started in 1983 by Doug Blundell,Linda Hodge & Barry Mann, the White Knights were a small band of the strongest players on the Coast, so in their heyday [sic] did extremely well in tournaments - even fielding a team in the NSW lightning champ of 1984. The White Knights at first played on Friday nights in a Literary Institute Hall at Kanwal but have now moved into Toukley under the venue of Toukley RSL (on Sunday afternoons). The White Knights have been organizing a medium division weekend tournament since 1986 which brings in respectable numbers of players into the area but as a club can only be described as a shadow of its former self.

Ettalong Chess Club: Started in 1968 Ettalong is the oldest of Local Chess Clubs, or at least would be if it were still in existence. It very nearly disappeared after its 1981 championship when the president left town and there were few who wished to administrate (few players in fact). In mid 1982 the club began to rebuild - mainly around a competition calendar, for a few years in the mid 80's Ettalong was organizing two major tournaments a year (round robins); monthly lightnings (which formed a sort of 'Grand Prix' series) and was even approached to apply for the Cecil Purdy Memorial & NSW Country Championship (unfortunately sponsors and cheap accommodation proved to be the stumbling blocks). The club faced venue difficulties for many years before the organizer(s) finally got involved in other things in 1989 and the club soon fell away without its core players. The Ettalong Chess Club was revived by John Moore and Keith Farrell in May 1998 and now meets every Thursday night at Ettalong Memorial Club. They also have a website here is the link- http://www.ozemail.com.au/~kfarrell/chess/ettalong/EttIntro.html

Kincumber Knights Chess Club: Started by Keith Farrell & Hank Holtman in 1986 to cater for players who found it difficult travelling to Gosford, this club lasted less than a year - mainly because of aforesaid travel restrictions but also because of venue problems.

LongJetty Memorial Chess Club: Started by Kevin Jones after he left the Gosford Club in 1989.

Central Coast Association: Intended to be a grouping of all the clubs on the Coast, eventually Gosford pulled out - leaving Ettalong & White Knights. The Association organized two Association Cups the late eighties, both held by Ettalong, before it 'folded' - there was no official winding up.

Central Coast Leagues Club Chess Club

Through the efforts of a strong committee (headed by Kevin Jones) Gosford was the venue for the Australian Championship (closed)in the bicentennial year (1988). Mike McLoon took on the job of President in 1990 and the club has steadily increased in size since then. Mike Roche took over as club President in October 1998. Keith Farrell took over the presidentcy in 1999.

Explanations used in this page

Australian Championship: in alternate years the Australian Championship is an Open (where all compete in the one large swiss tournament - usually 13 rounds, and a closed which is limited to of players rated above 2000 or the top players in Australia are invited. For the rest there is the Reserves championship (the winner of the reserves is automatically invited in the next closed championship.

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